Danielle Taylor (DT) is a neurobiology PhD candidate whose research investigates how aging disrupts the brain–bladder axis, with an emphasis on the circadian regulation of urinary sensorimotor circuits. She earned her undergraduate degree in Biology and Geology from Colby College, where she developed her interdisciplinary foundation in organismal biology, physiology, and environmental science.

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DT’s current work integrates behavioral assays, molecular biology, RNAscope histology, single-nucleus sequencing, and in-vivo neural recordings to examine how mechanosensory signals from the bladder—particularly those gated by Piezo1—are encoded by the vlPAG and PMC to control urination behavior. Her research establishes the aging mouse as a translational model for nocturia and demonstrates that circadian timing plays a critical role in regulating voiding behavior, bladder mechanosensation, and downstream brain activity.

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Beyond neurobiology, DT’s scientific portfolio spans physiology, biomechanics, snow science, and geology. She has conducted research on sensory organ evolution in praying mantises, trematode-induced brain lesions in dragonflies, q-angles in female ski racers, and snowpack structures in high-alpine environments. This diverse background informs her holistic, cross-disciplinary approach to studying how organisms interact with their environments across biological scales.

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DT is also developing chronotherapeutic strategies aimed at restoring diurnal bladder function by targeting sensory gating mechanisms in the bladder. Her long-term goal is to create a lab studying female physiology in sports in conjunction with aging and circadian rhythms.