People

Brady Atwood, PhD

Brady Atwood got his bachelor's degree in Neuroscience and a minor in Molecular Biology from Brigham Young University, graduating magna cum laude in 2005. He received his doctorate in Neurobiology and Behavior from the University of Washington in 2010, performing his dissertation research in the laboratory of Dr. Ken Mackie. He performed his postdoctoral fellowship at the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism in the laboratory of Dr. David Lovinger. He began as an Assistant Professor at the Indiana University School of Medicine In 2016 and was promoted to Associate Professor in 2022 with tenure. He relocated his laboratory to the University of Minnesota Medical School in 2024. He is the father of four children and spends most of his free time with his family. He loves hiking in National Parks, the Lord of the Rings (books and movies), Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy (just the books), music ranking lists, chocolate-chip cookies, and campaign-style board games.

He also enjoys writing fiction and is currently writing a novel. Read more about this here: LINK

Contact information. Email: atwoo034@umn.edu

Curriculum Vitae

Current Lab Members

Desmond Alexander

Desmond Alexander, is the lab manager. He is from Dallas, Texas, is a multifaceted individual with a deep passion for music, video games, and physical fitness. In 2016, he made the pivotal move to Indianapolis to pursue his degree in neuroscience. In 2023, Desmond joined Dr. Atwood's team, delving into the fascinating world of neuroscience research. When he's not at work, he finds solace and joy in playing the saxophone, with "Hold on, I'm Comin'" by Sam & Dave being his favorite tune to grace his sax. A true adventurer at heart, Desmond loves to travel and cherishes the moments spent visiting his family in Texas. His diverse interests extend to skateboarding, snowboarding, fishing, and engaging in various sports. Among his literary pursuits, "World War Z" holds a special place as his favorite book.

Margot Lortie

Margot Lortie is a graduate student in the laboratory. She earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Neuroscience from the University of Wisconsin — Eau Claire. Her research interests include understanding the neurobiological bases of addictive behavior. In her free time, Margot enjoys traveling, spending time with friends and family, and going to concerts and music festivals.

McKinzie Frederick

McKinzie Frederick is a graduate student in the laboratory. Bio coming soon.

Davian West

Davian West is a graduate student in the laboratory. Davian West is a multi-year, multidisciplinary personal discovery project that is ever-evolving, refining, and optimizing with hopes of producing an idealized output. He hails from the beautiful island nation of Jamaica, where the warmth of the sun is ever-present, the food always hits the spot, the culture runs thick, and there is always a good time to be had just around the corner. He traveled to the US in 2018 to further his academic interests. After four very exciting years, he attained his bachelor's degree in Biology from The University of the District of Columbia, graduating summa cum laude in 2022. He then accepted an invitation to join the IBMG PhD program at Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI), where he soon became acquainted with the Atwood Lab. He transferred to the University of Minnesota Molecular Pharmacology and Therapeutics program upn Dr. Atwood's relocation to the University of Minnesota.

His project focuses mainly on elucidating the molecular changes that occur at specific brain synapses of Prenatal Opioid Exposed subjects, which predispose these individuals towards addictive behavioral phenotypes, (specifically interested in the role it plays in alcohol use disorder). There are two things that particularly fascinates him: the brain, and how neuroadaptations in the brain drive unconscious behaviors. His research focus allows him to explore both of these interests. When he is not in the lab or making food, you can find him trying to learn something new or improve upon something he already does well. One fun fact about him is that there is always something interesting to discover; he has many chapters, and there are stories to uncover on each page.

Ian Knoll

Ian Knoll serves as the lab's technician. Originally from Waseca, Minnesota, he moved to the Twin Cities in 2018 to pursue a degree in Biomedical Engineering at the University of Minnesota. Since then, he's received a BS and MS in Biomedical Engineering, as well as a Minor in English, before returning to the University of Minnesota once again to join the Atwood Lab. When he's not tinkering away at gadgets for the lab mice, Ian can be found playing retro video games, running tabletop role-playing games, and pursuing his passion for all things literature. His favorite authors include Cormac McCarthy, Katherine Dunn, and Terry Pratchett, all of whom influence his own (considerably lesser) writing.