Education
Research Experience
Teaching Experience
2019 - 2025
Stanford University
Doctor of Philosophy
Biology: Cells, Molecules, and Organisms
Thesis title: Cell biological underpinnings of UNC-6/Netrin-mediated axon guidance.
Thesis advisor: Kang Shen. Ph.D.
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2015 - 2019
University of Notre Dame
B.S. Neuroscience and Behavior
Minor: Constitutional Studies
2020 - 2024
Lab of Kang Shen, Ph.D.
Mechanisms of axon initiation, growth, and guidance in vivo
Department of Biology
Stanford University
2016 - 2019
Lab of Cody J. Smith, Ph.D.
Development and regeneration of the dorsal root ganglia
Department of Biology
University of Notre Dame
2021 - 2024
Co-primary instructor
BIO 114: Building Up Developing Scientists (bioBUDS)
Stanford University
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2023
Head Teaching Assistant
BIO 154 and BIO/NBIO 254: Principles of Neurobiology
Stanford University
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2020
Teaching Assistant
BIO 158: Developmental Neurobiology
Stanford University
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2020
Teaching Assistant
BIO 84: Physiology
Stanford University
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2017
Teaching Assistant
BIOS 20250: Classical and Molecular Genetics
University of Notre Dame​
Selected Publications
Nichols EL, Green LA, Smith CJ. 2018. Ensheathing cells utilize dynamic tiling of neuronal somas in development and injury as early as neuronal differentiation. Neural Dev. 13:19. doi: 10.1186/s13064-018-0115-8.
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Nichols EL and Smith CJ. Pioneer axons employ Cajal’s battering ram to enter the spinal cord. 2019. Nat Commun. 10:562. doi: 10.1038/s41467-019-08421-9.
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Zhang Y*, Nichols EL*, Zellmer AM, Kankel C, Howard SH, Smith CJ. Generating intravital super-resolution movies with conventional microscopy reveals actin dynamics that construct pioneer axons. 2019. Development. 146:dev.171512. doi: 10.1242/dev.171512.
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Nichols EL and Smith CJ. Synaptic-like vesicles facilitate pioneer axon invasion. 2019. Curr Biol. 29(16):2652-2664.e4. doi: 10.1016/j.cub.2019.06.078.
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Nichols EL and Smith CJ. Functional regeneration of the sensory root via axonal invasion. 2020. Cell Rep. 30(1):9-17.e3. doi: 10.1016/j.celrep.2019.12.008.
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Kikel-Coury NL, Green LA, Nichols EL, Zellmer AM, Pai S, Hedlund SA, Marsden K, Smith CJ. Pioneer axons utilize a dcc signaling-mediated invasion brake to precisely complete their pathfinding odyssey. 2021. J Neurosci. 41(31):6617-6636. doi: 10.1523/JNEUROSCI.0212-21.2021.
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Green LA*, Gallant RM*, Brandt JP, Nichols EL, Smith CJ. A subset oligodendrocyte lineage cells with the developing dorsal root entry zone during its genesis. 2022. Front Cell Neurosci. 16:893629. doi: 10.3389/fncel.2022.893629.
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Priest JM, Nichols EL, Smock RJ, Mendoza JM, Meijers R, Shen K, Özkan E. Structural insights into the formation of repulsive Netrin guidance complexes. 2024. Sci. Adv. 10(7):eadj8083. doi: 10.1126/sciadv.adj8083
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Nichols EL. A debate in bad faith: Naming anti-transgender bias in the Journal of Physiology. 2024. J Physiol. 602(20):5395-5396. doi: 10.1113/JP287492.
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Weatherton M, Ko M, Nichols EL, Krishnan S, Faber C. All In: Understanding and Motivating Stakeholders to Create an Equitable Culture of Student Success. 2024. CBE Life Sci Educ. 23(4):es10. doi: 10.1187/cbe.24-02-0065
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Nichols EL, Lee J and Shen K. UNC-6/Netrin promotes adhesion and directed growth within a single axon. 2025. eLife. 13:RP100424. doi: 10.7554/eLife.100424.3.
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*these authors contributed equally
Teaching Materials
Nichols, EL (2023). Guided Goal Setting for Mentors and Mentees. bioBUDS: Building Up Developing Scientists, QUBES Education Resources. doi: 10.25334/Y0EX-7W42
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Nichols, EL (2023). Mentorship Check-In. bioBUDS: Building Up Developing Scientists, QUBES Educational Resources. doi: 10.25334/VZGY-EX95
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Fellowships
2022 – 2024 Leaders in Inclusive Teaching Fellowship
Center for Teaching and Learning
Stanford University
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2020 – 2023 Graduate Research Fellowship Program
National Science Foundation
Stanford University
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2018 Research Experience for Undergraduates
National Science Foundation
University of Notre Dame
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2017 Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship
College of Science
University of Notre Dame