Nafisa Jadavji, PhD
About me
Dr. Nafisa (n uh - f ee - s ah) M. Jadavji (j aa - d uh v - j ee) (she/her) is a Neuroscientist. She is an Assistant Professor at Southern Illinois University Carbondale, as well as a Research Professor at the University of Arizona, and Carleton University. She completed her doctoral training at McGill University in Montréal, Canada. Currently, her laboratory investigates how the brain responds to different biological processes throughout the lifespan. More specifically, her lab studies how the brain responds to changes in one-carbon metabolism, with a specific focus on maternal nutrition contributions to offspring neurodevelopment, neurological diseases (e.g. ischemic stroke and vascular dementia), and aging. Please visit https://jadavjilaboratory.academicwebsite.com/ to learn more about research in the Jadavji Laboratory.
Dr. Jadavji has received funding from the Arizona Department of Health, American Heart Association (US), Federation of European Neuroscience Society (Europe), NeuroWIND (Germany), Canadian Association for Neuroscience, Canadian Institutes of Health Research, National Science & Engineering Research Council (Canada), International Brain Research Organization, Parkinson's disease Foundation (US), Burroughs Welcome Fund (US) and Fonds de la recherché en santé Québec (Canada).
Dr. Jadavji’s research has been published in Biochemical Journal, Neuroendocrinology, Experimental Neurology, Journal of Neuroscience, Human Molecular Genetics, Nutrition Reviews, Toxicological Science, European Journal of Neuroscience, Neural Regeneration Research, Nutritional Neuroscience, Nutrients, and Neurobiology of Disease. Dr. Jadavji has published 62 peer review papers, over 100 abstracts, and given 50 invited talks about her research. She has also posted several preprints as an early career researcher.
Dr. Jadavji has supervised and mentored over 50 undergraduate, graduate, and postdocs so far during her scientific career.
Dr. Jadavji is an Editorial member for Scientific Reports (Editor), Heliyon (Associate Editor), Frontiers in Nutrition and Neuroscience (Associate Editor), Bioprotocols (Associate Editor), Metabolites (Review Editor) journals. She is the Finance and Vice Chair of the Board of Directors for the Journal of Young Investigators (JYI) and Chair of the Advisory Board for Reproducibility for Everyone (R4E). Dr. Jadavji is also the President of the Graduate Women in Science.
When she is not in the laboratory, teaching, or writing, Dr. Jadavji enjoys to cooking and baking gluten free treats. She is also an avid traveler, runner, and knitter.
Please contact Dr. Jadavji at nafisa.jadavji@siu.edu.
Gender
Education & training
Publications
For updated list of publications please visit: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/myncbi/nafisa.jadavji.1/bibliography/public/
Grants
2023 Project: Reproducibility for Everyone Workshop. Co-Principal Applicant, $1500 USD. Starter Culture Microgrant, Genetics Society of America.
2023-26 Project: Exploring the Unknown: The Impact of Maternal Dietary Contributions of One-Carbon Metabolism on Offspring Vasculature, Principal Applicant, $225,000 USD. RFGA NO. RFGA2022-010 Arizona Department of Health Sciences. Arizona Biomedical Research Centre.
2021-22 Project: “Faculty Job Market Research,” Burroughs Wellcome Fund, Co-Principal Applicant, $43,700 USD. Grant Number: 1022092
2020-22 Project: “Identification of developmental factors involved in ischemic stroke outcomes in adulthood and old age,” American Heart Association Research Enhancement Award (AIREA) and COVID-19 Supplement, Principal Applicant, $187,735.00, Grant Number: 20AIREA35050015.
2016-17 Project: “Canadian Association of Postdoctoral Scholars 2016 National Survey Grant,” Burrough’s Wellcome Fund, Principal Applicant, $5000 USD
Awards
2024 Outstanding Poster Presentation, Kenneth Saurez Research Day, Siddarth Gunnala, BS (Graduate Student in Jadavji Laboratory)
2024 TAGC Attendance Support for Minoritized Scientists-NSF Rising Scientist Award, Siddarth Gunnala, BS (Graduate Student in Jadavji Laboratory)
2023 Research Leadership Mastery Certification
2023 Jean E. Simmons Award for Science Education Excellence, Honorary Membership, Graduate Women in Science
2022 1st Place Basic Science Research Poster, College of Veterinary Medicine, Phi Zeta Research Day, Lauren Hurley, BS (Graduate Student in Jadavji Laboratory)
2022 1st Place Research Oral Presentation, College of Veterinary Medicine, Phi Zeta Research Day, Lauren Hurley, BS (Graduate Student in Jadavji Laboratory)
2022 Outstanding Research Award for Graduate Student, Jesse Jauhal MBS (Graduate Student in Jadavji Laboratory)
2022 2021 Outstanding Associate Editor, Frontiers in Nutrition
2019 Publons Top Reviewer in Neuroscience and Behavior 2018-19
2018 2nd Place Aging and Chronic Disease, Emerging Leaders in Nutrition Science Poster Competition, American Society for Nutrition Meeting, $200 USD
2018 Finalist, Postdoctoral Competition, American Society for Nutrition Meeting, $250 USD
2018 Completed Workshop on Leadership in Bioscience, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory
2016 Howard Hughes Medical Institute Fellowship: Cold Spring Harbor Scientific Writing Course, $700 USD
2016 Best Poster Presentation Award (postdoctoral level), FASEB Folic Acid, Vitamin B12, and One-Carbon Metabolism Meeting, Steamboat Springs, $500 USD
2015 Young Investigator Award, 10th International Nutrition and Diagnostics Conference, Prague, CZ
2015 Best Poster Award, Post-doctoral Association, Postdoctoral Research Day, University of Ottawa, Faculty of Medicine, $100 CDN
2011 Honourable Mention, Canadian Institutes of Health Research National Poster Competition
2007 1st place poster award, Graduate Student Association Multidisciplinary Conference, University of Lethbridge, $100 CDN