Research Interests
> biohybrid computing · transcriptomics · bioinformatics · machine learning
Peer Reviewed Papers
Neuromorphic Devices and Computing for Sensing, Memory, and Control
Zhu Z*, Schaffer N*, Yang X. Advanced Science, 2026. * These authors contributed equally
A review of hardware that computes the way neurons and synapses do, covered across three jobs: sensing the world, storing memories, and controlling actions.
[bibtex]
@article{zhu2026neuromorphic,
title = {Neuromorphic Devices and Computing for Sensing, Memory, and Control},
author = {Zhu, Z. and Schaffer, N. and Yang, X.},
journal = {Advanced Science},
year = {2026},
doi = {10.1002/advs.77116}
}The proSAAS Chaperone is Highly Expressed in Retinal Neurons open access
Schaffer N, Mitias S, Guo Y, Bernstein S, Lindberg I. PLoS ONE 20(5): e0321867. May 16th 2025.
Shows that proSAAS, a protein that helps keep other neural proteins from clumping, is abundant in retinal neurons, pointing to a role in keeping the retina healthy.
[bibtex]
@article{schaffer2025prosaas,
title = {The proSAAS Chaperone is Highly Expressed in Retinal Neurons},
author = {Schaffer, N. and Mitias, S. and Guo, Y. and Bernstein, S. and Lindberg, I.},
journal = {PLoS ONE},
volume = {20},
number = {5},
pages = {e0321867},
year = {2025},
doi = {10.1371/journal.pone.0321867}
}ProSAAS is Preferentially Secreted from Neurons During Homeostatic Scaling and Reduces Amyloid Plaque Size in the 5xFAD Mouse Hippocampus
Mitias S, Schaffer N, Nair S, Lindberg I. Journal of Neurochemistry. August 8th 2024.
Neurons release more proSAAS when they rebalance their own activity, and in a mouse model of Alzheimer's disease, proSAAS reduced the size of amyloid plaques.
[bibtex]
@article{mitias2024prosaas,
title = {ProSAAS is Preferentially Secreted from Neurons During Homeostatic Scaling and Reduces Amyloid Plaque Size in the 5xFAD Mouse Hippocampus},
author = {Mitias, S. and Schaffer, N. and Nair, S. and Lindberg, I.},
journal = {Journal of Neurochemistry},
year = {2024},
doi = {10.1111/jnc.16193}
}Complete Genome and Characteristics of Cluster BC Bacteriophage SoJo, Isolated from Streptomyces mirabilis NRRL B-2400 in Columbia, Maryland open access
Kumar S, Schaffer N, Bharmal Z, Mood Q, Erill I, Caruso S. Microbiology Resource Announcements, ASM Journals. April 11th 2024.
The full genome of SoJo, a newly discovered virus that infects soil bacteria (Streptomyces mirabilis), isolated in Columbia, Maryland.
[bibtex]
@article{kumar2024sojo,
title = {Complete Genome and Characteristics of Cluster BC Bacteriophage SoJo, Isolated from Streptomyces mirabilis NRRL B-2400 in Columbia, Maryland},
author = {Kumar, S. and Schaffer, N. and Bharmal, Z. and Mood, Q. and Erill, I. and Caruso, S.},
journal = {Microbiology Resource Announcements},
year = {2024},
doi = {10.1128/mra.00068-24}
}
Primary author on one and co-author on two bacteriophage genomes in NCBI, accession numbers:
OQ938581, OQ938586, and OQ995431
Poster Presentations
Schaffer N, Culver O.P, Jhou T. Acute fentanyl administration suppresses VTA glutamate afferent signaling. Society for Neuroscience, November 17th, 2025.
Schaffer N, Culver O.P, Jhou T. Dopamine Dynamics During Aversive Learning. Greater Baltimore Society for Neuroscience, November 8th, 2024.
Miller A, Schaffer N, Diebolt J. Examination of Late Stage Lytic Genes in BI Cluster Actinobacteriophages. UMBC Phage Hunters Poster Gala May 12th, 2023.
Schaffer N, Einsig J. From Soil to Sipho: The story of Miek. UMBC Phage Hunters Poster Gala, December 6th, 2022.
Schaffer N, Nair S, Lindberg I. The ProSAAS Neural Chaperone Interacts with Endoplasmic Reticulum Proteins. Greater Baltimore Society for Neuroscience Conference, September 30th, 2022.