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 7/1/2026

    Weidman MP, Campbell NB, Headings C, Chung S, Khan M, Kandukuri A, Lim V, Olubowale G, Kim MJ, Devor A, Zeldich E, Thunemann M. A pipeline for cell migration analysis in live-cell imaging data from human iPSC-derived forebrain assembloids. Front Cell Dev Biol. 2026; 14:1880548. PMID: 42459827.

    Read at: PubMed

  • Published 5/18/2026

    Weidman MP, Campbell NB, Headings C, Chung S, Khan M, Kandukuri A, Lim V, Olubowale G, Kim M, Devor A, Zeldich E, Thunemann M. A pipeline for cell migration analysis in live-cell imaging data from human iPSC-derived forebrain assembloids. bioRxiv. 2026 May 18. PMID: 42239207.

    Read at: PubMed

  • Published 5/18/2026

    Chung C, Kim MJ, Field G, Pilarinos K, Kharitonova EK, Campbell NB, Gabel CV, Orofino JL, Zeldich E. Stage-specific exposure to an activity-permissive media enhances neuronal maturation in oligodendrocyte-enriched cortical organoids. bioRxiv. 2026 May 18. PMID: 42239138.

    Read at: PubMed

  • Published 4/5/2026

    Yu G, Liu X, Hike D, Qian C, Devor A, Zeldich E, Thunemann M, Zhou XA. High-Field Multinuclear MRI Reveals Sodium Relaxation Heterogeneity in Cortical Organoids. bioRxiv. 2026 Apr 05. PMID: 41958991.

    Read at: PubMed

  • Published 3/31/2026

    Beyene S, Thunemann M, Kharitonova EK, Campbell NB, Klorfeld-Auslender S, Mortazavi F, Zeldich E. Seeing clearly with CLARI-O: a window into cellular architecture, interactions, and morphology of organoid models. bioRxiv. 2026 Mar 31. PMID: 41959503.

    Read at: PubMed

View All 46 Publications:   View Full Profile in BUMC

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 Medical Sciences Educator and Mentor (Primary Mentor of Graduate Students)
    Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine, Graduate Medical Sciences

Websites

Education

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

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