Ella Zeldich, PhD

Assistant Professor, Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine

Biography

Dr. Ella Zeldich is an Assistant Professor of Anatomy and Neurobiology at the Chobanian and Avedisian School of Medicine. She obtained her Ph.D. (Physiology and Pharmacology) from Tel Aviv University in 2009. Her current studies aim to understand the mechanisms leading to intellectual deficits and Alzheimer’s disease in Down Syndrome. As a molecular neuroscientist, Dr. Zeldich investigates the mechanisms leading to intellectual deficits and Alzheimer’s disease in Down Syndrome. Her team uses induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) derived from individuals with DS to generate cortical organoids and assembloids to mimic neurodevelopmental and neurodegenerative processes associated with trisomy 21. Dr. Zeldich utilizes cutting-edge technological approaches including CRISPR, single-cell multiome profiling, high-resolution imaging, and xenotransplantation of the organoids through a variety of collaborative studies.

There are several active projects in the lab including:
• Investigating the contribution of X-chromosome-linked genes to cellular phenotypes and AD-related pathology in Down Syndrome
• Defining epigenetic determinants in oligodendrocyte maturation in Down Syndrome.
• Developing strategies to assess activity of trisomic neurons using assembloids and xenotransplanted organoids.

Publications

  • Published 1/5/2025

    Flores-Aguilar L, Hamlett ED, Araya P, Barone E, Bhattacharyya A, Carmona-Iragui M, Chan L, Christian B, Costa ACS, Costanzo F, Del Hoyo Soriano L, Dierssen M, Eichler EE, Fisher E, Galbraith M, Ghosh S, Gimenez S, Guedj F, Guidi S, Iulita MF, Mobley W, Pelleri MC, Potier MC, Rabin KR, Rachubinski A, Rebillat AS, Rubenstein E, Saternos H, Sordo L, Strydom A, Valle-Tamayo N, Waugh KA, Yu E, Zeldich E, Busciglio J, Head E. Imagine, Discover, Inspire: Proceedings of the 4th International Conference of the Trisomy 21 Research Society. Neuromolecular Med. 2025 Jan 05; 27(1):5. PMID: 39756004.

    Read at: PubMed

  • Published 4/13/2024

    Zeldich E, Rajkumar S. Identity and Maturity of iPSC-Derived Oligodendrocytes in 2D and Organoid Systems. Cells. 2024 Apr 13; 13(8). PMID: 38667289.

    Read at: PubMed

  • Published 2/9/2023

    Campbell NB, Patel Y, Moore TL, Medalla M, Zeldich E. Extracellular Vesicle Treatment Alleviates Neurodevelopmental and Neurodegenerative Pathology in Cortical Spheroid Model of Down Syndrome. Int J Mol Sci. 2023 Feb 09; 24(4). PMID: 36834891.

    Read at: PubMed

  • Published 12/3/2022

    Farley SJ, Grishok A, Zeldich E. Shaking up the silence: consequences of HMGN1 antagonizing PRC2 in the Down syndrome brain. Epigenetics Chromatin. 2022 Dec 03; 15(1):39. PMID: 36463299.

    Read at: PubMed

  • Published 9/7/2022

    Li Z, Klein JA, Rampam S, Kurzion R, Campbell NB, Patel Y, Haydar TF, Zeldich E. Asynchronous excitatory neuron development in an isogenic cortical spheroid model of Down syndrome. Front Neurosci. 2022; 16:932384. PMID: 36161168.

    Read at: PubMed

Other Positions

  • Member, Genome Science Institute
    Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine
  • Member, Neurophotonics Center
    Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine
  • Member, Center for Systems Neuroscience
    Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine
  • Graduate Faculty (Primary Mentor of Grad Students)
    Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine, Graduate Medical Sciences

Education

  • Tel Aviv University (TAU), PhD
  • Tel Aviv University (TAU), MS
  • Tel Aviv University (TAU), BS