Steven Ceto joined the Wyss Center in June 2024 as Senior Research Scientist in vivo optogenetics. He is leading preclinical in vivo studies to advance cell-type specific optogenetic therapies for neurological disorders.

Throughout his postgraduate career, Steven has used cutting-edge electrophysiological and molecular biology techniques to understand and develop treatments for spinal cord injury. He earned his PhD in Biomedical Sciences at the University of California San Diego, where he pioneered calcium imaging methods to visualize neural network formation and host-graft connectivity in a model of stem cell therapy for spinal cord injury.

As a postdoctoral researcher at EPFL in Switzerland, he developed in vivo electrophysiological techniques to examine the effects of epidural electrical stimulation on spinal cord circuitry. Additionally, he used single-cell RNA sequencing and tissue clearing to uncover the molecular pathways that enable spontaneous spinal cord repair in neonatal mammals.

Originally from Seattle, Steven earned his BS in Biochemistry at the University of Washington. He worked as a research technician at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center before discovering his passion for neuroscience during his PhD. Across disciplines, translation of basic and preclinical research into impactful therapies has always been the driving force behind his work.