Natural Sciences: Natasha Vacca '25

vacca candid

Major(s) and minor(s)

B.S. in Neuroscience
Minors in Spanish and Clinical Psychology

Pronouns

She/Her

Hometown

Middlesex, NJ

Areas of interest/focus in research

Neuroplasticity, neural mechanisms behind behavior, host-parasite interactions.

In The Uy Lab I study a host-parasite system where the hosts are wasps! These parasites manipulate the neural pathways of the host in order for the host to live for a year when their normal life span is ~2 months. This is a great system for aging mechanisms and viewing neurotransmitter changes in response to parasitic manipulation. These social hosts also exhibit altered behavior changes that can be studied. My main projects involve figuring out the "when" and "how" of the start of parasitic manipulation in the host brain but I also look at host immune system defenses, colony defense behavior, and physiological effects of manipulation.

Labs / departments / offsite programs where research was conducted

Previous: URMC - Center for the Study and Prevention of Suicide

Current: UR Department of Biology in The Uy TropBio Lab

About me...

Hi there! I'm Natasha, a class of 2025 neuroscience major at UR. Some things about me is that I'm originally from a small town in New Jersey. In my spare time I love to catch up with my friends at Starbucks, read a good book, or watch some shows. My favorite book is The Blind Owl by Sadegh Hedayat and my favorite show is Girl From Nowhere (on Netflix!). And I've recently celebrated two years of being cancer free!

How has your experience as a researcher influenced your career objectives?

There were two large factors that influenced me to early decision to the UofR:

1) The community of high-achieving students

2) The research!

Research allows me to dig into my interests and be a part of a community that aims towards unlocking the complex beings we are.

Campus organizations, programs, activities, clubs, awards/distinctions

Clubs:

  • Co-president for College Feminists
  • Director of Education for American Lung Cancer Screening Initiative
  • Officer of the Medallion Society

Activities:

  • CHEM 132 + 203 TA
  • Neuroscience 201 TA
  • Chemistry study group leader

Awards:

  • Catherine Block Memorial Fund Prize (2024)
  • de Kiewiet Fellowship (2024)
  • Recny Scholarship (2023)
  • Rigby-Wile Prize (2022)
  • Schwartz Discover Grant (monetarily declined, 2023)
  • Bilski-Mayer Fellowship (monetarily declined, 2023)

Fun Fact: when I'm not doing research you can usually find me...

In Carlson with a pink drink and a dream

Areas where I may be particularly helpful

  • Discover Grant app writing (I received the Discover and accepted the Recny over it but I have experience writing the proposal and everything!)
  • Grant writing in general - Resume writing
  • Literature searches/readings
  • Tour of department/lab
  • Brainstorming
  • Experimental design

What advice do you have for prospective or new researchers?

I hear a lot of students that don't reach out to professors because they feel they might be too inexperienced, but you have to start somewhere! Being in a lab expands your knowledge on a subject far past what they teach in introductory courses so you're not meant to be an expert before you start undergrad research. Find a professor that does work that you can envision yourself doing and enjoying. And reach out! Just reaching out never hurts and there are so many ways to get involved but you have to put yourself out there first.

Email me at: nvacca2@u.rochester.edu