Anna Molofsky

Molofsky completed her undergraduate education at Amherst College, majoring in neuroscience and chemistry.{{Cite web|url=https://medschool.ucsf.edu/features/interview-2017-pew-scholar-anna-molofsky-md-phd|title=An Interview with 2017 Pew Scholar Anna Molofsky, MD, PhD {{!}} UCSF School of Medicine|website=medschool.ucsf.edu|access-date=2020-03-21}} Next, she pursued an MD-PhD at the University of Michigan-Ann Arbor through the NIH funded Medical Scientist Training Program. During her PhD, Molofsky focused her training in CNS stem cell renewal and investigated glial heterogeneity under the mentorship of Sean Morrison.{{Cite web|url=https://www.annamolofskylab.org/about-the-pi|title=About the lab|website=Anna Molofsky Lab @UCSF|language=en-US|access-date=2020-03-21}}{{Cite web|url=http://www.cell-symposia.com/neuroimmunology-2019/bio-molofsky.asp|title=Speakers: Cell Symposia Neuro-Immune Axis: Reciprocal Regulation in Development, Health, and Disease|website=www.cell-symposia.com|access-date=2020-03-21}} Molofsky then continued her clinical training with a residency in adult psychiatry at UC San Francisco followed by postdoctoral training in the lab of David Rowitch.

In 2015, Molofsky started her lab at UC San Francisco. The Molofsky Lab investigates the communication between astrocytes, microglia, and neurons and how this communication shapes synapse formation during development. Her lab discovered a novel function of Interleukin-33 in which astrocytic release of this cytokine helps regulate microglial synaptic pruning during development and maintain synapse homeostasis.{{Cite journal|last1=Vainchtein|first1=Ilia D.|last2=Chin|first2=Gregory|last3=Cho|first3=Frances S.|last4=Kelley|first4=Kevin W.|last5=Miller|first5=John G.|last6=Chien|first6=Elliott C.|last7=Liddelow|first7=Shane A.|last8=Nguyen|first8=Phi T.|last9=Nakao-Inoue|first9=Hiromi|last10=Dorman|first10=Leah C.|last11=Akil|first11=Omar|date=2018-03-16|title=Astrocyte-derived interleukin-33 promotes microglial synapse engulfment and neural circuit development|journal=Science|language=en|volume=359|issue=6381|pages=1269–1273|doi=10.1126/science.aal3589|issn=0036-8075|pmid=29420261|pmc=6070131|doi-access=free|bibcode=2018Sci...359.1269V }} Molofsky is also dedicated to characterizing astrocyte heterogeneity and further understanding their unique roles in neural circuit function{{Cite journal|last1=Molofsky|first1=Anna V.|last2=Kelley|first2=Kevin W.|last3=Tsai|first3=Hui-Hsin|last4=Redmond|first4=Stephanie A.|last5=Chang|first5=Sandra M.|last6=Madireddy|first6=Lohith|last7=Chan|first7=Jonah R.|last8=Baranzini|first8=Sergio E.|last9=Ullian|first9=Erik M.|last10=Rowitch|first10=David H.|date=May 2014|title=Astrocyte-encoded positional cues maintain sensorimotor circuit integrity|url= |journal=Nature|language=en|volume=509|issue=7499|pages=189–194|doi=10.1038/nature13161|pmid=24776795|issn=1476-4687|pmc=4057936|bibcode=2014Natur.509..189M }} and in neuroinflammation.

• Bennett FC, Molofsky AV. The immune system and psychiatric disease: a basic science perspective (2019). Clin Exp Immunol. 197: 294–307.
• Vainchtein ID*, Chin G*, Cho FS, Kelley KW, Miller JG, Chien EC, Liddelow SA, Nguyen PT, Nakao-Inoue H, Dorman LC, Akil O, Joshita S, Barres BA, Paz JT, Molofsky AB, Molofsky AV (2018). Astrocyte-derived interleukin-33 promotes microglial synapse engulfment and neural circuit development. Science 359: 1269–1273.
• Kelley KW, Nakao-Inoue H, Molofsky AV, Oldham M (2018) Variation among intact tissue samples reveals the core transcriptional features of human CNS cell classes. Nature Neuroscience 21:1171–1184.
• Poskanzer KE and Molofsky AV (2018) Dynamism of an Astrocyte In Vivo: Perspectives on Identity and Function. Ann Rev Physiol 80: 143–157.

• 2006 Harold M. Weintraub Graduate Student Award, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center
• 2007 Dean's Award for Research Excellence, University of Michigan Medical School
• 2013 APA-Pfizer MD/PhD Psychiatric Research Fellowship, American Psychiatric Association
• 2014 ACNP Travel Award, American College of Neuropsychopharmacology
• 2015 Career Award for Medical Scientists, Burroughs Wellcome Fund{{Cite web|url=https://www.bwfund.org/grant-programs/biomedical-sciences/career-awards-medical-scientists/grant-recipients|title=Grant Recipients {{!}} Burroughs Wellcome Fund|website=www.bwfund.org|access-date=2020-03-21}}
• 2016 Young Investigator Award, Brain and Behavior Research Foundation{{Cite web|url=https://psych.ucsf.edu/news/molofsky-ramanathan-named-2016-narsad-young-investigator-grant-recipients|title=Molofsky, Ramanathan named 2016 NARSAD Young Investigator Grant recipients {{!}} UCSF Department of Psychiatry|website=psych.ucsf.edu|date=13 October 2016 |access-date=2020-03-21}}
• 2019 NIH New Innovator Award{{Cite web|url=https://www.ucsf.edu/news/2017/10/408606/two-ucsf-scientists-win-nih-new-innovator-awards|title=Two UCSF Scientists Win NIH New Innovator Awards|website=Two UCSF Scientists Win NIH New Innovator Awards {{!}} UC San Francisco|date=5 October 2017 |language=en|access-date=2020-03-21}}
• 2017 Pew Scholar in Biomedical Science
• 2019 Joseph Altman Award in Developmental Neuroscience, Japanese Neuroscience Society{{Cite web|url=https://www.jnss.org/190313-02/|title=Announcement of the Awardee of the 2019 Joseph Altman Award in Developmental Neuroscience {{!}} 神経科学学会|language=ja|access-date=2020-03-21}}
• 2019 Freedman Award in Basic Research, Brain and Behavior Research Foundation{{Cite web|url=https://www.bbrfoundation.org/grants-prizes/klerman-freedman-prizes|title=Klerman & Freedman Prizes|date=2017-03-15|website=Brain & Behavior Research Foundation|language=en|access-date=2020-03-21}}

{{Reflist}}

• [https://www.annamolofskylab.org/ Molofsky Lab]

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Category:Living people

Category:Year of birth missing (living people)

Category:Amherst College alumni

Category:University of Michigan alumni

Category:American psychiatrists

Category:American women biologists

Category:21st-century American women