About

Dr. Anahita Vieira earned her Ph.D. in Neuroscience at the University of California, Davis and conducted her postdoctoral training at Boston University. She is currently the Manager of Communications & Outreach for Dr. David Liu’s group at the Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard. She regularly coaches students and consults with academic institutes, scientific societies, and non-profit organizations.

She has over a decade of experience teaching others how to write clearly and effectively using interactive and evidence-based methods. To this end, she draws heavily from her neuroscience background and the work of Dr. Randy Olson (founder of the ABT Narrative Template) in her various teaching capacities—as a writing coach, Science Communication Instructor for the Broad Summer Research Program, a Broad/MIT CommLab Fellow, and in leading writing workshops for students and scholars at all stages of their career.



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Scientific Publications

SCIENTIFIC PUBLICATIONS, EDITED

"Base Editing Rescue of Spinal Muscular Atrophy in Cells and in Mice."

Arbab, M. Matuszek, Z.; Kray, K. M.; Du, A.; Newby, G. A.; Blatnik, A. J.; Raguram, A.; Richter, M. F.; Zhao, K. T.; Levy, J. M.; Shen. M. W.; Arnold, W. D.; Wang, D. ; Xie, J.; Gao, G.; Burghes, A. H. M.; Liu, D. R.

Science in press, online (2023).

"Designing and Executing Prime Editing Experiments in Mammalian Cells."

Doman, J. L.*; Sousa, A. A.*; Randolph, P. B.; Chen, P. J.; Liu, D. R.

Nat. Protocols 17, 2431–2468 (2022).

"Generating Experimentally Unrelated Target Molecule-Binding Highly Functionalized Nucleic Acid Polymers Using Machine Learning."

Chen, J. C.; Chen, J. P.; Shen M. W.; Wornow, M.; Bae, M.; Ywh, W.-H.; Hsu, A.; Liu, D. R.

Nat. Commun. 13, 4541 (2022).

"Enhanced Prime Editing Systems by Manipulating Cellular Determinants of Editing Outcomes."

Chen, P. J.; Hussmann,J. A.; Yan, J.; Knipping, D.; Ravisankar, P.; Chen, P.-F.; Chen, C.; Nelson, J. W.; Newby G.A.; Sahin, M.; Osborn, M.J.; Weissman, J. S.; Adamson, B.; Liu, D.R.

Cell. 22, 5635–5652 (2021).

"Reconstruction of Evolving Gene Variants and Fitness from Short Sequencing Reads."

Shen, M.W.; Zhao, K.T.; Liu, D.R.

Nat. Chem Bio. 17, 1188–1198 (2021).

"Engineered pegRNAs Improve Prime Editing Efficiency."

Nelson, J.W.; Randolph, P.B.; Shen, S.P.; Everette, K.A.; Chen, P.J.; Anzalone, A.V.; An, M.; Newby, G.A.; Chen, J.C.; Hsu, A.; Liu, D.R.

Nat. Biotechnol. 40, 402-410 (2022).

"Laboratory Evolution of a Sortase Enzyme that Modifies Amyloid β-protein."

Podracky, C. J.; An. C.; DeSousa, A.; Dorr, B. M.; Walsh, D. M; Liu D. R.

Nat. Chem. Biol. 317-325 (2021).

"Precision Genome Editing Using Cytosine and Adenine Base Editors in Mammalian Cells."

Huang, T. P.; Newby, G. A.; Liu, D. R.

Nature Protocols 16, 1089-1128 (2021).

"Programmable m6A modification of cellular RNAs with a Cas13-directed methyltransferase."

Wilson, C*; Chen, P.J.*; Miao, Z; Liu, D.R.

Nat. Biotechnol 38, 1431-1440 (2020)

"Determinants of Base Editing Outcomes from Target Library Analysis and Machine Learning."

Arbab, M.; Shen, M. W.; Mok, B.; Wilson, C.; Matuszek, Z.; Cassa, C. A.; Liu, D. R.

Cell. 182, 463-480 (2020).

"In Vivo Base Editing Restores Sensory Transduction and Transiently Improves Auditory Function in a Mouse Model of Recessive Deafness."

Yeh, W.-H.; Shubina-Olenik, O.; Levy, J. M.; Pan, B.; Newby, G. A.; Wornow, M.; Burt, R.; Chen, J.C.; Holt, J. R.; Liu, D. R.

Sci Trans. Med. 12(546):eaay9101 (2020).

"Continuous Evolution of Base Editors with Expanded Target Compatibility and Improved Activity."

Thuronyi, B.W.; Koblan, L.W.; Levy, J.M.; Yeh, W.; Zheng, C.; Newby, G.A.; Wilson, C.; Bhaumik, M.; Shubina-Oleinik, O.; Holt, J.R.; Liu, D.R.

