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Cassandra Sampaio Baptista is a neuroscientist investigating functional and structural brain plasticity—from cellular to systems-level processes—in both healthy and clinical populations, utilizing human and rodent models. She leads the Plasticity Lab (PLUG), funded by a Wellcome Career Development Award, starting in October 2025. Her research focuses on understanding white matter myelin plasticity and the crucial role myelin plays in motor learning. The lab examines how the brain adapts to experiences related to skill learning and biological processes such as ageing. Specifically, she studies how brain activity regulates myelination via oligodendroglia to support learning and enhance cognitive-motor function throughout life. The long-term goal is to harness brain plasticity to aid learning, rehabilitation, and healthy ageing. She takes a cross-species, multidisciplinary approach that combines magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), behavioral interventions, transgenic mouse models of neurological and neuropsychiatric disorders, and brain stimulation techniques to investigate factors influencing brain structure and function. Her lab also values equity, diversity, and inclusion, providing a supportive environment for skill development and career progression.
University of Glasgow • Glasgow, Scotland
Cassandra leads research on brain plasticity, focusing on the mechanisms of oligodendrocyte activity and its implications for learning and cognitive functions.