MCB congratulates Carolyn Elya, Assistant Professor of MCB and affiliate of the Center for Brain Science, on receiving a Klingenstein Fellowship Award in Neuroscience. This competitive early-career award, jointly offered by the Esther A. & Joseph Klingenstein Fund, recognizes Elya’s innovative research at the intersection of neurobiology, behavior, and host-pathogen interactions.
The award provides $150,000 per year for three years to support basic or clinical neuroscience research that may advance our understanding of neurological and psychiatric disorders. In addition to funding, Elya and other awardees will participate in an annual scientific meeting in New York City designed to foster collaboration and exchange among early-career neuroscientists.
“This award is especially meaningful because it’s focused specifically on neuroscience,” Elya said. “So far, most of the recognition I’ve received has been for biology more broadly, but this fellowship is squarely in the neuroscience camp. It’s incredibly validating to know that the work we’re doing—driven by curiosity and the desire to understand fascinating natural phenomena—is seen as valuable by the neuroscience community.”
Elya’s lab is best known for its study of behavior-manipulating fungi—particularly Entomophthora muscae, a parasite that infects and controls the behavior of fruit flies, earning them the nickname ‘zombie-flies.” Her team utilizes this model system to investigate how microbial organisms interact with host nervous systems, a line of research with far-reaching implications for understanding how brain circuits can be modulated by infection or internal states.
“On the surface, zombie fruit flies may seem to have nothing to do with neurological disorders,” she said, but insights from these more exotic systems can ultimately impact human health. Supporting curiosity-driven science is incredibly important.”
Elya emphasized the critical importance of this support at the early stages of a research career. “It’s wonderful to see our science being recognized.” Read more about Elya’s earlier awards this year from the Smith Family Foundation and her selection as a 2025 Searle Scholar.
We look forward to seeing what discoveries emerge from the Elya lab with the support of this well-deserved fellowship. Congratulations, Carolyn!
