Joanna Spencer-Segal received her MD from Weill Cornell Medical College and PhD from the Rockefeller University as part of the Tri-Institutional MD-PhD program. She did her PhD thesis research in the laboratory of Dr. Bruce McEwen where she studied the role of estrogen receptors and brain-derived neurotrophic factor in estrogen modulation of hippocampal function and dependent behavior. She completed postgraduate clinical and research training at the University of Michigan, where she worked in the laboratory of Huda Akil. In addition to her research, Dr. Spencer-Segal cares for patients with neuroendocrine disorders in the Multidisciplinary Pituitary Clinic at Michigan Medicine. 

Chih-Lin Chang obtained his B.S. in Biomedical Engineering from the University of Michigan 2021. He worked in Dr. Christine Canman’s lab as an undergraduate student identifying novel proteins in the translesion DNA synthesis pathway. In 2022, he joined Dr. Joanna Spencer-Segal’s clinical trials as a clinical subjects coordinator and as a research assistant for her lab. In the Spencer-Segal Lab, Chih-Lin design and run experiments while assisting graduate students with their experiments in neural circuitry, brain plasticity, behavior, and stress and the interactions between them. 

Eric D. Frontera is a fellow within the Division of Metabolism, Endocrinology, and Diabetes (MEND) at the University of Michigan. He completed an internal medicine residency at Indiana University in Indianapolis, is a graduate of Michigan State University College of Osteopathic Medicine and has a Bachelors of Science in Neuroscience from the University of Michigan. He has a clinical interest in Pituitary and Adrenal disease, along with Lipidology and General Endocrinology. His research is currently focused on glucocorticoid resistance and exploring novel ways to modulate gene transcription of glucocorticoid inducible genes to find ways to better improve outcomes in states of cortisol excess. He also enjoys staying active in medical education and teaching. 

Experienced in analyzing and interpreting complex data to drive multiple research areas including computational neuroscience and computational social science. Expertise in using cutting-edge computational methods to study various aspects of neuroscience, including neural networks and behavior. Strong technical skills in Python, R, Databases, and Machine Learning. B.E. in Computer Science and Engineering and M.S. in Computer Science. 

Christen Snyder received her B.S. in Neuroscience and Music from Westminster College, PA. She did her undergraduate thesis work with Dr. Deanne Buffalari where she studied the relationship between commonly used rodent models of anxiety. She then spent two years working with Dr. Aryn Gittis at Carnegie Mellon University where she used optogenetic strategies to investigate how different neuronal subpopulations in the globus pallidus regulate movement, motivation, and reward in a mouse model. Christen is now a graduate student in the Neuroscience Graduate Program investigating how chronic excess glucocorticoid and subsequent withdrawal impact motivated and pain-related behaviors 

After taking a physiological psychology class, Euphemia became fascinated with how the brain works and its complexity. She was only a psychology student at the time but began wondering about how psychological processes have a biological basis, which spurred her to begin studying biology. As engaging as they were, the textbooks and classes never felt satisfying enough. And she thought about the fact that a lot of the brain's mysteries are just that – mysteries –  that much of how the brain works is largely uncovered. With a desire to uncover these mysteries, she decided to pursue a graduate degree in Neuroscience at the University of Michigan’s Neuroscience Graduate Program, under the direction of Dr. Joanna Spencer-Segal. Here, her PhD thesis is unfolding the function of novel neural circuits and how they control both behavioral and biological processes related to anxiety-like behaviors and stress. She hopes that her work can pave the way into understanding a minuscule portion of complexity of the brain. 

Shany obtained her B.S. in Biology from the University of Wisconsin – Madison in 2018. She worked in Dr. Dudley Lamming’s lab as an undergraduate student and a postbac research intern studying the effects of methionine deprivation on metabolic health. In 2019, she joined Dr. Adrian Rothenfluh’s lab at the University of Utah where she examined the role of serotonin in alcohol use disorder using Drosophila melanogaster. She's currently a Ph.D. Candidate in the Neuroscience Graduate Program and her dissertation work focuses on uncovering the role of lipocalin-2 in negative affect in sepsis survivors. In her free time, Shany likes to watch horror movies, cook, try out new restaurants, and travel. 

Jennifer is a sophomore in LSA studying neuroscience and is interested in the neuronal mechanisms driving anxiety and their relation to disorders such as anxiety and depression. After graduation, Jennifer plans to pursue an MD and/or PhD to further understand how we can better treat these disorders. 

Mohammad Alzoubani is a junior majoring in Biopsychology, Cognition, and Neuroscience. He is passionate about understanding the complexities of the human brain and its functions. With aspirations of attending medical school after completing his undergraduate studies, Mohammad is dedicated to advancing his knowledge in neuroscience and pursuing a career that bridges research and clinical practice.