From a classroom in Kashmir to neuroscience labs in California, Dr. Durafshan Sakeena Syed’s journey shows how far curiosity can travel. 

Trained at the University of Kashmir and now based at the University of California, Santa Barbara, Durafshan works on a question most of us never think about: how the brain tells the body what to do, and how one movement leads to the next.

Durafshan is an Assistant Project Scientist in the Simpson Lab at UCSB, where she studies how neural circuits control coordinated movement. 

Using the fruit fly as a model, she looks at how different parts of the brain work together to move legs, switch actions, and manage more than one task at a time. 

Her research has uncovered inhibitory circuits that control rhythmic leg movement during grooming and identified brain pathways that start specific motor actions.

Her scientific roots are firmly in the valley. She completed her Master’s degree in Biotechnology at the University of Kashmir before moving to Bengaluru for her PhD at the National Centre for Biological Sciences. 

There, she studied how motor neurons connect to muscles in precise patterns that make walking possible. 

That work helped link how the nervous system develops with how it functions later in life.

After moving to the United States, Durafshan joined UCSB as a postdoctoral fellow and later took on her current role. 

Along the way, she led research projects, helped build tools to track behaviour and brain connections, and guided undergraduate students working with large datasets.

At a time when more students from Kashmir are looking beyond borders for science and research, Durafshan’s work offers a clear example of how training in the valley can lead to meaningful work on the global stage.

In this interview with Kashmir Observer, Dr. Durafshan talks about her journey, her research on the brain and movement, and what it takes to build a career in science across continents.

Your academic journey began at the University of Kashmir. What first pulled you toward biotechnology and the life sciences?

I was always curious about life. Biology fascinated me early on. At one point, I had to choose between mathematics and biology. I chose biology, even though I enjoyed math. 

Looking back, that divide feels artificial. Science does not work in silos.

The biotechnology program at the University of Kashmir was new at the time, and that excited me. 

We had committed teachers who took their work seriously. Later, when I worked alongside students from top institutes at NCBS, I realized our training matched up well.

One teacher who left a deep mark on me was Prof. Mahboob Ul Hussain. Beyond concepts, he explained how discoveries happened, why experiments were designed a certain way, and what they changed in the field. 

That approach made science feel alive and pushed me toward research.

Moving from Kashmir to NCBS was a big step. What led you to choose fruit flies as your main model for studying the brain?

Between the entrance exam and interviews, I joined NCBS as a Junior Research Fellow. That phase opened my eyes. 

Biology suddenly felt vast. Until then, my training focused on genetic engineering and protein folding.

During my interview, Prof. Veronica Rodrigues asked if I had worked with fruit flies. When I said no, she smiled and said that was perfect: “We could start from scratch.” 

That moment stayed with me.

At NCBS, I saw students from physics and chemistry backgrounds doing well in biology. It showed me that curiosity matters more than labels. 

Fruit flies offered something special. Their brains are small but capable of complex behaviour. We can control genes and neurons precisely and directly link brain activity to action. 

That clarity convinced me this was the right system to study the nervous system.

Your PhD work uncovered how motor neurons connect to specific muscles. What was that process like?

Motor neurons are remarkablecells. They start in the nervous system and extend all the way to muscles. They are not placed randomly. Their position reflects which muscles they control.

I focused on how this organization forms. I found that different Semaphorin molecules guide motor neurons to their correct targets. Neurons born at different times follow different signals.

When we disrupted these signals, neurons connected to the wrong muscles, and the flies showed clear movement problems. 

Seeing a straight line from a molecular signal to wiring to behaviour was deeply satisfying.

How did this developmental work prepare you for later behaviour-focused research?

Studying how neurons form gives you a mental map of the nervous system. That knowledge becomes powerful when you study behaviour.

Later, during my postdoctoral work, I screened for neurons involved in grooming. Since I understood leg motor neuron organization, I could identify specific neurons in large brain datasets and predict their roles.

At NCBS, Prof. Vijay Raghavan encouraged independence. At UCSB, Prof. Julie Simpson supported ambitious, cross-disciplinary projects. 

Together, these environments shaped how I approach research today.

Your work shows inhibition plays a central role in movement. How does that work?

Most actions come in sequences. The brain has to decide what happens first and what follows.

We found inhibitory neurons that control alternating leg movements. They switch between flexion and extension in a precise pattern. If these neurons stay active or inactive for too long, coordination breaks down.

Inhibition is not about stopping movement. It sets timing and order. It allows actions to flow smoothly instead of clashing.

Has connectomics changed how you see the brain’s wiring?

Connectomics gives us a full map of connections, but structure alone does not explain function. Each neuron connects to many others. Behaviour experiments help us identify which links matter.

We found descending neurons that trigger specific actions. When we traced their connections, we saw clear pathways from sensory input to muscle control.

One striking finding was that inhibitory neurons follow spatial patterns linked to movement. This suggests parts of behaviour are built into the system from early on.

How does fly research connect to human movement disorders?

Before fixing a system, you need to understand how it works. Many movement principles stay consistent across species.

Flies allow precise testing. We can change one neuron and see what happens. Those insights guide work in larger systems and offer clues about motor disorders.

How do you manage large teams working on complex datasets?

Training matters. We worked with undergraduate researchers and gave them strong foundations. We paired students, encouraged discussion, and held regular meetings.

I focused on explaining why each step mattered. That builds ownership and care. When people understand the purpose, quality follows.

How has mentorship shaped your own thinking?

Mentorship sharpens clarity. Students ask honest questions. They notice gaps. Teaching forces you to explain ideas simply.

Working with diverse students has pushed me to rethink assumptions and design better experiments. It improves the science.

What can help students in Kashmir connect with global science?

I grew up seeing my father support students with limited resources. That experience stayed with me.

Today, access has improved. Groups like JKScientists offer mentorship. Universities can help students find research projects and fellowships.

Travel grants, conferences, and international collaborations open doors. Reaching out matters more than people think.

Was there a moment when unexpected results changed your thinking?

Yes. During a grooming study, activating certain neurons reduced grooming. Silencing them also reduced grooming. That seemed wrong.

Looking closer, I saw these neurons controlled timing, rather than action strength. They had to switch on and off correctly. 

That insight reshaped the project and revealed how coordination truly works.

What question drives your work now?

I want to understand how actions connect. How does the brain manage transitions and coordinate multiple limbs at once?

My long-term goal is to link circuits to behaviour in a way that explains flexibility and coordination across actions.