Dissertation Defense: Cells, Circuits, and Development of the Mouse Lateral Geniculate Nucleus
Dissertation Defense: Cells, Circuits, and Development of the Mouse Lateral Geniculate Nucleus
Katelyn Stebbins
Graduate Student, Translational Biology, Medicine, and Health
Graduate Research Assistant, Fox Lab, Fralin Biomedical Research Institute at VTC
Medical Student, Virginia Tech Carilion School of Medicine
April 28, 2025, at 2 p.m.
Room G101 A/B, 4 Riverside Circle
About this Dissertation
In the visual system, retinal axons convey visual information from the outside world to numerous and distinct brain regions. In rodents, one major area that is densely innervated by retinal input is the visual thalamus. The mouse visual thalamus serves as a powerful model system to understand sensory circuit development based on its orderly structure and ease of accessibility for experimental manipulation. Within the visual thalamus, the lateral geniculate nucleus (LGN) is divided into three distinct regions: dorsal geniculate nucleus (dLGN), ventral lateral geniculate nucleus (vLGN), and the intergeniculate leaflet (IGL). Previous studies have characterized the cytoarchitecture and circuitry of dLGN, which is crucial for classical image-forming vision. However, the molecular resolution of cell types and the connection between subtypes of retinal ganglion cells with those cell types in dLGN remains unresolved. vLGN is associated with non-image-forming vision, light-mediated behaviors for which you do not need to generate or perceive an image of the outside world, and its complete neurochemistry, cytoarchitecture, and afferent and efferent circuitry remain unresolved, raising fundamental questions about its functional role within the visual system. Identifying the structure and function of neural circuits related to vision is crucial for understanding how light exerts its influence on programming an individual’s circadian cycle, mood disorders, fear perception, and perception and interaction with the environment. Stebbins, mentored by Michael Fox, employed state-of-the-art single-cell sequencing to identify a comprehensive list of cells in both dLGN and vLGN. Using this knowledge, she next explored the development of cell-type specific layers in the vLGN. In situ hybridization, immunohistochemistry, and genetic reporter lines revealed that the subtype-specific laminar distribution of retinorecipient cells in the vLGNe is established during embryonic development. Taken together, the studies in this dissertation have not only identified novel subtypes of dLGN and vLGN cells, but also point to new means of organizing visual information into parallel pathways by anatomically creating distinct sensory channels. This subtype-specific organization may be key to understanding how LGN receives, processes, and transmits light-derived signals in the visual system. Elucidating these pathways gives potentially generalizable principles in how sensory information is organized in the brain.
More About the Candidate and Project
Education
Virginia Tech, Translational Biology, Medicine, and Health, Ph.D. Candidate
Virginia Tech Carilion School of Medicine, Medical Student
Seton Hill University, B.S., Biology
Training
Graduate Research Assistant, Fox Lab, Fralin Biomedical Research Institute at VTC
Mentor
Michael Fox, Ph.D., Dean, College of Natural Sciences, University of Massachusetts Amherst
Committee Members
- Michelle Olsen, Ph.D., Professor, Director, School of Neuroscience, College of Science, Virginia Tech
- Leslie LaConte, Ph.D., Research Associate Professor, Fralin Biomedical Research Institute at VTC; Associate Dean for Research and Associate Professor, Virginia Tech Carilion School of Medicine
- Shanon Farris, Ph.D., Assistant Professor, Fralin Biomedical Research Institute at VTC
- Yuchin Albert Pan, Ph.D., Associate Professor, Commonwealth Research Commercialization Fund Eminent Research Scholar in Developmental Neuroscience, Fralin Biomedical Research Institute at VTC
Publications
Stebbins, K., Jalil, M., Khaksar, P., Webster, A.N., Campbell, J., Fox, M.A. (2025) A high-resolution transcriptomic atlas of cell types in the dorsal visual thalamus. In preparation for submission.
