People

Jennifer Whistler, PhD

Professor of Physiology and Membrane Biology

Associate Director, Center for Neuroscience

Center for Neuroscience

University of California, Davis

Jennifer L Whistler

Dr. Whistler received her BS from UC Davis before completing a PhD in Cellular and Molecular Biology from UC Berkley. She launched her lab at UC San Francisco on April 1st 2000 and in 2017 moved her lab to UC Davis. Dr. Whistler is the Associate Director of the Center for Neuroscience at UC Davis.

Graduate Students

Sarah Gooding

2020 NIH NRSA Fellow
2019 NIH T32 Trainee in Learning, Memory, and Plasticity
2017 NIH T32 Trainee in Basic Neuroscience

Neuroscience Graduate Group

Sarah is a sixth year student in the Neuroscience graduate program. Her research focuses on the effects of opioid withdrawal on distinct midbrain dopamine circuits. She graduated from the University of Georgia in 2015 with a B.S. in Psychology and a minor in Cellular Biology. Sarah’s favorite things are cooking, singing, and spending time in the sunshine with her husband and baby daughter.

Caroline Keeshen

2022 NIH NRSA Fellow

Neuroscience Graduate Group

Caroline is a fourth year Neuroscience PhD student, and joined the Whistler lab in 2020. She received her Bachelor of Science from the University of Maryland in 2013 in Psychology with a minor in Neuroscience. She is interested in the molecular mechanisms underlying variability in second generation antipsychotic effectiveness and primarily uses in vitro assays to examine these questions. Outside of lab, Caroline enjoys fiber arts as well as hiking and cooking.

Elinor Lewis (jointly in Kim Lab)

she/her

2023 NIH T32 Trainee in Learning, Memory, and Plasticity
2022 NIH T32 Trainee in Basic Neuroscience

Neuroscience

Neuroscience Graduate Group

Elly received her bachelor’s degree in biology from McGill University in 2018. She studies the role of the D3 dopamine receptor in development of tolerance to antipsychotic medications using mouse behavior and fiber photometry. Her other interests include skiing, hiking, and being obsessed with her dog.

Staff Research Associates

Madeline King

she/her

Lab Manager

Madeline is currently the lab manager for the Whistler Lab. She graduated from UC Davis with a B.S. in Neurobiology, Physiology, and Behavior with a minor in Human Rights in 2023. During her free time she enjoys doing jigsaw puzzles, cooking, running, and playing tennis.

Zachary Rosa

Junior Specialist

Zachary is a junior specialist that joined the Whistler Lab in 2021. He earned a BS in Neurobiology, Physiology, and Behavior from UC Davis in 2020. His research in the lab involves how changes in D2 receptor post endocytic trafficking affect drug seeking behaviors in animal models. His hobbies include performing music, making art, and studying philosophical, religious and cultural traditions.

Undergraduates:

Juliana Glienke | Neurobiology, Physiology and Behavior '24

Suhail Sandhu | Neurobiology, Physiology and Behavior '24

Andrea Keys| Neurobiology, Physiology and Behavior '25

Rhea Sarmah| Neurobiology, Physiology and Behavior '25

Alumni:

Post Doctoral Fellows:

Li He