Steve Ramirez (born 1988) is a neuroscientist whose professional career centers around the manipulation of the brain's physical properties. Through his work, Ramirez aims to find methods of relief for symptoms of mental health disorders through the use of optogenetics.[1] [2] He was born in Massachusetts to immigrant parents, where he attended high school. Ramirez's first interest in the brain developed when his cousin went into a coma due to "atrophy." Ramirez figured that it was caused through a physical reaction of tissue decay from a depleted amount of oxygen. He was curious how brains could be physically manipulated to understand their functions.[3]
He began his college education at Boston University, where he met his then girlfriend, who convinced Ramirez to try out Boston University's neuroscience program. While the pair eventually split, Ramirez developed a passion for neuroscience that sparked the beginning of his career. Although hurt, Ramirez's career was inspired by the grief of his break-up as he wondered if he could change the feelings behind those memories while keeping the memory intact.[4] [5]
After gaining inspiration, Ramirez graduated from Boston University in 2010 and later earned his Ph.D. in Neuroscience for his work on memories in the lab of Susumu Tonegawa.[6]
Steve Ramirez grew up in Everett, Massachusetts and is of El Salvadorian descent. His parents, older brother, and sister, escaped the wartimes of El Salvador towards the end of the 1970s and came to the United States.[7] In his early teens, Ramirez's cousin experienced atrophy and coma while birthing a child, which influenced Ramirez's curiosity on the topic of neuroscience, and the ability to physically manipulate brain chemistry. After, he attended high school in Massachusetts.
Ramirez attended college at Boston University in Massachusetts where he was trying to find an academic field that suited him. His girlfriend at the time suggested to Ramirez that he should seek guidance from the head of department of the neuroscience program at Boston University. Ramirez agreed, and began to be mentored by the head of department, where he developed a passion for the field of work and found a community among the members of the program. Throughout the rest of his education, Ramirez decided to focus his studies on the neuroscience of memory, which began the path of his career and achievements. After graduating from college in 2010, Ramirez joined the lab of Susumu Tonegawa where he continued his studies, and eventually earned his Ph.D. in neuroscience. Ramirez's earliest scientific work occurred with the help of his mentor, Xu Liu, who Ramirez attributes much of his achievements to, and claims that Liu taught him many skills necessary for their work.
Steve Ramirez is known for his studies on memory where he went on to publish six research articles under Tonegawa Susumu's lab. Ramirez and Liu also did a TED Talk where they discussed their research. Ramirez expressed how he is currently manipulating the brain cells of mice to respond to pulses of light and manipulate their memories. He aims to make this process accessible to humans as well to treat mental illness.