Zion Walker
Education:
B.A. Columbia University (2023)
Advisor:
TBA
Graduate Program:
TBA
Research Interests:
My undergraduate work focused on understanding the gut-brain axis communication that instigates stress-induced neuroplasticity in C. elegans under the supervision of Dr. Surojit Sural. During my gap years, I studied the genetic basis of C. elegans enteric nervous system development and function.
As I look forward to my graduate studies, I am eager to continue exploring the mechanisms that govern the specification or plasticity of cell type identity within the context of neurodevelopmental disorders or cancer.
 
Publications:
Walker, Z., Cao, W., Leyva-Diaz, E., Rahman, M., Sural, S., Attner, M., Hobert, O. (2025). PHA- 4/FoxA controls the function of pharyngeal and extrapharyngeal enteric neurons of C. Elegans [Preprint]. Biorxiv.
Sural, S., Walker, Z., & Hobert, O. (2025). Gut epithelium modifies enteric behaviors during nutritional adversity via distinct peptidergic signaling axes. Science Advances, 11(39), eadw1270.
Conference Posters/Presentations:
Walker, Z., (March 2025) PHA-4/FoxA controls the function of the entire enteric neurons of C. elegans. Talk given at New York Worm Neuroscience Conference. City College of New York, NY.
Walker, Z., Sural, S., Hobert, O., (June 2023) The role of insulin/IGF-1 signaling in modulating C. elegans feeding behavior under adverse conditions. Poster presented at the International C. elegans Conference. Glasgow, Scotland.
Simon, P., Rao, S., Hong, D., Walker Z., Dragon J., Nathanson, M. R., (March 2022). Friendly Calls to Seniors: Interprofessional Student Volunteer Telephone Outreach to Vulnerable Minority Seniors with Known Mental Disorders. 2022 Talk presented at National Academies of Practice Forum, San Diego, CA.
Rau, S., Simon, P., Jiang, E., Hong, D., Dragon J., Walker Z., Nathanson, M. R., (October 2021). Friendly calls to seniors- a longitudinal interprofessional model for remote social support to at-risk seniors in NYC. Talk presented at American Public Health Association Annual Expo Meeting, Denver, CO.