NIP Trainees

Congratulations to Summer Kathol. She received the Dr Zofia Zukowska Award for Excellence in Thesis Research. Summer defended her thesis and was awarded a Neuroscience PhD.

NIP Trainees 2021-2022 Academic Year

Ismary Blanco: Predoctoral Trainee
Mentor: Katherine Conant, MD
Thesis Research: Stress and depressive-like behaviors in zebrafish; characterizing changes in neuronal plasticity after unpredictable chronic stress.

Dan Chapman: Predoctoral Trainee
Mentor: Mark Burns, PhD & Stefano Vicini, PhD
Thesis Research: Interrogating synaptic mechanisms underlying contextual fear conditioning amnesia in a rodent model of highly repetitive mild traumatic brain injury.

Phil Gross: Predoctoral Trainee
Mentor: Jeffrey Huang, PhD
Thesis Research: Elucidating the role of senescent cells in CNS remyelination.

Tahiyana Khan: Predoctoral Trainee
Mentor: Patrick Forcelli, PhD
Thesis Research: The contribution of cellular senescence in epileptogenesis.

Neke Nsor: Predoctoral Trainee
Mentor: Xiong Jiang, PhD
Thesis Research: Using fMRI adaptation to investigate neural dysfunction in Alzheimer’s disease.

Max Stevenson: Predoctoral Trainee
Mentor: Dr. Charbel Moussa
Thesis Research: Investigating the role of c-KIT in the pathogenesis of protein-mediated neurodegenerative disease.

Recent NIP Trainees

Holly Korthas: Predoctoral Trainee
Mentor: Mark Burns, PhD
Thesis Research: The effects of high frequency head impacts on circadian rhythms and sleep architecture.

Kelly Martin: Predoctoral Trainee
Mentor: Elissa Newport, PhD & Peter Turkeltaub, MD, PhD
Thesis Research: Characterizing the organization of core language and emotional prosody processing in right frontotemporal regions after left hemisphere perinatal stroke.

Mondona McCann: Predoctoral Trainee
Mentor: Kathy Maguire-Zeiss, PhD
Thesis Research: Polychlorinated biphenyls and synuclein as a ‘dual hit’ model of astrocytic dysfunction. 

Andrew Speidell: Predoctoral Trainee
Mentor: Italo Mocchetti, PhD
Thesis Research: The role of p75NTR-coupled signaling in HIV-1 gp120-mediated synaptic injury.

Lorenzo Bozzelli: Thesis defended
Mentor: Katherine Conant, MD
Thesis Research: The role of MMPs and PNNs in HAND.

Deran Erdengiz: Thesis defended
Mentor: Kathy Maguire-Zeiss, PhD
Thesis Research: Synuclein directly regulates L-type VGCC activity and function in dopaminergic neurons.

Cameron McKay: Predoctoral Trainee
Mentor: Guinevere Eden, D.Phil.
Thesis Research: Developmental dyslexia and hippocampal volume.

Laya Rajan: Thesis defended
Mentor: Chandan Vaidya, PhD
Thesis Research: Neuroplasticity due to obesity in the developing brain. 

Hannah Waguespack: Predoctoral Trainee
Mentor: Ludise Malkova, PhD & Patrick Forcelli, PhD
Thesis Research: Midbrain contributions to defensive behavior in macaques.

Stephanie Sloley: Thesis defended
Mentor: Mark Burns, PhD
Thesis Research: Identifying changes in hippocampal synaptic plasticity following repetitive mild traumatic brain injury.

Kaela Singleton: Thesis defended; Predoctoral Trainee  (NIH F99 Awarded)
Mentor: Elena Silva, PhD
Thesis Research: Mechanisms of regulation and function of Sox 11 in frog and mouse. 

Erin Wenzel: Thesis defended; Predoctoral Trainee (NRSA Awarded)
Mentor: Italo Mocchetti, PhD
Thesis Research: Intracellular mechanisms of HIV-1 envelope protein neurotoxicity.

