Current Lab Members:
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Lauren Raycraft, PhD
Lauren Raycraft, PhD
Lauren Raycraft, PhD
Postdoctoral Fellow
PhD, Psychology (Behavioral Neuroscience) 2023, Michigan State University
MA, Psychology (Behavioral Neuroscience) 2019, Michigan State University
BS Psychology, 2016, Michigan State University
lraycraf@umich.edu
Lauren conducted her dissertation research in the lab of Dr. Alex Johnson where she examined the role of accumbens-projecting lateral hypothalamic melanin concentrating hormone neurons in food-seeking and their modulation by the estrous cycle. She is currently examining sex differences in diet-induced NAc plasticity and food-motivation using electrophysiological and behavioral approaches. Outside of research, Lauren enjoys spending time outdoors, running, and horseback riding.
Joy Sales Colquitt, MS
Joy Sales Colquitt, MS
Joy Sales Colquitt, MS
Laboratory Manager & Research Lab Specialist
MS Biology (Evolutionary Ecology), New Mexico State University, Las Cruces, NM
BS Biology, The Evergreen State College, Olympia, WA
Joy studied evolutionary ecology at New Mexico State University where she worked with Dr. Craig Benkman. For her Masters thesis, Joy conducted a survivorship study on an endemic population of Red Crossbills (Loxia curvirostra) in the South Hills of Idaho. Her research helped uncover selective agents that drove this reproductively isolated population away from its foraging optimum. She is currently supporting projects related to rodent behavior, obesity and cocaine addiction.
Maria Ortego Dominguez, PhD
Maria Ortego Dominguez, PhD
Maria Ortego Dominguez
Postdoctoral Fellow
PhD, Department of Medical Physiology and Biophysics (2022), University of Seville, Seville, Spain
MS, Medical Research. Clinical and Experimental Aspects (2016), University of Seville, Seville, Spain
BS, Biochemistry, Specialty in Molecular and Applied Biochemistry (2014). University of Seville, Seville, Spain.
mortego@umich.edu
Dr. María Ortego-Domínguez's dissertation work, under the supervision of Dr. Rafael J. Montoro, characterized potassium channels in rat adipocytes, and examined how these channels are modulated by chronic insulin exposure. She then worked in the lab of Dr. Castro-Nunez where she received training in brain slice electrophysiology before returning to the obesity field and joining the Ferrario Lab in 2024. She is currently examining diet-induced synaptic plasticity in the nucleus accumbens in both sexes, using patch-clamp approaches.
Melody Iacino, PhD
Melody Iacino, PhD
Melody Iacino, PhD
Postdoctoral Fellow
PhD, Wake Forest University School of Medicine (2025), Winston-Salem, NC
Melody conducted her dissertation work under the supervision of Dr. Mark Ferris where she explored how the pattern of cocaine intake differentially affected diurnal rhythms in striatal dopamine release, including its modulation by the cholinergic system. She is currently examining the effects of insulin on NAc glutamatergic transmission and its regulation by endogenous opioids using fluorescent imaging techniques. Outside of research, Melody enjoys exploring nature, volunteering with animal rescues, and competing in agility with her dog.
Rowan Calkins, PhD
Rowan Calkins, PhD
Rowan Calkins, PhD
Postdoctoral Fellow
PhD, Washington State University (2025), Pullman, WA
During her undergraduate career, Rowan worked in plant pathophysiology, epigenetics, and with traumatic brain injury research before moving into neuroscience for her PhD. Rowan conducted her dissertation research in the lab of Dr. Suzanne Appleyard, where she studied the effects of anorexigenic and orexigenic peptides, as well a high far, high sugar diet, on the activity of neuron subpopulations in the nucleus of the solitary tract using electrophysiological techniques. She is currently examining the effects of a high fat, high sugar (western)on NAc neuron function in female rats. In her free time, Rowan enjoys traveling, running a DND campaign, spending time with her cats, and gardening.
