Current T32 Trainees
Past T32 Trainees
| Photos | Past Trainees |
|---|---|
| TBA | Stephanie Aldrich sba21@pitt.edu Postdoc Mentor: Stephen Meriney, PhD Dates of Support: 01/01/2022–10/16/2023 Current Position: Postdoctoral Associate, University of Pittsburgh Topic of Research: TBA |
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Eric Anderson, PhD ena15@pitt.edu Postdoc Mentor: Udai Pandey, PhD Dates of Support: 02/01/2017–01/31/2019 Current Position: Postdoctoral Scholar, University of Pittsburgh Topic of Research: Understanding the mechanism of how ALS-associated mutations perturb stress granules (SG) dynamics and how targeting pathological cytoplasmic SG could be a therapeutic target in ALS |
| TBA | Tapas Jaywant Arakeri tja60@pitt.edu Postdoc Mentor: Aaron Batista, PhD Dates of Support: 06/01/2024–05/31/2025 Current Position: Postdoctoral Scholar, University of Pittsburgh Topic of Research: TBA |
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Caitlyn Barrett, PhD crb119@pitt.edu Postdoc Mentor: Theresa Hastings, PhD Dates of Support: 09/01/2015–08/31/2016 Current Position: National Director, Research and Programs, CureSearch for Children’s Cancer Topic of Research: Determination of GPx4 interacting partners and functional consequences of GPx4 overexpression at baseline and in response to oxidative stress |
| TBA | Gary Blumenthal gary.blumenthal@pitt.edu Postdoc Mentor: Jennifer Collinger, PhD Dates of Support: 05/01/2023–04/30/2025 Current Position: Postdoctoral Associate, University of Pittsburgh Topic of Research: Neurorehabilitation |
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Christopher Bodle, PhD crb119@pitt.edu Postdoc Mentor: J. Timothy Greenamyre, MD, PhD Dates of Support: 07/01/2017–06/30/2019 Current Position: Postdoctoral Scholar, University of Pittsburgh Topic of Research: Elucidating the role of adenosine A2A receptor in cellular stress and toxicity induced by rotenone: implications for Parkinson’s disease |
| TBA | Megan Brady, PhD Postdoc Mentor: Tija Jacob, PhD Dates of Support: 07/01/2014–06/10/2016 Current Position: Clinical Research Associate, SCOPE International, Pittsburgh Topic of Research: Role of α5-containing GABAAR synaptic signaling in neuronal maturation |
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Joe Brague, PhD jcb165@pitt.edu Postdoc Mentor: Rebecca Seal, PhD Dates of Support: 09/01/2017–08/31/2019 Current Position: Postdoctoral Scholar, University of Pittsburgh Topic of Research: The Role of VGLUT3 in Parkinson's Disease |
| TBA | Christina Cerkevich, PhD cerkec@pitt.edu Postdoc Mentor: Peter L. Strick, PhD Dates of Support: 07/01/2014–06/30/2016 Current Position: Research Assistant Professor, Department of Neurobiology, University of Pittsburgh Topic of Research: Finding the neural basis for the control of vocalization |
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Raeed Chowdhury, PhD raeed.chowdhury@pitt.edu Postdoc Mentor: Aaron Batista, PhD Dates of Support: 08/01/2019–Present Current Position: N/A (Current Trainee) Topic of Research: Exploring the neural basis of skill learning and expertise |
| TBA | Karin Cox kmc51@pitt.edu Postdoc Mentor: Robert Turner, PhD Dates of Support: 05/01/2024–04/30/2025 Current Position: Postdoctoral Associate, University of Pittsburgh Topic of Research: TBA |
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Alan Degenhart, PhD Postdoc Mentor: Aaron Batista, PhD Dates of Support: 11/01/2014–10/31/2016 Current Position: Postdoctoral Research Associate, Carnegie Mellon University Topic of Research: Uncovering the neural mechanisms of adaptation during brain-controlled and hand-controlled tasks |
| TBA | Cody Drozd cjd154@pitt.edu Postdoc Mentor: Charleen Chu, MD, PhD Dates of Support: 11/01/2023–04/30/2025 Current Position: Postdoctoral Scholar, University of Pittsburgh Topic of Research: TBA |
| TBA | Madeline Edwards N/A Postdoc Mentor: Chengcheng Huang, PhD Dates of Support: 09/01/2021–08/31/2023 Current Position: Postdoctoral Associate, University of Pittsburgh Topic of Research: TBA |
| TBA | Krista Fjeld N/A Postdoc Mentor: Gelsy Torres-Oviedo, PhD Dates of Support: 07/01/2022–06/30/2023 Current Position: Postdoctoral Associate, University of Pittsburgh Topic of Research: TBA |
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Amanda Gleixner, PhD amg253@pitt.edu Postdoc Mentor: Christopher Donnelly, PhD Dates of Support: 08/01/2019–Present Current Position: N/A (Current Trainee) Topic of Research: Consequences of TDP43 loss of function on nucleoporin-mediated regulation of neuronal maturation state |
| TBA | Sharonda Harris, PhD Postdoc Mentor: Gonzalo Torres, PhD Dates of Support: 08/01/2014–08/31/2015 Current Position: Postdoctoral Associate, Department of Pharmacology, University of Florida at Gainesville Topic of Research: Examining the interaction between G subunits and the dopamine transporter (DAT) and its role in promoting dopamine efflux as well as its involvement in the actions of amphetamine |
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Elizabeth Hirshorn, PhD hirshore@newpaltz.edu Postdoc Mentor: Julie Fiez, PhD Dates of Support: 09/01/2014–08/31/2016 Current Position: Assistant Professor, SUNY New Paltz Topic of Research: Neurobiological foundations and remediation of reading disorders, computational underpinnings of bilateral fusiform cortex in reading |
