Dr. Letisha Wyatt

Persistence, fastidiousness, and compassion. Dr. Letisha Wyatt’s career exemplifies how these qualities can fuel a successful trajectory in neuroscience. As a first generation student and a Black woman, Letisha is no stranger to the obstacles encountered by many young scientists. After studying neurobiology as an undergraduate while working full-time to support herself, Letisha ventured into pharmaceutical research to gain more experience before her graduate studies. Through her PhD and postdoctoral research, she has studied the molecular mechanisms of alcohol addiction as well as disease and stroke, all the while recognizing the field’s need for better data stewardship and reproducibility. She carries these observations into her position as an Assistant Professor of Neurology at Oregon Health & Science University, where she advocates for open science, accessibility, and the fundamental role of diversity and equity work for all academic scientists. Dr. Wyatt’s work continues to unveil new neuroscientific discoveries in addition to reshaping the scientific community into a more inclusive, equitable, and responsible space.