Brittany Aguilar: Thesis defended
Mentors: Patrick Forcelli, PhD and Ludise Malkova, PhD
Thesis Research: Investigating contributions of intermediate and deep layers of superior colliculus to defensive and emotional behaviors.

Carrie Leonard: Thesis defended
Mentor: Maria Donoghue, PhD
Thesis Research: EphA7 regulates dendritic morphology and postnatal synapse formation in cerebral cortex. 

Lanier Heyburn: Thesis defended
Mentors: Brent Harris, MD, PhD and Charbel Moussa, MBBS, PhD
Thesis Research: Effect of tyrosine kinase inhibitors on TDP-43 localization.

Ted Turesky: Thesis defended
Mentor: Guinevere Eden, D.Phil.
Thesis Research: Neural development and degeneration: An fMRI study on the motor system in children, young adults, and old adults. 

Megan Allen: Thesis defended
Mentors: Katherine Conant, MD and Kathy Maguire-Zeiss, PhD
Thesis Research: MMP-1 Mediated PAR-1 Signaling and Fragile X Syndrome. 

Kelly Chamberlain: Thesis defended
Mentor: Jeffrey Huang, PhD
Thesis Research: Oligodendrocyte Regulation of Neuronal Energy Metabolism and  ATP Buffering.

Amanda DiBattista: Thesis defended; Predoctoral trainee: F31 NRSA
Mentor: Bill Rebeck, PhD
Thesis Research: Alzheimer’s Disease Risk Gene APOE Predicts Molecular Differences in the Absence of Disease. 

Summer Kathol: Thesis defended; Predoctoral trainee: F31 NRSA
Mentor: Italo  Mocchetti, PhD
Thesis Research:  Investigating Mitochondrial Dynamic Impairment by HIV Viral  Protein Tat and the Protective Capacity of Pituitary Adenylate Cyclase-Activating Polypeptide (PACAP).

Gustavo Rodriguez: Thesis defended; Predoctoral trainee: F31 NRSA
Mentor: Bill Rebeck, PhD
Thesis Research: Effect of APOE Genotype on Glial Activation in a Mouse Model  of Amyloid Deposition.

Carissa Winland Berger: Thesis defended; Predoctoral trainee: F31 NRSA
Co-Mentors:  Kathy Maguire-Zeiss, PhD and Stefano Vicini, PhD
Thesis Research:  The Effect of Inflammation on Striatal Circuitry. 

Teal Connor: Thesis defended
Mentor: Bill Rebeck, PhD
Thesis Research: The Intracellular Domains Required for ApoER2’s Effect on  Dendritic Spine Density. 

Michael Smirnov: Thesis defended
Mentors: Jeffrey Urbach, PhD and  Herb Geller, PhD
Thesis Research: Structural and Mechanical Influence on Growth Cone Guidance  and Axonal Regeneration. 

Patricia Washington: Thesis defended
Mentor: Mark Burns, PhD
Thesis Research: The Role of Amyloid-Beta After Traumatic Brain Injury: Injury Mediator or Marker? 

Charisse Winston: Thesis defended
Mentor: Mark Burns, PhD
Thesis Research: The Effect of APOE Genotype on Neuronal Remodeling Caused  by Mild Traumatic Brain Injury.

NIP Trainees Prior to 2012 (predoctoral and postdoctoral, in alphabetical order):

Mary O. Adedoyin, Ph.D.: Predoctoral Trainee
Mentor: Dr. Neale / Dr. Vicini
Thesis Research: The Role of N-acetylaspartylglutamate in the Amygdala.

Liza Q. Bundesen, Ph.D. : Predoctoral Trainee (Ph.D. awarded December, 2003)
Co-Mentors: Dr. Barbara Bregman and Dr. Larry Kromer
Thesis Research: :Â Ephrins and Eph Receptors Participate in Spinal Cord Development and Adult Injury Responses.