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Bistra Iordanova, PhD bei3@pitt.edu Postdoc Mentors: Alberto Vasquez, PhD (Mentor) and Milos Ikonomovic, MD (Senior Mentor) Dates of Support: 07/01/2016–05/31/2017 Current Position: Research Assistant Professor, Department of Bioengineering, University of Pittsburgh Topic of Research: Effects of cerebral amyloid angiopathy on blood flow and oxygen metabolism in the brain |
| TBA | Dika Kuljis, PhD dkuljis@pitt.edu Postdoc Mentor: Alison Barth, PhD Dates of Support: 02/01/2017–01/31/2019 Current Position: Postdoctoral Scholar, Carnegie Mellon University Topic of Research: Using new tools for the fluorescent labeling of synapses in brain tissue to identify interneuron innervation patterns onto cortical pyramidal neurons, determine how novel sensory experiences influence synaptic plasticity at the anatomical level in primary vibrassae sensory cortex, and to screen for aberrant synapse morphology in models of disease |
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Tenzin Kunkhyen, PhD tkun@pitt.edu Postdoc Mentor: Claire Cheetham, PhD Dates of Support: 07/01/2018–Present Current Position: N/A (Current Trainee) Topic of Research: Identify cellular properties of olfactory bulb dopaminergic neurons that survive or die when sensory input is eliminated |
| TBA | Ryan Logan, PhD rwl16@pitt.edu Postdoc Mentor: Colleen McClung, PhD Dates of Support: 07/01/2014–03/15/2016 Current Position: Assistant Professor, Department of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine Topic of Research: Circadian rhythms and psychiatric diseases |
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Britney Lizama, PhD bnl32@pitt.edu Postdoc Mentor: Charleen Chu, MD, PhD Dates of Support: 09/01/2018–Present Current Position: N/A (Current Trainee) Topic of Research: Neuroprotective Roles of PINK1 In Mitigating Mutant Tau Pathology |
| TBA | Jiayi Lu ena15@pitt.edu Postdoc Mentor: Charleen Chu, MD, PhD Dates of Support: 10/01/2022–09/30/2023 Current Position: Postdoctoral Associate, University of Pittsburgh Topic of Research: TBA |
| TBA | Kelly Martin kellymar@pitt.edu Postdoc Mentor: Marlene Behrmann, PhD Dates of Support: 06/01/2024–01/31/2025 Current Position: Postdoctoral Associate, University of Pittsburgh Topic of Research: TBA |
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Bruce Nmezi, PhD bcn6@pitt.edu Postdoc Mentor: Quasar Padiath, PhD Dates of Support: 08/01/2019–Present Current Position: N/A (Current Trainee) Topic of Research: The role of lamin B1 in the maturation and proliferation of oligodendrocyte-lineage cells |
| TBA | Jessia Nuwer ena15@pitt.edu Postdoc Mentor: Tija Jacobs, PhD Dates of Support: 06/01/2021–05/31/2023 Current Position: Postdoctoral Associate, University of Pittsburgh Topic of Research: TBA |
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Emily Oby, PhD emo22@pitt.edu Postdoc Mentor: Aaron Batista, PhD Dates of Support: 02/01/2017–01/31/2018 Current Position: Research Instructor, University of Pittsburgh Topic of Research: Using a brain-computer interface paradigm to understand the neural correlates of learning |
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Jami Saloman, PhD jls354@pitt.edu Postdoc Mentor: Brian Davis, PhD Dates of Support: 09/01/2014–08/31/2016 Current Position: Assistant Professor, Department of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine Topic of Research: Role of the nervous system in progression of pancreatic cancer, somatic and visceral pain mediated plasticity of the peripheral and central nervous system |
| TBA | Elaine Robbins ena15@pitt.edu Postdoc Mentor: Xinyan Tracy Cui, PhD Dates of Support: 11/01/2020–10/31/2022 Current Position: Postdoctoral Associate, University of Pittsburgh Topic of Research: TBA |
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Tayler Sheahan, PhD tayler.sheahan@pitt.edu Postdoc Mentor: Sarah Ross, PhD Dates of Support: 07/01/2018–11/31/2018 Current Position: Postdoctoral Scholar, University of Pittsburgh Topic of Research: Understanding the spinal circuitry of cold |
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Eric Swanson, PhD Postdoc Mentor: Amantha Thathiah, PhD Dates of Support: 07/01/2018–06/30/2019 Current Position: Scientist, Abcam, Eugene, Oregon Topic of Research: The role of G Protein-Coupled Receptor Kinases (GRKs) in pathological tau phosphorylation |
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Patricia de la Tremblaye, PhD prt525@pitt.edu Postdoc Mentor: Anthony E. Kline, PhD Dates of Support: 02/01/2017–04/30/2018 Current Position: Postdoctoral Fellow, University of Ottawa Topic of Research: Examining the role of the endocannabinoid system in regulating long-term neurobehavioral consequences of adolescent chronic stress and TBI on cognitive and emotional impairments in male and female rats |
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Jacqueline Welty, PhD jaw227@pitt.edu Postdoc Mentor: Amantha Thathiah, PhD Dates of Support: 08/01/2019–Present Current Position: N/A (Current Trainee) Topic of Research: Aβ specificity in DNA damage repair in Alzheimer’s Disease |
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Rashid Williams-Garcia, PhD rwgarcia@pitt.edu Postdoc Mentor: Nathan N. Urban, PhD Dates of Support: 08/01/2016–07/31/2018 Current Position: Postdoctoral Scholar, University of Pittsburgh Topic of Research: Investigating the neural basis of sensory deficits in autism spectrum disorders |


