Edison Zheng
Edison Zheng
Edison Zheng
UM Undergraduate Researcher
Major: Neuroscience
Edison is currently working alongside Lauren to investigate cue-triggered food-seeking behavior patterns in selectively bred obesity prone and obesity resistant rats. He is also using LabGym, a machine-learning-based tool, to further categorize and analyze these behaviors.
Rayan Mughal
Rayan Mughal
Rayan Mughal
UM Undergraduate Researcher
Major: Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology
Rayan's honors thesis examined the effect sugar consumption on gene expression in the nucleus accumbens using single nucleus RNA sequencing approaches.
Past Lab Members:
Meena Prandrangi
Meena Prandrangi
Meena Prandrangi
UM Undergraduate Researcher
Major: Biopsychology, Cognition, and Neuroscience
Meena's senior honors thesis examined the effects of early life food insecurity on motivation and risky decision-making in adulthood.
Finn Seibold
BS Biopsychology, Cognition, and Neuroscience, 2024, University of Michigan
Finn is worked alongside Lauren to examine diet-induced changes in motivation for food and responses to Pavlovian cues associated with tasty treats.
Current Position: Lab technician, Mount Sinai Medical Center, NY, NY
Julie Finnell, PhD
Postdoctoral Fellow
PhD, Neuroscience 2019, University of South Carolina School of Medicine.
BS Chemistry, minor in
Mathematics 2013, Armstrong Atlantic State University
Julie's studies focused on effects of insulin, establishment of a new behavioral procedure to measure motivation for liquid reinforcers, and examination of interactions between high fat diets and neuroinflammation.
Current Position: Instructor, Pharmacology & Toxicology, University at Buffalo
Megan Wickens, PhD
Postdoctoral Fellow
PhD, Psychology, Temple University
BA Psychological Science, Cell/Molecular Biology, Albion College
Megan contributed to studies of effects of intermittent access cocaine self-administration on motivation.
Current Position: Project Manager, School of Information, University of Michigan.
Amanda Catalfio, PhD
Amanda's dissertation studies examined cocaine-induced striatal glutamate plasticty and sex differences.
Current Position: Postdoctoral Fellow, University of MI, L. Isom lab
Tracy Fetterly, PhD
Postdoctoral Fellow
PhD Neuroscience 2018, Vanderbilt University
BS Neuroscience 2012, Vanderbilt University
Tracy's studies examined differences in neural and behavioral plasticity in obesity-prone vs obesity-resistant models, and mechanisms of CP-AMPAR synaptic insertion.
Current Position: Assistant Project Scientist, UC Irvine, M. Wood Lab.
Zander Maitland, BS
Lab technician ( 2022-23)
BS Neuroscience 2022, University of Michigan
Zander contributed to cocaine self-administration studies and development of automated approaches to quantifying rodent behavior.
Current Position: Completing PhD in Pharmacology at Vanderbilt.
Tayah Schutte
Laboratory technician
BA Psychology (Neuroscience) 2020, University of Michigan
Current Position: Completed Law School at UM. Go Blue!
Jacob Ormes
MS Pharmacology 2020, MS Exercise and Nutrition Science 2015, University of Tampa
BS Kinesiology 2013, Michigan State University
Jacob's MS thesis examined the potential for the use of insulin as a cognitive enhancer in healthy and pathological states.
Current Position: Completing PhD in Pharmacology at UM in the lab of Alan Smrcka
Rachel Springsdorf
MS Pharmacology 2020, University of Michigan
BS Biomedical Sciences, minor in Chemistry 2017, Grand Valley State University
Rachel contributed to studies examining the effects of intermittent vs long access cocaine self-administration on striatal glutamate plasticity.
Current Position: Clinical Research Coordinator, Cancer Center, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL
Yanaira Alonso-Caraballo, PhD
PhD Neuroscience 2019, University of Michigan
BS Biomedical Sciences, UPR-Ponce, Ponce, Puerto Rico
Yanay's dissertation research examined sex differences related to obesity, anxiety, and motivated behavior.
