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Neeraj Soni

Yale University, Stanford University, University of Copenhagen, Gladstone Institutes

ORCID iD 0000-0002-4191-6723
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About

I am an Associate Research Scientist in Pediatrics at the Yale School of Medicine. I earned my Ph.D. in neurophysiology from the University of Copenhagen in 2015, and since then I have worked to build a research program defined by scientific rigor, technical precision, and intellectual curiosity.
Insects have long served as some of the most powerful model organisms in biology, and for good reason. Their nervous systems are compact yet remarkably sophisticated, providing a window into fundamental principles of cellular and sensory physiology that are conserved across species. With relatively few neurons, well-characterized genetics, and rapid life cycles, insects enable precise investigation of how cells detect signals, how neural circuits are organized, and how behavior emerges from biology—questions that are often far more difficult to address in complex mammalian systems. The elegance and experimental power of these systems drew me to insect neuroscience early in my career.
Following my doctoral training, I pursued postdoctoral research at Yale University and the University of Michigan. In the laboratory of John Carlson at Yale, I investigated how the tsetse fly—a major vector of African sleeping sickness—detects odors from its human hosts. By integrating patch-clamp electrophysiology with molecular genetics, we mapped key aspects of the olfactory system in this medically significant insect, revealing how sensory neurons encode chemical information at the cellular level. This work, published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, reinforced my conviction that understanding the fundamental physiology of individual cells—how they sense, respond, and communicate—provides critical insight into broader biological systems.
At a fundamental level, whether a neuron detects an odor in a fly’s antenna or processes signals in the human brain, the underlying cellular mechanisms are strikingly conserved. Building on my expertise in sensory physiology—particularly in how cells detect stimuli, form synapses, and transmit electrochemical signals—I sought to extend these principles into a translational context. This transition allowed me to explore how similar cellular mechanisms operate in disease states characterized by disrupted neural circuitry and aberrant cell–cell communication.
My research has since focused on a central and emerging question: how do neurons and brain tumor cells communicate? I am particularly interested in epilepsy and the neurophysiological interactions between neurons and glioma cells. My work contributed to a 2025 publication in Nature and Cell describing GABAergic neuron-to-glioma synapses in diffuse midline gliomas—among the most aggressive and devastating pediatric brain cancers.
Throughout my career, I have also contributed to research spanning circadian rhythm regulation, alcohol addiction biology, and receptor pharmacology, reflecting a broader commitment to understanding the nervous system across multiple biological contexts.
Based in New Haven, Connecticut, I continue to investigate how neural circuits and disease processes intersect at the cellular level, with the goal of advancing mechanistic insights that can inform future therapeutic strategies.

Employment

  • Yale University Associate Research Scientist in Pediatrics
    2025 - Present
  • Stanford University Research Scientist - II
    2023 - 2024
  • Gladstone Institutes Research Scientist
    2022 - 2023
  • University of Michigan Research Fellow
    2019 - 2022
  • Yale University Postdoc associate
    2016 - 2019
  • University of Copenhagen PostDoc
    2015 - 2015

Education

  • University of Copenhagen PhD
    2010 - 2015

Projects & Funding

Projects & funding information is unavailable.

Publications (15)