Stebbins, K., Jalil, M., Khaksar, P., Webster, A.N., Campbell, J., Fox, M.A. (2025) A high-resolution transcriptomic atlas of cell types in the ventral visual thalamus. In preparation for submission.
Stebbins, K., Somaiya, R.D., Sabbagh, U., Liang, Y., Su, J., Fox, M.A. (2024) Retinal input is required for the maintenance of neuronal laminae in the ventral lateral geniculate nucleus. eNeuro. 11(9)ENEURO.0022-24.2024
Strohman, A., Payne, B., In, A., Stebbins, K., Legon, W. (2024) Low-intensity focused ultrasound to the human dorsal anterior cingulate attenuates acute pain perception and autonomic responses. Journal of Neuroscience. 4(8)e1011232023.
Strohman, A., In, A., Stebbins, K., Legon, W. (2023) Evaluation of a novel acoustic coupling medium for human low-intensity focused ultrasound neuromodulation applications. Ultrasound in Medicine & Biology. S0301-5629(23)00054-6.
Ma, M., Brunal, A., Clark, K., Settlage, R. , Studtmann, C., Stebbins, K., Higashijima, S., Pan, Y.A. (2023) Deficiency in the cell-adhesion molecule Dscaml1 impairs hypothalamic CRH neuron development and neuroendocrine stress axis function. Frontiers in Cell and Developmental Biology. 11:1113675.
Somaiya, R.D., Stebbins, K., Xie, H., Garcia, A.D.R., Fox, M.A. (2022) Sonic hedgehog-dependent and activity-independent recruitment of GABAergic interneurons into developing visual thalamus. eLife, 11:e79833.
Presentations
- Jan. 2025 Cells, circuitry, and development of ventral visual thalamus, Virginia Tech Research in Progress Seminar Series, oral
- July 2024 Preparing for Your New Career Step, Virginia Tech NeuroSURF Professional Development Series, oral
- May 2024 Connecting cell sequencing data to clinical applications, Virginia Tech Translational Medicine, Biology, and Health MD/PhD Seminar Series, oral
- Apr. 2024 A high-resolution transcriptomic atlas of cell types in the lateral geniculate nucleus, Central Virginia Chapter of the Society for Neuroscience 2024 Symposium, oral
- Sept. 2023 Retinal input is required for the maintenance of neuronal laminae in the ventral LGN, Virginia Tech Research in Progress Seminar Series, oral
- Aug. 2023 Retinal input is required for the maintenance of neuronal laminae in the ventral LGN, VT Center for Neurobiology Research Welcome Symposium, oral
- July 2023 Preparing for Your New Career Step, Virginia Tech NeuroSURF Professional Development Series, oral
- Apr. 2023 Cells, circuitry, and development of ventral visual thalamus, Central Virginia Chapter of the Society for Neuroscience 2023 Symposium, oral
- Apr. 2023 Neuroscience advocacy as a trainee, Central Virginia Chapter of the Society for Neuroscience 2023 Symposium, oral
- Mar. 2023 Neuro-ophthalmologic diseases, Virginia Tech Carilion School of Medicine Clinical Review Seminar Series, oral
- Mar. 2023 Creating a parts list for the brain, Medical Student Grand Rounds, Virtual Symposium, oral
- Feb. 2023 The role of sonic hedgehog in the development of visual thalamus, Virginia Tech Translational Medicine, Biology, and Health MD/PhD Seminar Series, oral
- Nov. 2022 Sonic hedgehog-dependent recruitment of GABAergic interneurons into developing vLGN, Society for Neuroscience 2022 Annual Scientific Meeting, oral
- Oct. 2022 Sonic hedgehog-dependent recruitment of GABAergic interneurons into developing vLGN, Virginia Tech Research in Progress Seminar Series, oral
- Nov. 2024 A high-resolution transcriptomic atlas of cell types in the lateral geniculate nucleus, Society for Neuroscience 2024 Annual Scientific Meeting, poster
- Nov. 2023 Retinal input is required for the maintenance of neuronal laminae in the ventral LGN, Society for Neuroscience 2023 Annual Scientific Meeting, poster
