Students

Current Students

Danielle Porter

Research mentor: Michael Lehman, PhD, Department of Neurobiology and Anatomical Sciences
Research focus: My research focuses on understanding the reproductive neuroendocrine system in mammals.
Undergraduate/graduate degree: BS, University of Alabama, Biology; MS, Louisiana State University, Biology

Sydney Vita

Research mentor: Donna Platt, PhD, Departments of Psychiatry and Human Behavior and Neurobiology and Anatomical Sciences; Pramod Dash, PhD, University of Texas Medical School at Houston, Departments of Neurobiology and Anatomy and Neurosurgery
Research focus: My research focuses on the physiological effects of concussive traumatic brain injury.
Undergraduate/graduate degree: BA, University of Colorado - Denver, Psychology

Graham Casey

Research mentor: Brad Walters, PhD, Departments of Neurobiology and Anatomical Sciences, and Otolaryngology and Communicative Science
Research focus: I'm interested in a number of topics related to the inner ear. In particular I'm interested in transcriptional regulation of cell fate in the Organ of Corti as well as its functional responses to a number of different pathologies.
Undergraduate/graduate degree: BS, Millsaps College, Chemistry

Sid Gaikwad

Research mentor: Lique Coolen, PhD, Department of Physiology and Biophysics
Research focus: I am interested in determining brain stem projections to the spinal ejaculation generator in rats.
Undergraduate/graduate degree: MBSS, Mahatma Ghandi University; MS, Tulane University, Neuroscience

Redin Spann

Research mentor: Bernadette Grayson, PhD, Department of Neurobiology and Anatomical Sciences
Research focus: My goal is to discover novel treatments for obesity. To accomplish this, I am investigating the mechanisms of bariatric surgery because it is the most efficacious treatment available, but it is unclear how it reduces appetite and improves metabolism. In a rat model, I am identifying molecular alterations in the hypothalamus after bariatric surgery that may affect the central control of energy homeostasis.
Undergraduate/graduate degree: BS, Millsaps College, Neuroscience and Cognitive Studies

Austin Zamarripa

Research mentor: Kevin Freeman, PhD, Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior
Research focus: My research is focused on the therapeutic effects of opioid analgesics and new opioid biased agonists in preclinical models.
Undergraduate/graduate degree: BS, Millsaps College, Neuroscience & Cognitive Studies

John Aaron Howell

Research mentor: Lee Bidwell, PhD, Departments of Neurology and Cell and Molecular Biology
Research focus: My research focuses on the neuroinflammation that occurs after ischemic strokes, particularly the activation of the nuclear factor kappa B pathway. Our goal is to find novel methods to inhibit this pathway and prevent the secondary tissue injury that occurs as a result of the inflammatory response to ischemic strokes.
Undergraduate/graduate degree: BA, University of Mississippi, Biochemistry

Kendra Stansak

Research mentor: Brad Walters, PhD, Departments of Neurobiology and Anatomical Sciences and Otolaryngology and Communicative Science
Research focus: I am interested in disease states of the inner ear. My current focus is on genetic and environmental risk factors associated with formations of neoplastic masses on or around the cochlea and cranial nerve VIII.
Undergraduate/graduate degree: BS, St. Vincent College, Psychology

Charles Barnes

Undergraduate/graduate degree: BS, University of Tennessee, Biological Sciences

Maria Jones-Muhammed

Jaren Reeves-Darby

Undergraduate/graduate degree: BS, Millsaps College, Neuroscience & Cognitive Studies

Elizabeth Gordineer

Ashley Griffin

Loc Pham

Undergraduate/graduate degree: BS, University of Alabama – Birmingham, Neuroscience

Jake Valeri