Prospective Lab Members
Reach out directly to Dr. Bangasser to learn about training and job opportunities in NBL.
Principal Investigator
Dr. Debbie Bangasser is a Professor of Neuroscience, a Georgia Research Alliance Distinguished Investigator, and the Director of the Center for Behavioral Neuroscience. She earned her PhD in Biopsychology and Behavioral Neuroscience from Rutgers University in the lab of Dr. Tracey Shors. Her postdoctoral training was in the field of Stress Neurobiology at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia with Dr. Rita Valentino. Dr. Bangasser’s research program investigates the effects of early life adversity on sex-specific vulnerability/resilience to addiction-related phenotypes, as well as mechanisms underlying sex differences in corticotropin releasing factor function. Her lab uses translational behavioral tasks, circuit characterizing/manipulating techniques, neuroendocrine manipulations, cross-species data comparisons, and multiomics approaches to assess how sex and stress interact to alter the risk for disrupted cognition and motivation from the molecular to the behavioral level. Dr. Bangasser’s research program received the Janett Rosenberg Trubatch Career Development Award from the Society for Neuroscience, which recognizes originality and creativity in research, and an American Psychological Association Presidential Citation. When not behind her computer, you can catch her taking photos of birds, dancing, playing cooperative board games, or scuba diving.
Dr. Erin Harris earned her PhD in 2017 from the University of Virginia in the lab of Dr. Emilie Rissman. She continued her research as postdoctoral scientist in the lab of Dr. Olivia O’Leary at University College Cork in Ireland and at the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS) with Dr. Serena Dudek. Erin’s research interests include early life stress, sex differences, social behavior, adolescence, and mental health.
Erin joined the Bangasser lab as a research scientist in 2023. She is currently working on several projects and collaborations in the lab:
Outside of the lab, Erin enjoys singing with the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra Chorus, cuddling with her cat, and finding new restaurants to try!
Personal Website
Research scientist
Postdoctoral Research Fellow
Dr. Amelia Cuarenta graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Madison in 2014 with a B.S. in Psychology and Human Development. Following graduation, she continued her education at Wisconsin and pursued her Ph.D. in Biopsychology in the lab of Dr. Anthony Auger. Her dissertation research focused on psychological and physiological stressors and their impact on Line1 retrotransposon activity in the developing rat brain. As a postdoc in the lab, she has several research projects currently ongoing: 1) investigating the effect of early life adversity on risky behaviors (including drug self-administration and motivation for drug usage) and the underlying genetic and epigenetic changes; 2) investigating the effect of stressful odor on changes in retrotransposon activity and rewarding behaviors. In the future, Dr. Cuarenta’s career goals include becoming a principal investigator and running her own research program that investigates how early life adversity interacts with genetic and epigenetic mechanisms to modulate behavior. She is specifically interested in factors related to chromatin remodeling, the epigenome, and alterations in DNA itself and how these changes impact social and addictive behaviors throughout the lifespan. In her free time, she enjoys playing sports (including ultimate frisbee, weightlifting, and running), traveling, and hiking with her dog.
Click here for Google Scholar Profile, here for LinkedIn profile, and here for her personal website.Dr. Dario Aspesi graduated from the University of Turin (Italy) in 2017 with an M.Sc. in Evolution of human and animal behavior. Under the supervision of Professor GianCarlo Panzica, Dario’s master’s thesis focused on the behavioral and neuroendocrine effects of neonatal stress on the onset of activity-based anorexia (ABA) in male and female rats. After graduation, Dario transferred to the University of Guelph (Canada) where he earned a Ph.D. in Psychology and Neuroscience in the laboratory of Dr. Elena Choleris. His PhD thesis focused on the rapid effects of sex steroids on cognition and aggression in male mice. Therefore, as a postdoc in the laboratory, Dario aims to investigate the effects of the neonatal environment on the production of steroids in the brain (neurosteroidogenesis) and the behavioral implication of this interaction. He also works as a postdoc in Elliott Albers’ laboratory at GSU where he studies the modulation of neuroendocrine pathways by steroids in the regulation of social behaviors in hamsters. Dario’s career goals include becoming a principal investigator and developing his own line of research into how local steroid production in the brain is implicated in normal and abnormal behavior.
