Members

Anna Lee - Associate Professor

Anna earned her B.S. in Pharmacology at the University of Alberta in Edmonton, Canada and her Ph.D. in the Department of Pharmacology & Toxicology at the University of Toronto in Toronto, Canada. She completed her post-doc training with Dr. Robert Messing at the Ernest Gallo Clinic and Research Center at the University of San Francisco, California. After a brief stint at the University of Texas, Austin, Anna started her own lab in the Department of Pharmacology at the University of Minnesota.

Sarah Mulloy - PhD student

Sarah received a degree in B.S. in Biology and B.A. Latin from Wake Forest University in 2018. She is currently pursing a PhD in Neuroscience. Sarah is interested in studying the genetic and molecular mechanisms underlying reward and motivated behavior, which directed her to study addiction and related behaviors.

Shaydel Engel - Research scientist

Shaydel earned her BA in International Studies from the University of South Dakota in 2014. She went on to complete a MS in Basic Biomedical Sciences, specializing in Behavioral Neuroscience, from the University of South Dakota in 2018. She is interested in developmental effects on neurocircuitry and its relation to addiction behaviors. When not in the lab, Shaydel enjoys promoting science communication and community outreach.

Ketki Pawaskar - MS student

Ketki completed her Bachelor of Pharmacy from Mumbai University, India in 2018. She is currently pursuing a Master of Science in Pharmacology at the University of Minnesota in Dr. Lee's laboratory. She is interested in studying mechanisms that mediate drug addiction and understand how drug and alcohol abuse affects normal brain function.

The Lee lab is fortunate to have incredible undergraduate research students. We are thankful for their enthusiasm, intellectual curiosity and dedication to research, and they're a ton of fun to work with!

Current undergraduate research students: open positions

Former member: Janna Moen, PhD

Janna Moen completed her B.A. in Biology from Saint Anselm College in 2014. She spent a year at the National Institutes of Health working in cancer biochemistry and pharmacology. Janna completed her PhD in Neuroscience at the University of Minnesota in the Lee lab and is now a post-doctoral fellow with Dr. Paul Kenny at Mt. Sinai in NY.

Janna's personal webpage.

Margot DeBaker, PhD

Margot DeBaker graduated from the GPN in 2022 and is currently a Regional IP and Licensing Associate at WiSys Technology Foundation.

Former member: Jenna Robinson, MS

Jenna completed her Master's degree in Pharmacology in the Lee Lab in 2018, and chose to stay in the lab as a research associate for another year to continue her work on alcohol aversion. Jenna is currently in medical school at the University of Minnesota Twin Cities campus.

Former member: Jill Touchette, PhD - Post-doc fellow

Jillienne Touchette graduated from University of Missouri – St. Louis with a B.S. degree in Biochemistry and Biotechnology in 2009. Jill earned a PhD in Pharmacological and Physiological Science from St. Louis University in 2015. After her post-doctoral training in the Lee lab, Jill entered industry in 2018 and is currently CEO of Superior Medical Experts.

Former member: Jamie Maertens

Jamie graduated from the University of Minnesota in 2016 with a B.S. in Psychology. Before joining the Lee Lab, Jamie spent two years as an undergraduate research assistant in the Gewirtz Lab at the University of Minnesota where she developed an interest in addiction research.

Former member: Ky O'Rourke

Ky O'Rourke graduated from Hamline University in St. Paul in 2014 with a B.Sc in Biology. Ky left the lab in June 2017 to pursue a Masters degree in Biomedical Engineering and is currently working in industry.

Siddharth Sobti - MS student

Siddharth completed his B.Pharm (Bachelor of Pharmacy) from Amity University, Noida, and currently pursuing a Master of Science in Pharmacology at the University of Minnesota. He enjoys exploring new things, hiking and swimming.

Fayzeh El Banna - Research scientist

Fayzeh earned her BA in biology from Carleton College in Minnesota with minors in neuroscience and biochemistry. She is interested in learning about brain disorders relating to mood disorders and mental illnesses generally with a particular interest in the molecular mechanisms and pathways underlying different forms of addiction and drug use. Fayzeh aspires to become a physician and value research particularly as an essential means to discover novel and better targeted drugs and treatments that can be applied into the medical field. Fayzeh is currently pursuing her PhD in the Clinical Psychology and Psychopathology program at the University of Minnesota.

Runbo Gao - Research scientist

Runbo received his B.S. in Bioscience from Huazhong Agricultural University in 2018 and his M.S. in Biological Sciences from the University of Minnesota in 2020. He is interested in molecular and cellular mechanisms underlying substance use disorders (e.g. alcohol & nicotine) and related behaviors. Runbo is currently pursuing his PhD at Baylor College of Medicine.

Amelia Schneider - MS