“If you want to find people who've tested weird crap talk to a scientist, man!”
- Adam Savage -
ABOUT ME
I received my Ph.D. in Behavioral Neuroscience from the Psychology Department at Michigan State University in 2013, with Dr. Laura Smale studying how brain regions downstream of the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN) differ in their responses to light between nocturnal and diurnal rodents and the effect of these regions on light responsiveness. I have also completed two postdoctoral fellowships (1) at Michigan State University under the advisement of a prominent molecular imaging specialist, Dr. Erik Shapiro, to increase my understanding of preclinical models and begin to integrate my own research ideas into biomedical research. (2) My second postdoctoral fellowship at the NIH Neuro-Oncology Branch working with Dr. Terri Armstrong to investigate the relationship between circadian rhythms and the development of hypersomnolence in patients receiving cranial irradiation both in the clinic and laboratory. I established a mouse model of radiation induced hypersomnolence, an issue observed in the primary brain tumor population, and explored the impact of treatment on the brain and behavior. was given a unique opportunity to better explore the impact of treatment on physiological sleep and circadian rhythms in patients, by writing and running a clinical trial (NCT04669574) in the branch.
RESEARCH INTERESTS
Circadian Rhythms
MRI
Neuroscience
Neuro-Oncology
Masking
Cancer Nanotechnology
Chronotherapy
Rodent Models
EDUCATION
2005 - 2009
ALBION
COLLEGE
BA Biochemistry
​Thesis: An Exploration of Circadian Rhythms: Pheromones Hormones and Phase shifts
Advisor: Tammy Jerucha
RESEARCH EXPERIENCE
Armstrong Lab
2017 - present
Neuro-Oncology Research examining preclinical and clinical studies to understand the impact of disease and treatment on sleep and circadian rhythms.
National Institute of Health
Neuro-Oncology Branch
PI: Terry Armstrong
Shapiro Lab
2013 - 2017
Molecular Imaging Research examining the use of MRI and CT techniques to understand the early identification and monitoring of disease.
Michigan State University
Radiology Department
PI: Erik Shapiro
SYN Lab
2009 - 2013
Circadian Rhythms Research examining the evolutionary importance of the circadian visual system on diurnality in arvicanthis niloticus.
Michigan State University
Department of Psychology
PI: Laura Smale