Crystal L. Lantz, PhD

Crystal L. Lantz, PhD is the Chief of Extramural Activities for the NIH BRAIN Initiative and a Science Adviser for Programs in the Office of the BRAIN Director, where she uses data driven analytics to examine BRAIN Initiative programs. She joined NINDS in 2021 as a Health Programs Specialist in the Division of Neuroscience where she worked on a grant portfolio that included basic neuroscience, epilepsy and myalgic encephalomyelitis/ chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS). Lantz has over 15 years of experience in neuroscience research, focusing on the basic mechanisms of visual system development and plasticity. Passionate about the brain in her early education, Lantz majored in neuroscience as an undergraduate at The College of William and Mary, then received her PhD in neuroscience at Virginia Commonwealth University. As a postdoctoral researcher at the University of Maryland, Lantz utilized in vivo electrophysiology and targeted neuropharmacology, to examine how experience shapes development and function of sensory systems.