Kimberly R. Byrnes, Ph.D. : Postdoctoral Trainee
Mentor: Dr. Alan Faden
Thesis Research: Role of Microglial Related Inflammation in the Spinal Cord Response to Injury. Gregory S. Emch, Ph.D. : Predoctoral Trainee
Co-mentors: Dr. Jean Wrathall and Dr. Stefano Vicini
Postdoctoral Research:Â Synaptic function after SCI.

Craig Dietrich, Ph.D : Predoctoral Trainee
Mentor: Dr. Martin Morad
Thesis Research: Protons as Transmitters in Synaptic Signaling.

Andrew E. Emery, Ph.D.: Predoctoral Trainee
Mentor: Dr. J. Wroblewski
Thesis Research: Neuroprotective mechanisms of metabotropic glutamate receptor 1

Ivy V. Estabrooke, Ph.D. : Predoctoral Trainee (PhD awarded November, 2005)
Co-mentors: Dr. Paul Aisen and Dr. Michael Ullman
Thesis Research: Neuropharmacological Approaches to the Recovery of Language after Neural Insult.

Jae K. Lee, Ph.D. : Predoctoral Trainee (PhD awarded October, 2005)
Mentor: Dr. Jean Wrathall
Thesis Research: Alterations in the Hoffman-Reflex After Spinal Cord Injury.

Judith M. Lytle, PhD : Predoctoral Trainee (PhD awarded May, 2007)
Mentor: Dr. Jean R. Wrathall and Dr. Vittorio Gallo
Thesis Research: Electrophysiological Characterization and Transcriptional Control of Oligodendrocyte Precursor Cells in the Acutely Injured Spinal Cord .

John G. Partridge, Ph.D. : Postdoctoral Trainee
Mentor: Dr. Stefano Vicini
Postdoctoral Research: Excitatory Neurotransmission in Mouse Striatum: The role of NMDA and trkB receptors.

Esther Magnuson, Ph.D.: Predoctoral Trainee
Mentor: Dr. Huntsman / Dr. Vicini
Thesis Research: Inhibitory control of cortical interneurons in mouse somato-sensory cortex

Sakura S. Minami, Ph.D.: Predoctoral Trainee
Mentor: Dr. Rebeck / Dr. Matsuoka
Thesis Research: The role of Fyn in the pathogenic processes of Alzheimer’s disease

Ahdeah Pajoohesh-Gangi, Ph.D.: Postdoctoral Trainee
Mentor: Dr. Faden
Thesis Research: Cell Cycle Regulation after Spinal Cord Injury in Mice mouse model of contusive SCI.

Bridget N. Queenan, Ph.D.: Predoctoral Trainee
Mentors: Dr. Daniel Pak and Dr. Stefano Vicini
Thesis Research: Synapse- and Cell-specific Plasticity in the Hippocampus

William J. Rosoff Ph.D. : Postdoctoral Trainee
Mentor: Dr. Geoffrey Goodhill
Postdoctoral Research: Mechanisms of Axonal Gradient detection. Lauren E. Ullrich: Predoctoral Trainee
Mentor: Dr. Friedman / Dr. Turner
Thesis Research: Neural structures underlying recognition memory in mild cognitive impairment

Jill Turner, PhD. : Predoctoral Trainee (PhD awarded June 2006)
Mentor: Dr. Kenneth Kellar
Thesis Research: Nicotinic Receptors in the Rat Cerebellum

Matthew T. Whittaker, Ph.D.: Postdoctoral Trainee
Mentor: Dr. J. Wrathall
Thesis Research: The role of NG2 cells in recovery from spinal cord injury in a mouse model of contusive SCI.

Brian S. Wolff, Ph.D.: Predoctoral Trainee
Mentor: Dr. J. Wu
Thesis Research: Activation and plasticity of neocortical neuronal populations induced by alternating electrical fields