Litwa Lab

17/12/2025

11/12/2025

The Litwa lab made it into the ECU holiday video. Thankful for the joy that this group brings to my life.

This season, we’re celebrating the memories that bring us together and the moments still to come. Thank you for being a part of the community that makes East...

15/11/2025

Mid Atlantic Cannabinoid Research Collaborative Meeting 2025.

31/10/2025

Another great neurosciences symposium! So proud of my transgenic mouse colony! You all rocked the costume and the science. Special shout out to Kara for best undergrad poster!

16/09/2025

Awesome research with amazing people!

Brody School of Medicine's Dr. Karen Litwa and graduate student Riley Bessetti perform research on tiny brains to unlock big mysteries in brain development. ...

31/05/2025

Nerding out with my labbies! Playing the new publish or perish game at Pitt st! It was a blast!

10/05/2025

Congrats ECU grads! Special shout-out to graduating members of the Litwa lab - Dr. Riley Bessetti, Kendall Wilkerson and Jannire Mireles-Camey! Proud of you!

17/04/2025

Great summer science celebration! No pics of the pink beaker piñata, but we did capture the water balloon toss and science straws!

17/04/2025

Check out updates to our website:

let’s get synaptic!Welcome to the Litwa Lab! Who we are We are scientists, whose curiosity drives us to better understand the brain.We are students, who learn from each other.We are a team, whose differences are our strengths. Together, we are working to understand how synapses form in the develop...

17/04/2025

So proud of our undergraduates who shared their research at ECU‘s Research and Creative Activities Week!

17/04/2025

It’s been a busy month (years😂) in the Litwa lab! Excited to share our recently published research on how the mighty sulforaphane found in the sprouts of cruciferous vegetables can also help the brain. Eat your greens!🌱

Prenatal brain development is particularly sensitive to chemicals that can disrupt synapse formation and cause neurodevelopmental disorders. In most cases, such chemicals increase cellular oxidative stress. For example, prenatal exposure to the anti-epileptic drug valproic acid (VPA), induces oxidat...

08/04/2025

Proud to be her mentor:

Riley is leading the charge in groundbreaking research at ECU, embodying the university’s bold vision for the future.