Sara Prescott

Sara Prescott is a Fellow at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, affiliated with the Department of Biology. She is also an Investigator at the Picower Institute for Learning and Memory. Her research focuses on how sensory inputs from within the body control mammalian physiology and behavior, particularly through the study of airway protection mechanisms and their implications for autonomic dysfunction. Prescott investigates the cellular interactions that enable the detection and response to physiological insults at barrier tissues. Her work has contributed to understanding the airway-brain axis and its role in connecting breath, brain, and behavior.

Sara Prescott is an Assistant Professor of Biology at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, with research interests in Neuroscience, Lung Physiology, and Sensory Biology. Her work explores the molecular mechanisms underlying sensory systems, particularly focusing on the vagus nerve, airway-brain communication, and neural crest development. Prescott's research integrates genomics, epigenetics, and functional studies to uncover how genetic variation influences sensory functions and disease. Her publications highlight the role of enhancers in cis-regulatory evolution, neural crest development, and the molecular basis of internal senses. She also investigates the impact of genetic variation on human traits and disease, emphasizing the interplay between genetics and behavior.