Current Position: Assistant Professor, University of Minnesota, Twin Cities, MN
Rebecca (Rifka) Derman, PhD
PhD Neuroscience 2019, University of Michigan
BS Biology & Psychology, CUNY Brooklyn College, Brooklyn, NY
Prior to graduate school
Rebecca studied associative learning in rat models in the lab of Dr. Andy Delamater. Her dissertation research examined individual differences in obesity susceptibility and incentive
motivation.
Current Position: Assistant Professor of Psychology Brooklyn College, Brooklyn, NY (fall 2025)
Allison Nieto
BS Neuroscience 2019, Michigan State University
Allison was an electrophysiologist and lab manager in our group. She contributed to numerous projects including studies of diet-induced plasticity.
Current Position: Completing her PhD in Neuroscience at Berkley- You go, girl!
Emma Bergman
Laboratory Manager
BS Neuroscience 2019, University of Michigan.
Emma facilitated collaborative studies with the Sarter lab examining alterations in attention in obesity-prone and resistant rats, and facilitated studies using cocaine self-administration procedures.
Current Position: Emma is currently completing Medical School- Way to go Emma!!
Fred Ayres
BS Neuroscienec & Behavior; Economics, Wesleyan University, Middletown, CT
Fred conducted research in the lab of Dr. Mike Robinson at Wesleyan in which he examined the effect of "junk foods" on risky decision making in rats before joining the Ferrario Lab as a technician.
Current Position: Completed Med School at the University of
Michigan--Congrats Fred!
Francisco Sanchez-Conde
BA Biological Chemistry (Neurosicence concentration) 2018, Grinnell College
Francisco conducted summer research in the Ferrario lab prior to joining the lab as lab manager in the summer of 2018.
Current Position: Francisco is currently completing his PhD in the Pharmacology program at The University of Michigan in the lab of Dr. David Jones. Way to go Francisco!!
PhD Neuroscience, Vanderbilt University
BS Neuroscience, Hope College
Dr. Vollbrecht conducted postdoctoral studies in the Ferrario lab. His work combined behavioral pharmacology and in vivo microdialysis to examine basal differences in striatal neurochemical responses in obesity-prone and obesity-resistant rats. Dr. Vollbrecht then took a visiting Assistant Professorship in the Department of Biology at Hope College before taking on a tenure track position at Western Michigan University, Stryker School of Medicine.
Current Position: Associate Professor, Department of Biomedical Sciences, Western Michigan University, Stryker School of Medicine
Katherine Nesbitt, PhD
PhD Analytical Chemistry, University of Pittsburgh
BS Chemistry, St. John Fisher College, Rochester, NY
Postdoctoral Fellow, Co-Mentor: Robert T. Kennedy
Current Position: FIFA Assistant Referee: http://proreferees.com/tag/kathryn-nesbitt/
https://proreferees.com/roster/assistant-referees/kathryn-nesbitt/
Former Position: Assistant Professor of Chemistry, Towson University; Towson, MD and
Anish Saraswat
BS Neuroscience 2021, University of Michigan
Anish's senior honors thesis examined motivation for cocaine in obesity-prone vs obesity-resistant rats.
For this work he was awarded the Marshall Nirenberg Life Sciences Honors Award (a Goldstein Honors prize) and The Undergraduate Program in Neuroscience Director’s Award for Excellence in Research, from the University of Michigan.
Current Position: Completing Medical School at The University of Michigan- Go Anish!!
Max Oginsky, PhD
PhD Biology, Georgia State University, Atlanta, GA
BS Biology, Central MI University, Mount Pleasant, MI
Dr. Max Oginsky was an electrophysiologist in the Ferrario-Lab who made contributions to studies
examining the effects of "junk-foods" on CP-AMPARs and examined the effects of insulin on glutamatergic transmission in the nucleus accumbens. He then took a postdoctoral fellow position in the lab of Dr. Sam Kwon at the University of Michigan.
Current Position: Senior Product Specialist, Scientifica
Cameron Nobile
Laboratory Manager & Builder
BS Psychology 2014 University of Texas, Austin, TX
Cameron made all the difference when I started my lab; builder, problem solver, and all around outstanding human being.
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