Dr. Aaron Reifler brings a range of experiences to the Office of Postdoctoral Affairs. He spent time studying Political Science in France as an undergraduate, taught English in Japan through the JET Programme, and almost joined the State Department before deciding to follow a career in research and higher education. Before starting his Ph.D. in Neuroscience, he earned a Master’s and certification in secondary education, and taught High School Biology, Chemistry and Japanese. His research projects as a student spanned a variety of fields, including synthetic biology, cellular development, retinal regeneration, muscle disease and homeostasis, pathways and mediators of autophagy and regulators of phosphatidylinositol phosphates. As a postdoc, Aaron used whole-cell patch-clamp electrophysiology to study intraretinal signaling of intrinsically photosensitive retinal ganglion cells, and worked for a short time on the Argus II bionic retinal implant. He has been singularly focused for the past several years on addressing the unique needs of postdoctoral fellows/research associates and the structure of their support mechanisms. He hopes to partner with the many excellent programs and individuals at MSU and throughout the world.