Levi Todd, PhD
Assistant Professor

I started at the Center for Vision Research at SUNY Upstate in October 2023. Prior to this I completed my PhD at The Ohio State University with Andy Fischer in 2018. Following that, I spent five years at the University of Washington in Thomas Reh’s laboratory as a postdoctoral fellow. My motivation revolves around all things glia and mentoring the next generation of scientists and thinkers.

Jugasmita Deka
PhD student - Neuroscience

I am from Assam, India and am a third year PhD student trying to regenerate retinal neurons in the aged nervous system. I completed my undergraduate and masters degree in Biotechnology from Amity University, Noida, India.

I enjoy cleaning and organizing things in and outside lab (especially Levi’s bench), and striking things off my to-do list keeps me motivated. Other than work, I love roaming around aimlessly on the street clicking pictures, taking videos and I love being active on social media.

Fun fact about me: Dancing is my happy place and I can create dance routines faster than experimental designs!!

Sucheta Bhattacharya
PhD student - Neuroscience

I earned my Bachelor’s in Zoology and my Master’s in Biophysics and Molecular Biology from the University of Calcutta. I love problem-solving and using my curiosity and creativity to work through them. Science keeps me hooked because it gives me something new to learn every day and a chance to put my grey cells to work in meaningful ways.

Outside the lab, I enjoy drawing and exploring new places (though I’m not much of a fan of big cities). I’m also a bit of a tech nerd and love staying up to date with the latest in technology. Fun fact: as a kid, I wanted to be a detective and solve mysteries—maybe I’m doing the same thing now, just in a different setting!

Ying Han
PhD student - Neuroscience

I am a currently a second year PhD student working on stimulating neurogenesis in degeneration models of the brain and retina. I graduated from Lake Forest College where I studied neuroscience and computer science.

I like visiting new places and thrifting random items. I enjoy reading occasionally and love food. I don’t watch horror movies. I am trying to build discipline.

Samantha Sutton
Lab Manager

I earned both my Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Biology and Neuroscience from Syracuse University. In my free time, I enjoy going on monthly hikes, cooking and baking new gluten-free recipes, and spending time with my two dogs, Sophie and Ranger.

I also like planning, organizing, and playing solitaire. A unique fact about me is that I have an excellent sense of direction — you won’t need a GPS if I’m around. I value exploring new places, and one of my long-term goals is to visit all 50 states and eventually travel the world.

Maggie Endres
Undergraduate Researcher

Maggie is a senior studying neuroscience at Syracuse University and started in our lab in September 2024. She is a Renee Crown Honors student and doing her senior thesis in our lab investigating neutrophils in retinal degeneration and regeneration.

Che’onnie Mathis
Undergraduate Researcher

Che’onnnie is a Senior at Syracuse University and started in our lab in August 2025.

Alumni