Dr. Talia Lerner

Dr. Talia Lerner knows that life as a scientist takes both dedication and risk. Talia began her career in science at Yale, where she was both brilliant and shy, struggling to muster the courage to ask to join labs for undergraduate research experience. However, her courage paid off and led her to a senior thesis in biochemistry then a productive PhD studying synaptic plasticity in dopamine systems at UCSF. Following her passion for studying dopamine, Talia then completed a postdoc at Stanford where she further investigated the complexity and specificity of dopamine circuits. Facing the next step in her career, a faculty position, Talia had to take big personal risks to do what was best for her and her family. With independence and bravery, she started her own successful lab at Northwestern University in Chicago where she continues to dedicate her research to dopamine and the specific behaviors different dopamine circuits can produce in habit formation. Her personal and professional success reminds us all that perseverance and courage walk hand in hand.