Prof. Skanata joined the Physics Department at Syracuse University in 2021, following postdoctoral work at the New York University. She obtained her Ph.D. in Physics from Brown University and B.Sc. in Physics from University of Zagreb, Croatia.

How do neural circuits orchestrate behavior? To achieve a circuit-wide understanding of how brains compute, one needs a relatively simple brain, genetic access to individual neurons, and technology that allows measuring neural activity during behavior. I am using a simple model organism Drosophila larva with advanced imaging technology and optophysiology techniques to read out and manipulate the neuronal activity while the animal freely behaves. My aim is to elucidate the mechanisms how correlated neural activity generates behaviors, including where and how are decisions formed in a brain, how are neural correlates modified during learning, or when impacted by a neurological disease, and detail the neural underpinnings of rhythmical patterns in locomotion. We are an interdisciplinary lab that brings together physics, neuroscience, molecular biology, engineering, and computer science.

Research spotlight: Individual trajectories of Drosophila larvae navigating their sensory environments

Syracuse University, Syracuse, NY
Assistant Professor of Physics (2021-present)
Assistant Professor of Biology, by courtesy (2022-present)
Faculty affiliate, Interdisciplinary Graduate Neuroscience Concentration (2022-present)
Faculty affiliate, BioInspired Institute (2021-present)

Physics Department Community Building and Social Justice Award , Syracuse University (2024)

NIH Maximizing Investigators’ Research (MIRA) Award (2023)

Physics Department Faculty Teaching Award, PHYS 102, Syracuse University (2023)

McKnight Technological Innovations in Neuroscience Award (2022)

Helmsley Fellowship for CSHL Drosophila Neurobiology: Genes, Circuits and Behavior course (2016)

Sigma Xi Award for Excellence in Research in Physics, Brown University (2014)

CERN Summer Student Scholarship (2007)

Croatian National Scholarship for Talented Students (2003-2007)

"Devices and methods for containing molecules",
Derek Stein, Xu Liu, Mirna Mihovilovic Skanata, US Patent 9810663; 2017

• “CRASH2p: Closed-loop Two Photon Imaging in Freely Moving Animal”, Paul McNulty+, Rui Wu+, Akihiro Yamaguchi, Ellie Heckscher, Andrew Haas, Amajindi Nwankpa, Mirna M. Skanata*, Marc Gershow * (*=corresponding authors),
  Bioarxiv, 2024.
• "Recording neural activity in unrestrained animals with 3D tracking two photon microscopy", Doycho Karagyozov*, Mirna M. Skanata*, Amanda Lesar and Marc Gershow,
  Cell Reports, 2018; 25, 1-13 (*=equal contribution). Press highlight: Labrigger
• "Computations underlying Drosophila photo-taxis, odor-taxis, and multi-sensory integration", Ruben Gepner*, Mirna M. Skanata*, Natalie M Bernat, Margarita Kaplow and Marc Gershow,
  eLife, 2015; 4, 06229. (*=equal contribution).
  Editor’s highlight: In search of lost scent
• "Direction Selectivity in Drosophila Proprioceptors Requires the Mechanosensory Channel Tmc", Liping He, Sarun Gulyanon, Mirna M. Skanata, Doycho Karagyozov, Ellie Heckscher, Michael Krieg, Gavriil Tsechpenakis, Marc Gershow, W. Daniel Tracey Jr.,
  Current Biology, 2019; 29 (6):945-956. Editor’s highlight: Coordinated movements: Watching proprioception unfold
• "Statistics of DNA Capture by a Solid-State Nanopore",
  Mirna Mihovilovic, Nicholas Hagerty and Derek Stein,
  Phys. Rev. Lett. 2013; 110(2): 028102.
  Editor’s highlight: Through the eye of the needle

"Passive and Electrically Actuated Solid-State Nanopores for Sensing and Manipulating DNA",
Zhijun Jiang, Mirna Mihovilovic, Erin Teich and Derek Stein, in:
Nanopore-based technology: Single molecule characterization and DNA sequencing, M.E. Gracheva, Ed., Humana Press, Springer, New York; 2012. PubMed PMID: 22528268

Leaders Redefining the Future of STEM
(Jan 30, 2024)

Peek Into the Hidden World Inside of Cells
(March 28, 2023)
Featuring bioimaging research technologies & Blatt Bioimaging Center at Syracuse University

Mihovilovic Skanata Awarded McKnight Neuroscience Grant
(Oct 1 2022 and McKnight Foundation feature Aug 1, 2022)
This award will fund development of novel technology to image and manipulate neural activity.

New Faculty Spotlight
(Dec 14, 2021)

The New York Academy of Sciences Magazine cover story
(Spring 2016)