Alumni & Career Outcomes

Zayd Khaliq, PhD

Thesis lab and Department: Indira Raman, Department of Neurobiology

Matriculation year: 2000

Graduation year: 2006

Current full position title: Senior Investigator

Employer/Company/Institution: NINDS/NIH Intramural Program

Brief description of your current position/research: I am a Principal Investigator of a research laboratory named the Cellular Neurobiology Section that is located at the NIH Intramural Program in Bethesda, MD. My full title is Senior Investigator which is the equivalent of a faculty with tenure at a university. The goal of my laboratory’s research is to understand the cellular and circuit function of neurons within the dopamine system. Our work focuses primarily on midbrain dopaminergic neurons that are critical for reward-based behaviors, reinforcement learning and movement. To study this system, we use a combination of approaches including imaging, optogenetics, electrophysiology, computational modeling, and behavior in genetically-modified animals.

Why did you choose the NUIN graduate program: I chose NUIN for its accomplished reputation as a research institution but also because of the wide variety of labs that offered high-quality training. As an applicant, I was interested in cellular level research questions but I was unsure of the specific topic that I wanted to study. I was attracted to NUIN because their graduate program includes outstanding research labs from multiple departments that study a range of interesting topics. In addition, the NUIN program did a excellent job of integrating graduate student activities for trainees on the Evanston and Chicago campus. Lastly, an added bonus for NUIN was the physical location of Northwestern which has both campuses almost directly overlooking Lake Michigan. I was excited to move to Chicago and living there as a student turned out to be an amazing experience.

How did NUIN prepare you for your current position: The training that I received as student in the NUIN program was critical for my career as a research scientist. The first-year courses were strong in my particular subject of interest which was cellular neurophysiology, but also exposed me a wide variety of scientific topics. The training that I received in the Raman laboratory was rigorous and emphasized critical thinking, experimental design, but also offered training in presentation skills and scientific writing. It is safe to say that I learned how to be a scientist as a student at NUIN. 

What are your best memories from your time in NUIN: I have many great memories at NUIN. My best memories as a student were just enjoying life in the lab and the discussions that we shared about our projects and interests. As far as my non-science experiences, the best memories for me were the social interactions and bonding that occurred at the NUIN retreats. The student talks at the retreat were great but my favorite memories were during the evening games and activities. Fun times! 

What advice do you have for current NUIN students: Broaden social networks – especially for the senior graduate students, scientific interactions can naturally become more limited mainly to members of the thesis lab. I would suggest taking an active role in reaching out to faculty and students outside the lab for scientific feedback and career advice. In fact, the friends who knew my project were many times the best source of feedback and continue to be trusted colleagues even today. Many of my fellow classmates at NUIN are currently working as faculty at universities and institutes across the country. The remaining advice that I tried to follow as a student is fairly simple. Stay optimistic – this is critical especially in science where failure (rather than success) in experiments is more the rule rather than the exception. Success in grad school requires having patience and staying motivated to achieve your goals. Keep working – in my experience, work that is done with focus and attention always pays off. Lastly, being able to expand our scientific knowledge is a unique opportunity so have fun and enjoy!