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Assistant Professor and Director of Neuroscience Microscopy Core
UNC-Chapel Hill

Education and Training

Washington University in St. Louis, BA
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, PhD
The Rockefeller University, Postdoctoral

Areas of Interest

I have had a long standing interest in utilizing an interdisciplinary scientific approach to develop and apply novel and innovative fluorescence microscopy imaging techniques to answer critical and previously intractable questions in cell and neurobiology. I have developed and applied advanced microscopy techniques, cell biological applications, and quantitative image analysis to uncover novel spatial and dynamic relationship between proteins, ncRNAs, and viral RNA genomes. As Director of the Microscopy Core at the Neuroscience Center, I provide and customize state-of-the-art optical imaging and analysis applications to support a wide range of scientific investigations.

The Neuroscience Microscopy Core provides a full spectrum of advanced systems for cellular and molecular imaging of in vitro and in vivo samples. In addition to providing access to high resolution imaging technologies, the Neuroscience Microscopy Core also implements new imaging technologies, provides training, consultation, data analysis, image processing, and centralized technical expertise to support the imaging needs of scientists in the UNC community.

Awards and Honors

2021: Editor-in-Chief, BioTechniques
2021: Chair of the Advisory Support Sub-Committee for the CBP DEI Committee
2020: Member of the Faculty Committee on Research, School of Medicine, UNC
2020: Plenary Keynote for the Midwest Association of Core Directors Annual Meeting MWACD 2020
2019: Named a Chan Zuckerberg Initiative “Imaging Scientist”
2019: Advisory Board Member, STAR Protocols
2018: Communications Working Group Chair, BioImaging North America (BINA)
2011: Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center Graduate Fellow Award in Basic Sciences, UNC
2011: Inducted into the Frank Porter Graham Honor Society, UNC
2008: Honorable Mention, National Science Foundation Graduate Fellowship, UNC
2006: Honorable Mention, National Science Foundation Graduate Fellowship, Washington University

Itano, Michelle
  • Phone Number

    919-966-5807 (Office Phone)

  • Address

    5202B Mary Ellen Jones Building

    Campus Box 7250

    Chapel Hill, NC 27599-7250