- B.S. Biology/Chemistry, B.A. Philosophy/Theology, Point Loma Nazarene University, 2004
- Ph.D. Chemistry, University of California, Berkeley, 2009 (Christopher J. Chang, advisor)
- Post-doctoral Fellow, University of California, San Diego, 2009-2013 (Roger Y. Tsien, advisor)
- NIH NRSA Post-doctoral fellow, NIBIB, 2010
- NIH K99 Pathway to Independence Fellow, NINDS, 2012
- Assistant Professor, Chemistry and Molecular & Cell Biology, University of California, Berkeley, 2013
- Associate Professor, Chemistry and Molecular & Cell Biology, University of California, Berkeley, 2020
Chemical biology, organic chemistry, fluorescence microscopy, neuroscience, imaging.
Research in the Miller lab operates at the interface of synthetic chemistry, biology, and neuroscience. We seek to exploit expertise in synthetic chemistry, probe design, imaging, molecular biology, and electrophysiology to create and deploy molecular tools for studying the nervous system. This multi-faceted approach engages a diverse group of researchers from differing scientific backgrounds, expanding our understanding of basic chemical and biological processes, and using these discoveries to investigate the brain. Specifically, we seek to address how the brain transmits information from cell to cell and develop tools to track neuronal activity with high spatial and temporal resolution. This approach to studying neuronal communication and information flux in the brain is two-pronged. First, we will develop activity-dependent neuronal tracer dyes for following signal transduction through neural circuits and within cells. Secondly, we will investigate new synthetic and genetically encoded indicators for optically monitoring voltage changes in neurons. Throughout, these approaches will be integrated into systems ranging from primary cell culture to tissue slices to whole animals in order to not only show-case the utility of our new tools, but also to explore new dimensions of neuronal communication and information transfer.