- Aug. 2023 A high-resolution transcriptomic atlas of cell types in the lateral geniculate nucleus, VT Center for Neurobiology Research Welcome Symposium, poster
- Aug. 2023 A high-resolution transciptomic analysis of the mouse lateral geniculate nucleus, Virginia Tech Advancing Neuroscience Symposium, poster
- Apr. 2023 Outcomes in Patients with seizure following Shaken Baby Syndrome, American Academy of Neurology Annual Meeting, poster
- Apr. 2023 Development of subtype-specific laminae in ventral regions of mouse visual thalamus, Brain and Spine Group- 2nd Annual Early Career Neuroscience Virtual Research Symposium, poster
- Mar. 2023 Development of subtype-specific layers in ventral regions of mouse visual thalamus, Virginia Tech Graduate and Professional Student Symposium, poster
- Mar. 2023 Development of visual thalamus and its implications for neuro-ophthalmologic diseases, Virginia Tech Translational Medicine, Biology, and Health Spring Symposium, poster
- Jan. 2023 Development of subtype-specific laminae in ventral regions of mouse visual thalamus, Virginia Tech Translational Medicine, Biology, and Health Winter Symposium, poster
- Nov. 2022 Sonic hedgehog-dependent recruitment of GABAergic interneurons into developing vLGN, Virginia Tech Translational Medicine, Biology, and Health Research Day, poster
- Nov 2022 Sonic hedgehog-dependent recruitment of GABAergic interneurons into developing vLGN, Society for Neuroscience Annual Meeting, poster
- Aug 2022 Development of subtype-specific laminae in ventral regions of mouse visual thalamus, Virginia Tech Alliance for Neurodevelopment Research Symposium, poster
- 2025 VTCSOM Dean’s Award for Inclusive Excellence
- 2025 Virginia Tech Aspire!Award - Commitment to Unwavering Curiosity
- 2023 NIH Ruth L. Kirschstein NRSA Predoctoral Fellow (F30) Award
- 2023 VT Advancing Neuroscience Symposium - Top Graduate Student Poster
- 2023 Central Virginia Chapter of the Society for Neuroscience - Top Oral Presentation
- 2023 Brain & Spine Group ECNVR Symposium - Top Abstract (Pediatrics)
- 2023 Virginia Tech Graduate and Professional Student Senate Travel Award
- 2023 Early Career Policy Ambassador Fellowship - Society for Neuroscience
- 2022 Health Sciences and Technology Hokie Pitch Competition Award
- 2022 Trainee Professional Development Award - Society for Neuroscience
- 2022 Letter of Distinction in Research
- 2022 Letter of Distinction in Clinical Science
- 2021 Editor’s Choice Article Award - Sensors
- 2021 Charles J. Schleupner Summer Research Fellow
Service
- July 2021 - Present Medical Volunteer, Bradley Free Clinic
Serving uninsured & underinsured residents through medical and ophthalmologic exams - June 2018 – Present Board of Directors, AIDSfreeAFRICA
Developing solutions for technical/logistical challenges to the AIDS epidemic in Africa - June 2019 - Jan. 2023 Level 4 Crisis Counselor, Crisis Text Line
Providing free mental health service through confidential crisis intervention via SMS
Editorial Boards
- June 2023 – Present Editor-in-Chief, VT SciCom
- Jan. 2023 – Present Editorial Board - Student Member, Pediatrics
- July 2020 – Present Editorial Board, Student Doctor Network
Outreach
- Feb. 2022 - 2025: Judge, Southwest Virginia Science Fair, BRH Regional, Western VA Regional, RV Governor’s School, SURF
- Mar. 2022 - 2025: Instructor, Dana Foundation Brain Week - VTCSOM, Leading instruction on vision, perception, optical illusions, and retinal diseases
- Summer 2022, 2023: Neuroscience Director, Explore Science Summer Camp - Virginia Tech, Developing curriculum and instructing 7th – 9th graders on ‘The Amazing Brain’