Nat. Biotechnol. 37, 1070-1079 (2019).

"High-Resolution Specificity Profiling and Off-Target Prediction for Site-Specific DNA Recombinases."

Bessen, J. L.; Afeyan, L. K.; Dančík, C.; Koblan, L. W.; Thompson, D. B.; Leichner, C.; Clemons, P. A.; Liu, D.R.

Nat. Commun. 10, 1937 (2019).

SCIENTIFIC PUBLICATIONS, AUTHORED

(Former last name: Hamidi)

Social Reactivation of Fear Engrams Enhances Recall and Reinstatement.

Finkelstein AB, Leblanc H, Cole R, Gallerani T, Vieira A, Zaki Y, Ramirez, S.

PNAS 119 (12) e2114230119

Memory: The Majestic Case of an Amnestic Trace.

Hamidi AB and Ramirez S.

Current Biology. 2018. 28, R784-R802.

Artificially enhancing and suppressing hippocampus-mediated memories.

Chen B, Murawski NJ, Hamidi AB, Merfeld E, Doucette E, Grella SL, Shpokayte M, Zaki Y, Cincotta C, Fortin A, Ramirez, S.

Current Biology. 2019 June; 29(11): 1885-1894.e4.

The Effects of Intensive Insight Meditation on Telomere Dynamics and the Moderating Role of Personality.

Conklin Q, King BG, Zanesco AP, Hamidi AB, Pokorny JJ, Alvarez-Lopez MJ, Cosin-Tomas M, Kaliman P, Epel ES, Saron CD.

Brain, Behavior and Immunology. 2018 May; 70: 233-245.

Cortical representations are reinstated by the hippocampus during memory retrieval.

Tanaka KZ, Pevzner A, Hamidi AB, Nakazawa Y, Graham J, Wiltgen BJ.

Neuron. 2014 Oct; 84(2): 347-54.

The anterior cingulate ERK pathway contributes to regulation of behavioral excitement and hedonic activity.

Creson TK, Hao Y, Engel S, Shen Y, Hamidi A, Zhuo M, Manji HK, Chen G.

Bipolar Disorders. 2009 Jun; 11(4): 339-50.

Stable Isotope-resolved metabolomic analysis of lithium effects on glial-neuronal metabolism and interactions.

Wang Y, Hamidi AB, Zhou R, Guitart X, Chen G, Manji HK, Kaddurah- Daouk R.

Metabolomics. 2010 Jun; 1;6(2):165-179.

Acute D-serine treatment produces antidepressant-like effects in rodents.

O Malkesman, DR Austin, T Tragon, G Wang, G Rompala, AB Hamidi, Z Cui, WS Young, K Nakazawa, CA Zarate Jr., HK Manji, G Chen.

International Journal of Neuropsychopharmacology. 2012 Sep; 15 (08): 1135-1148.

POSTER PRESENTATIONS

Mechanisms of Social Modulation of Fear Reinstatement.

Finkelstein A, Hamidi AB, Zaki Y, Merfeld E, Doucette E, Grella SL, Murawski NJ, Shpokayte M, Ramirez S.

Society for Neuroscience, San Diego, CA, 2018.

Artificially enhancing or suppressing hippocampus-mediated fear memories.

Murawski NJ, Chen B, Hamidi AB, Grella SL, Shpokayte M, Merfeld E, Zaki Y, Doucette E, Ramirez S.

Society for Neuroscience, Washington, DC, 2017.

Chronically reactivating positive and negative memories to modulate hedonic and social behaviors.

Doucette E, Merfeld E, Zaki Y, Grella SL, Shpokayte M, Murawski NJ, Hamidi AB, Ramirez S.

Society for Neuroscience, Washington, DC, 2017.

Interactions between the hippocampus and cortex during remote memory retrieval.

Hamidi AB, Ota Y, Mardini D, Suarez SL, Wiltgen BJ.

Society for Neuroscience, San Diego, California, 2016.

The influence of environmental parameters on hippocampal reactivation.

Hamidi AB, Wiltgen BJ, Pevzner A.

Society for Neuroscience, Chicago, Illinois, 2015. 355.23/CC40

Temporal Profile of Imipramine and Ketamine in the Learned Helplessness Paradigm.

Hamidi AB, Pearson B, Malkesman O, Martinowich K, Hunsberger JG, O'Donnell K, Schloesser R, Dold G, Chen G, Manji HK.

Society of Biological Psychiatry, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada 2008

Chronic N-methyl D- aspartate Administration Induces "Bipolar-like" Behavioral Changes in Rats.

AY Taha, HW Kim, AB Hamidi, T Tragon, E Ramadan, G Chen, SI Rapoport, J.S Rao.

International Brain Research Organization, Florence, Italy. July 2011.