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FACULTY

Steffy Manjila, PhD

Assistant Professor

Department of Neurology and
Neuroscience Center of Excellence

Academic Office:

LSUHSC School of Medicine 
Neuroscience Center of Excellence
2020 Gravier Street, Room 917B
New Orleans, LA 70112

(504)568-2458

 

Bio

Dr. Steffy Manjila received her bachelor's degree in pharmacy from Kerala University, India. She then pursued an integrated MS and PhD program at the National Centre for Biological Sciences (NCBS), TIFR, India. During her graduate studies, she investigated the central neuronal regulators of the Drosophila flight circuit and identified a monoaminergic circuit required for sustaining longer flight bouts.

After completing her graduate studies, Dr. Manjila joined Dr. Yongsoo Kim’s lab at Penn State University to deepen her understanding of the neuroanatomical organization of the mammalian brain. There, she gained expertise in mammalian brain neuroanatomy as well as advanced microscopy techniques, including cutting-edge tissue clearing and light-sheet microscopy methods. Using these approaches, her primary focus has been on mapping and understanding oxytocin neuronal circuitry in rodents. She has also contributed to publications on developmental brain atlases and the microvascular architecture of the mouse brain.

Dr. Manjila joined as an Assistant Professor at LSUHSC in June 2025. Her laboratory research focuses on understanding how neuropeptidergic systems in the hypothalamus—including oxytocin—form brain-wide connections during development and how these connections change with aging. Her lab studies how disruptions during development or aging affect brain function and behavior, and what factors influence the vulnerability or resilience of these systems. Using advanced molecular, anatomical, and behavioral methods, her research aims to better understand the role of neuropeptidergic signaling in brain health and aging.

Education

Integrated MS and Ph.D. in Biology, National Centre for Biological Sciences, TIFR, India (2019)

Bachelor's in pharmacy, College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Kerala University, India (2013)

Selected Publications

  1. Manjila SB, Son S, Parmaksiz D, Kline H, Betty R, Wu YT, Pi HJ, Shin D, Liwang JK, Kronman FN, Bjerke IE, McGovern K, Silverman J, Paul A, Kim Y. Brain-wide connectivity and novelty response of the dorsal endopiriform nucleus in mice. Cell Rep. 2025 Jun 17;44(7):115827. PMID: 40531624 https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2211124725005984

  2. Bennett HC*, Zhang Q*, Wu YT*, Manjila SB*, Chon U, Shin D, Vanselow DJ, Pi HJ, Drew PJ, Kim Y. Aging drives cerebrovascular network remodeling and functional changes in the mouse brain. Nat Commun. 2024 Jul 30;15(1):6398. PMCID: PMC11289283 *equal-contribution https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-024-50559-8

  3. Kronman FA, Liwang JK, Betty R, Vanselow DJ, Wu YT, Tustison NJ, Bhandiwad A, Manjila SB, Minteer JA, Shin D, Lee CH, Patil R, Duda JT, Puelles L, Gee JC, Zhang J, Ng L, Kim Y. Developmental Mouse Brain Common Coordinate Framework, Nat Commun. 2024 15, 9072. PMCID: PMC10515964 1038/s41467-024-53254-w

  4. Son S*, Manjila SB*, Newmaster KT, Wu YT, Vanselow DJ, Ciarletta M, Anthony TE, Cheng KC, Kim Y. Whole-Brain Wiring Diagram of Oxytocin System in Adult Mice. J Neurosci. Society for Neuroscience; 2022 Jun 22;42(25):5021–5033. PMID: 35606144 *equal contribution, selected for Journal of Neuroscience cover image. 1523/JNEUROSCI.0307-22.2022

Complete List of Published Work in NCBI

Research

Research in our laboratory focuses on understanding how neuropeptidergic systems within the hypothalamus shape brain-wide circuit function. We have previously mapped the whole-brain input–output wiring diagram of the oxytocin system. Building on this expertise, we are now investigating brain areas with dense oxytocin receptor expression and identifying the functional role of oxytocin signaling in these understudied regions. We are particularly interested in how changes in oxytocin neuromodulation influence social behaviors, memory, and emotional regulation across the lifespan. More broadly, we aim to understand the whole-brain connectivity of hypothalamic neuropeptidergic systems and their functional relevance in understudied brain regions.

Using mouse models, we combine advanced techniques such as:

  • Whole-brain tissue clearing and light sheet microscopy for high-resolution 3D imaging
  • Stereotaxic surgeries, in-vivo circuit manipulation, and recording techniques
  • Behavioral assay to assess social cognition and recognition
  • Molecular and transcriptomic profiling of key brain regions

Our long-term goal is to uncover how these neuropeptidergic systems reshape neural connectivity and function during aging, and to identify circuit-level mechanisms that contribute to cognitive resilience or vulnerability, particularly in disorders such as Alzheimer’s disease.