Get to know your Program in Neuroscience graduate students

Published on Monday, September 25, 2023

Kendra Stansak 

• Research mentor: Brad Walters, Ph.D., Department of Otolaryngology 
• 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: B.S., St. Vincent College, Psychology 

Elizabeth Gordineer 

• Research mentor: Matthias Krenn, Ph.D., Department of Neurosurgery 
• Research focus: My research aims to understand the effect of electrical stimulation of large afferents on spinal motor control in human spinal cord injury. We intend to accomplish two goals: to manage lower extremities spasticity caused by the injury and to augment residual volitional control. We utilize transcutaneous spinal stimulation to modify the neurological state of the lumbosacral circuitries to examine specific aspects involved in spinal motor control. 
• Undergraduate/graduate degree: B.S., Alvernia University, Chemistry 

Ashley Griffin 

• Research mentor: Kedra Wallace, Ph.D., Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology 
• Research focus: My research focuses on studying the effects of pregnancy related acute kidney injury on cognition and blood brain barrier function in the postpartum period in a rat model. 
• Undergraduate/graduate degree: B.S., Delta State University, Biology 

Loc Pham 

• Research mentor: Kevin Freeman, Ph.D., Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior 

• Research focus: My research focus is characterizing novel μ-opioid receptor agonists using approaches in behavioral neuroscience. My goal is to inform the wider community in science, policy, and public, about the novel opioid-based therapies with less chance at being misused and better at treating pain. I hope that my research can contribute to the long-term systemic solution to the on-going opioid crisis. 
• Undergraduate/graduate degree: B.S., University of Alabama at Birmingham, Neuroscience 

Jake Valeri 

• Research mentor: Harry Pantazopoulos, Ph.D., Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior 

• Research focus: My work seeks to characterize transcriptional alterations in comorbid substance use disorders and major depression, notably molecular pathways associated with the extracellular matrix and perineuronal nets in human postmortem brains. I also utilize rodent models to test the efficacy of novel compounds which target proteolytic cascades of perineuronal nets to weaken cocaine- and stress-related memories. Understanding the role of the broader extracellular matrix in these psychiatric diseases will aid in further development of novel pharmacotherapies that prevent relapsing to addiction, depression and post-traumatic stress disorder.  
• Undergraduate/graduate degree: B.A., Rivier University, Psychology 

William Doyle 

• Research mentor: Sally Huskinson, Ph.D., Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior 

• Research focus: I am interested in the role of environmental factors in substance use disorders. My current focus is on the role of uncertainty in negative consequences as a contributor to the development and maintenance of substance use disorders. 
• Undergraduate/graduate degree: B.A., University of Mississippi, Biochemistry  

Tanya Pareek 

• Research mentor: Barbara Gisabella, Ph.D., Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior 
• Research focus: Neuroanatomical and molecular techniques (e.g., RNAseq, transgenic mouse models, bioinformatics) to characterize hippocampal molecular targets in alcohol use disorder (AUD) 

• Undergraduate/graduate degree: B.S., Millsaps College, Biology; MS, University of Mississippi Medical Center, Biomedical Sciences 

Allie Smith 

• Research mentor: Bernadette Grayson, Ph.D., Department of Neurology 
• Research focus:  Determining how consumption of a high-fat diet can impact recovery from traumatic brain injury in juveniles. 
• Undergraduate/graduate degree: B.S., Judson College, Biology 

Daniel Borgatti 

• Research mentor: James Rowlett, Ph.D., and Lais Berro, Ph.D., Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior 
• Research focus: The sleep and cognitive effects of methamphetamine use
• Undergraduate/graduate degree: B.A., Framingham State University, Psychology 

Shelley Edwards 

• Research mentor: Kevin Freeman, Ph.D., Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior  
• Undergraduate/graduate degree: B.S., Millsaps College, Neuroscience & Cognitive Studies 

Jena' Mazique 

• Research mentor: Hong Zhu, Ph.D., Department of Otolaryngology 
• Research focus: I am interested in blasts, such as from military explosive devices. My current focus is on the effects of repeated blast exposure on the vestibular system.    
• Undergraduate/graduate degree: B.S., William Carey University, Chemistry, Biology, Psychology 

Jobin Babu 

• Research mentor: Harry Pantazopoulos, Ph.D., Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior 
• Research focus: Early Life Sleep Disruption (ELSD) & Maternal Immune Activation (MIA) as factors contributing towards autism spectrum disorders (ASD) 
• Undergraduate/graduate degree: B.S., University of Houston, Kinesiology-Exercise Science; MS, Mississippi College, Biology 

Jon Person 

• Research mentor: Eric Vallender, Ph.D., Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior 
• Research focus: Genetic and epigenetic differences in psychiatric disorders 
• Undergraduate/graduate degree: B.A., University of Mississippi, Biological Science, Psychology; MS, Mississippi College, Biological and Biomedical Sciences 

Jacob Haskell 

• Research mentor: Gene Bidwell, Ph.D., Vice Chancellor for Research 
• Research focus:  Treatment of acute CNS injury with Elastin-like polypeptide-bound therapeutics   
• Undergraduate/graduate degree: B.S., Kent State University, Psychology 

Jaren Reeves-Darby 

• Research mentor: Donna M. Platt, Ph.D., Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior 
• Undergraduate/graduate degree: B.S., Millsaps College, Neuroscience & Cognitive Studies