Close ×James Costanzo
Research Assistant
James is a Research Assistant in the Miranda Lab at Case Western Reserve University and he hopes to pursue a PhD in the future, where he can further study neurodegenerative and/or neurodevelopmental diseases. He received a B.S. in Biology and minors in Psychology and Neuroscience from Ramapo College of New Jersey in 2019. During his undergraduate research in Dr. Joost Monen's Lab, he studied the characterization of unknown genes in development, by observing the phenotype of transgenic mutants to determine the gene’s biological process. In the Miranda Lab, James helps maintain the lab in addition to scientific duties. Previously, James studied the molecular mechanisms of neurodegenerative diseases, such as the causal relationship of P56S mutation in ALS-8. Currently, he is studying Early Infantile Eplipetic Encephalopathy Type 76, which is a neurodevelopmental disease characterized by early onset seizures and autistic like features. He is using cortical organoids derived from induced Pluripotent Stem Cells to model the disease and understand EIEE-76’s underlying pathological mechanisms. In his free time he tutors SAT and school subjects, is a current and lifelong student, loves anime, reads philosophy books, is a business owner, goes to the gym, rides his bike everywhere and cooks delicious meals on his cooking channel.