In his free time Dario loves travelling, being in nature, visiting museums and exhibitions and going to concerts.
Click here for Google Scholar Profile, here for LinkedIn profile, and here for ResearchGate profile.
Postdoctoral Research Fellow
Doctoral Student
PhD Student
Lab Manager
Liz graduated from Georgia State University with a M.S. in Neuroscience, under the mentorship of Dr. Kyle Frantz. Liz currently manages two labs (Bangasser and Albers). In addition, she is planning to investigate the impact of the limited bedding and nesting model on addiction-related behavior across development.
Liz’s personal goal is to obtain a PhD and have her own research lab as a PI.
She has two daughters, so her main hobby is being with her family.
Laboratory Technician
Laboratory Technician
Judy graduated from Georgia State University in 2024 with a B.S. in Neuroscience with a pre-med concentration. Her professional goal is to become a psychiatrist and plans to pursue an MD. Her main interest is in behavioral neuroscience, especially how it relates to psychiatry.
She really enjoys working in the lab, where she gets to learn something new about research everyday, gain new skills and work with rats! This experience has sparked her interest in possibly considering a PhD.
Outside of the lab, Judy enjoys weight lifting, reading and spending time with family. She’s passionate about her career goals and looks forward to what the future holds in psychiatry and neuroscience.
Dr. Alexia Williams graduated from UMass Boston in 2015 with a B.S. in Biology and a minor in English Literature. Following graduation, she went to UC Davis to pursue a PhD in Biological Psychology, where she joined the lab of Dr. Brian C. Trainor. While at UC Davis her research focused on the long-term impacts of chronic social stress at molecular and genomic levels in the Nucleus Accumbens. In the Bangasser lab, Dr. Williams is particularly excited to explore how early life stress differentially affects motivation and seeking behavior for natural and social rewards compared to drug rewards, and to utilize sequencing and functional manipulation methods to identify epigenetic processes that underlie these behavioral differences. Click here for her Google Scholar profile and click here for her LinkedIn profile.
Doctoral Students
Master’s Student
Research Technicians
Luwam Berhane
Moushmi Bhat
Lily Hoot
Judy Nyakoa
Ciera Robinson
Siarra Rolle
Margie Stricklin
Tomi Toyobo
NBL Position: Doctoral student from 2017 –2021
Current Position: Technical Information Scientist at The Jackson Laboratory
During my graduate studies in the NBL, I gained many skills but two stand out. First, I honed my ability to communicate complex scientific concepts effectively, a skill I now use daily as a technical scientist. Whether creating presentations for product launches, webinars, or teaching at on-site seminars, clear communication remains crucial. Second, my mentor emphasized self-worth. Prior to grad school, I used to discount my achievements, but I learned from Debbie how to best highlight my accomplishments on paper and why updating my resume frequently was an important practice to adopt. These skills have both helped me well as I continue to grow in my career.
Tips: Take advantage of every opportunity you are given, even when they appear daunting at first glance! You never know what you may learn from that experience, and you may walk away learning a cool new thing or two. Lastly, enjoy all the memories and friendships you make along the way!
NBL Position: Doctoral student from 2013 – 2018
Current Position: Postdoctoral Associate Department of Animal Sciences at Rutgers University, School of Environmental and Biological Sciences. In January 2025, Assistant Professor at Penn State University in the Department of Biobehavioral Health, College of Health and Human Development
My time in the NBL has been instrumental in preparing me for a future position as an Assistant Professor. Firstly, my experience in the NBL has honed my research skills. The process of designing and conducting experiments, analyzing data, and interpreting results has not only expanded my knowledge but also taught me how to generate new insights. Second, the NBL has also been a time of significant growth in scholarly communication. Writing research papers, crafting my dissertation, and presenting at conferences (SfN, OSSD, SBN, etc.) have all enhanced my ability to convey complex ideas clearly. Third, networking has been integral to my experience in the NBL. Building professional relationships with faculty, peers, and researchers from my and other institutions has opened doors to future research opportunities and collaborations. Lastly, mentoring undergraduate students and junior graduate students in the NBL has been a profoundly rewarding experience. This experience has developed my leadership skills and prepared me to guide and support my own students in my future lab. Overall, my time in the NBL has equipped me with a solid foundation in research, scholarly communication, networking, and mentorship, all of which are crucial for a successful career as an Assistant Professor.
