Transgenic zebrafish brain with inhibitory and excitatory neurons labelled green and red, respectively
Welcome to the Poduri Lab!

 

The Poduri Laboratory was launched in 2013 within the Department of Neurology and F.M. Kirby Neurobiology Center at Boston Children’s Hospital. Our translational Epilepsy Genetics Program encompasses human genetics research in epilepsy in parallel with bench laboratory research on genetic epilepsies.

Our ongoing gene discovery efforts and genotype-phenotype research inform our genetic epilepsy models. Our lab uses the zebrafish model system to study known and candidate epilepsy genes. We utilize transgenic zebrafish as functional models of seizures and related neurodevelopmental phenotypes. With bidirectional feedback between our clinical research team and bench laboratory research team, we are establishing a sustainable paradigm for high-throughput translational research in genetic epilepsy, with the ultimate goal of a targeted, “precision medicine” approach to the treatment of epilepsy in all patients. To that end, we are interested in evaluating models across several platforms, and we are collaborating with other laboratories to pursue models of some key epilepsy-related genes in mouse and in iPSC-derived neurons. 

 

Women in STEM panel (March 2025)

We were thrilled to attend the Women in STEM panel at the Kirby Center, where female scientists shared their career journeys and the challenges they’ve faced in the STEM field. Moderated by our own Sneham Tiwari, Postdoc Fellow, the conversation was insightful and motivational, highlighting the lessons learned and the importance of mentorship, resilience, and diversity in STEM. It was an inspiring event that encouraged the next generation of women in science to break barriers and pursue their passions!

Congratulations to Alissa D' Gama and Anna Duncan for receiving prestigious HMS career development grants (December 2024)

Anna Duncan has been awarded the Eleanor and Miles Shore Faculty Development Award from the Department of Pediatrics at Massachusetts General Hospital. Her project, “Understanding the Impact of EIF4A2 Variants on Zebrafish Interneuron Development,”.

Alissa D’ Gama has been awarded the Boston Children’s Hospital OFD/BTREC/CTREC Faculty Career Development Fellowship for her groundbreaking project, “Comprehensive Genomic Sequencing to Delineate the Molecular Genetic Landscape of Pediatric Epilepsy.”

These prestigious grants reflect Alissa and Anna’s exceptional dedication and the immense potential of their transformative research. We are incredibly proud of their accomplishments and excited to see the impact they will make in the field!

Annapurna Poduri, MD, MPH appointed as NINDS Deputy Director (September 2024)

Dr. Poduri is currently Director of the Epilepsy Genetics and Neurogenetics Programs, Associate Chief for Academic Development in the Department of Neurology, and the Diamond Blackfan Chair of Neuroscience Research at Boston Children’s Hospital. Dr. Poduri will join NINDS as the Deputy Director at the end of September. Dr. Poduri will continue her experimental science work within the intramural program of the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development. 

Congratulations, Alissa, for winning two of the prestigious awards (April 2024 and August 2024)

  1. Boston Children’s Hospital Office of Faculty Development/Basic & Clinical Translational Research Executive Committees Faculty Career Development Fellowship, awarded April 2024 
  2. Boston Children’s Hospital Translational Research Program, mentored Translational Investigator Service Award, awarded August 2024 

Diamond Blackfan Chair of Neuroscience Research (May 2022)

Dr. Poduri has been appointed as the inaugural incumbent of the Diamond Blackfan Chair In Neuroscience Research at Boston Children’s

Grass Foundation Young Investigator Award (September 2021)

Congratulations to Hyunyong (Howard) Koh for winning the 2021 Grass Foundation Young Investigator Award! This honor, granted by the American Epilepsy Society for his abstract “Non-cell Autonomous Hyperexcitability Underlies Focal Epileptogenesis Mediated By Low-Level Brain Somatic Mutations In MTOR”, was selected out of over 1,300 submissions.

International Precision Child Health Partnership (IPCHiP) Genomic Study in Infants with Epilepsy (February 2021)

We are collaborating will three international pediatric hospitals – UCL Great Ormond Street Institute for Child Health and Great Ormond Street Hospital (London); the Murdoch Children’s Research Institute with The Royal Children’s Hospital (Melbourne); and The Hospital for Sick Children (Toronto) – to launch IPCHiP’s first project: a genomic sequencing study in infants with epilepsy.

Epilepsy Genetics Program Newsletter (May 2020)

Read about the clinical and lab research projects we are actively working on, and all the latest news in our group!

Harvard Club of Boston's Most Influential Women (February 2020)

Dr. Poduri was selected as one of seven honorees at the Harvard Club of Boston’s Most Influential Women Gala.

Science Magazine Feature on Epilepsy Research (December 2019)

Dr. Poduri was interviewed as a part of Science Magazine‘s feature on novel approaches to discovering treatments for drug-resistant epilepsy.

The Boston Globe featuring the Poduri Lab's Research (September 2019)

Dr. Poduri’s work with zebrafish to unravel the genetic causes of epilepsy was highlighted in The Boston Globe‘s article about the cutting-edge research being performed at Boston Children’s Hospital.

The Wall Street Journal Article on Genetic Tests (May 2019)

Dr. Poduri was quoted in The Wall Street Journal article, “The Unfulfilled Promise of Genetic Testing”, addressing the challenges of using rapidly-evolving genetic tests for the diagnosis of rare diseases.