Tips:
NBL Position: Master’s student from 2018 – 2020
Current Position: PhD Candidate at the University of Texas at Austin
I found my time in NBL really helpful for learning to become more collaborative both within and across labs since this was the first time I’d been in a space with multiple PIs using rodent models. NBL also provided me with experience mentoring undergraduate students, which has served me very well in my current role.
Tips: I would advise current NBL members to always ask questions. Even if you’re worried that you’re going to ask a “dumb” question, I promise you will get infinitely more out of your experience in the lab and become independent much more quickly than if you stay silent.
NBL Position: Research Technician from 2018 –2020
Current Position: Biopsychology PhD Candidate at the University of California Davis
My experience as a research technician taught me the importance of a structured, organized, and supportive environment for fostering good science. Even with well-thought-out experiments, the absence of these components can lead to failure. Now, as a graduate student planning my own research, I prioritize not only insightful questions but also ensuring that experiments are conducted with strong support.
Tips: Make the most of every opportunity, learn from your peers, and never forget the 21st night of September.
NBL Position: Undergraduate Research Assistant from 2015–2017
Current Position: Pediatric Neuropsychology Fellow at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia
There are many ways that my experience in NBL prepared me for a career in neuropsychology. As a neuropsychologist, I need to integrate my clinical knowledge, knowledge of neuroanatomy, and the ability to identify high-quality research and interpret research findings to understand how different medical conditions can impact cognition. To this end, my experience in NBL provided me with a strong understanding of research design and study execution, reinforced my knowledge of neuroanatomy through microscopy, and improved my understanding of sex differences in psychiatric disorders and psychopharmacology. On a more specific note, studying sustained attention in NBL translated very well to my training in pediatric neuropsychology as I am often measuring children’s sustained attention. Assisting with a study to develop a sustained attention task for rats has been immensely helpful in building my understanding of the psychometric properties of sustained attention tasks for humans.
Tips: I suggest embracing all opportunities in the lab as an experience that can reinforce what you are learning in classes and provide you with additional knowledge that can translate nicely to research or clinical careers in many ways. Take any opportunity to help with different projects because this might turn into authorship on a poster or paper, which can place you at an advantage when applying for graduate or medical school. Lastly, I suggest recognizing that Dr. Bangasser’s skilled mentorship of undergraduates is unique compared to many other undergraduate research experiences. As a first-generation college student, I did not have a clear understanding of different career paths in neuroscience, and what the important steps to building a competitive CV for graduate school were. Beyond experiences in the lab, Dr. Bangasser’s mentorship helped to fill these gaps and was integral to my engagement in other opportunities (i.e., grant writing, teaching) that made me a more competitive applicant for graduate school, and remain interesting aspects of my CV.
NBL Position: NIH NIDA Summer Intern – Summer 2021
Current Position: Neurobiology PhD Candidate at Duke University
Having attended a small liberal arts school for undergrad, the opportunity to work in Dr. Bangasser’s lab during the summer before my senior year was an eye-opener. I gained hands-on experience learning new techniques and utilizing equipment that wasn’t available at my institution. In a short time, I learned so much about conducting effective research as well as the ins and outs of graduate school. This experience solidified my decision to continue to pursue research, gave me the confidence to further my education, and ultimately inspired me to pursue a PhD.
Tips: My advice would be to embrace every opportunity to learn something new and never hesitate to ask questions. The NBL is a great environment where researchers at every stage of their careers can thrive and evolve.
NBL Position: Undergraduate Research Assistant from 2017 – 2019
Current Position: Clinical Research Coordinator at the Perelman School of Medicine at UPenn
NBL taught me to think outside the box to effectively complete several tasks in a small amount to time. This helped me develop several skills that I have utilized in both my personal and professional life. In my current position as a clinical research coordinator, I mainly use the organizational and strategic thinking skills that I learned while in NBL.
Tips: Always stay ready to learn new tasks. There will never be a moment where you know all the skills so continuously learn everything from technical experiments to administrative tasks as there are lessons to be learned from everything in the lab setting.
Reach out directly to Dr. Bangasser to learn about training and job opportunities in NBL.