Eisch Lab Alumni (since 2019)
Eisch Lab Alumni (since 2019)
(ordered by last name)
(ordered by last name)
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Nana K. Acquah, UPenn Class 2019
Overall Project: Investigating Cortical Cell Proliferation after Mild Traumatic Brain Injury in Mice
Daily EL Mentor: Lyles R. Clark
Penn CURF Jumpstart for Juniors, Summer 2018
Ifeanna Amaefuna, Brown University Class 2024
Overall Project: VTA circuitry underlying adolescent nicotine-induced enhanced morphine reward: Validation of viral placement
Daily EL Mentor: Ruthie W. Wittenberg
CRISSP Scholar, Summer 2022
Kyung Jin Ahn, BS
Eisch Lab Research Assistant, 2018-2020
Daily EL Mentor: Sanghee Yun
Next position: Research Assistant I at CHOP, Tan Lab
Hannah An, UPenn Class 2025
Overall Project: Targeting a “novel” circuit for depression: stimulation of inhibitory circuit from the entorhinal cortex ameliorates stress-induced social avoidance
Daily EL Mentor: Sanghee Yun
PURM Fellow, Summer 2022
Grace L. Bancroft, UPenn Class of 2023 (Major: Neuroscience, Minors: Computer Science, Chemistry)
Undergrad project in Eisch Lab with Daily EL Mentor Sanghee Yun: Touchscreen-based assessment of cognition and mood-relevant behaviors in female and male mice
Research Fellow, Spring 2021, Summer 2021, 2021-2022 academic year
Undergraduate Researcher (NRSC 3999), 2022-2023 academic year
EL Research Technician started September 18, 2023; worked on Team Cognition with Daily EL Mentor Dr. Yun
Next position: Care Team Assistant, CHOP
One of the many Team Barber lunches back when Danielle was in our lab in Philly.
Danielle Guez Barber, MD, PhD
Attending Physician in Child Neurology
Instructor funded by the CNCDP K12
Past support: Neurology T32
Project: Sex differences in a mouse model for hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy: role of microglia
*AWARDED* Infrastructure/Registry Research Grant from The Pediatric Epilepsy Research Foundation® (PERF®), 2024
SEPT 2024: Barber Lab opened at University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus !!!
Amidst the science and the struggles, there *may* have been a lot of laughs when Danielle was in Philly. Danielle is shown here with a clearly enthused Amelia.
Meera Bathwal, UPenn Class of 2024
Overall Project: Impact of space radiation on mouse brain and behavior
Daily EL Mentor: Fred Kiffer
Research Fellow, Summer 2021
Research Fellow, 2021-2022 academic year
Volunteer Researcher, 2022-2023 academic year
Andy Chen, Peddie School Class of 2022 (yes, he was in high school!)
Overall Project: Impact of space radiation on mouse brain and behavior
Daily EL Mentor: Fred Kiffer
Peddie EXP Fellow, Summer 2021
Lyles R. Clark, PhD
Was a graduate student in the Eisch Lab. On June 25, 2022, Lyles earned their PhD in the Penn Neuroscience Graduate Group (NGG).
Project: Influence of traumatic brain injury on dentate gyrus neurogenesis (collaboration with the Cohen Lab)
Next position: Data Project Manager, Penn Bioinformatics in Neurodegenerative Disease (BiND) Lab, Penn Frontotemporal Degeneration Center, University of Pennsylvania
Lyles was supported at home by Trixie (who we miss very much) and Brian as well as by partner Alicia (not pictured)
Secret skill: Finding cats even when traveling
Gabriela Colón Roura, BS
Member, Pharmacology Graduate Group (PGG)
PhD Rotation Student, Autumn 2022
Daily Mentor: Fred Kiffer
Chris de Santis, Yale University, Class of 2025
Overall Project: Understanding the neural substrates controlling behavioral pattern separation by using the Spontaneous Location Recognition cognitive test in mice
Daily EL Mentor: Sanghee Yun
Undergraduate Volunteer, Summer 2022
Eliana (Eli) G. Dellinger, Swarthmore College Class of 2025 (Major: Cognitive Science)
Overall Project: In vivo recording of entorhinal cortex neurons during behavioral pattern separation
Daily EL Mentor: Sanghee Yun
ITMAT TRIP Fellow, Summer 2024
Hannah M. Deutsch, BS
Undergraduate Researcher (BBB 399/499), 2016-2017 academic year
Eisch Lab Student Lab Assistant II, 2017-2020
Next position: Graduate student, Penn Neuroscience Graduate Group
Sarah A. Doebley, BS (Major: Neuroscience)
Temple University Medical Student, Class of 2025
Team Barber Medical Student Researcher, Summer 2022.
Team Barber Volunteer, 2022-2023 academic year
Project: Sex differences in olfactory spatial learning in postnatal day 13 mice
Past support: Summer Underrepresented Minority Medical Student Research (SUMMR) Program
Siani B. Ellis, UPenn Class of 2022 (Major: Biological Basis of Behavior)
Alexis Famuyide, Cornell University Class of 2026 (Major: Biology with concentration in Neurobiology & Behavior)
CRISSP fellow, Summer 2025
Daily Mentor: Lori Colón
Project title: Fentanyl Dose Effects on Place Preference and Dentate Gyrus c-Fos Expression in Female Mice: Insights on The Memory of Addiction
**WINNER** Best Poster, Basic/Translational Research, CRISSP Summer Poster Session, August 7, 2025
Eve Gautreaux, BS
Member, Neuroscience Graduate Group (NGG)
PhD Rotation Student, Autumn 2022
Daily Mentor: Fred Kiffer
Sheyenne M. Gillis, UPenn Class of 2022 (Major: Nursing)
Overall Project: Sex differences in microglia in a hypoxia ischemia mouse model
Daily EL Mentor: Danielle Barber
CRISSP Scholar, Summer 2021
Research Fellow, 2021-2022 academic year
Tamira Godfrey-Andrade, USouth Florida Class of Fall 2024 (Major: Psychology)
Projects: Behavioral impact of early life bladder infection in female mice; Impact of early-life nicotine on later life morphine reward
Daily EL Mentor: Sanghee Yun
SUIP Fellow, Summer 2024
Ilona Golynker, BS (Georgia State University, Major: Neuroscience)
Project: FACS isolation of brain microglia in a mouse model of hypoxia ischemia encephalopathy
Member, Neuroscience Graduate Group (NGG)
PhD Rotation Student, Summer 2023
Daily Mentor: Danielle Barber
Kalida Gowan, Franklin and Marshall, Class of 2023
Project: Effects of Space Radiation on Macrophage Activation in the Mouse Brain
Daily EL Mentor: Fred Kiffer
ITMAT TRIP Fellow, Summer 2022
Raena E. Greenbaum, UPenn Class of 2021 (Neuroscience)
Projects: 1) Characterization of ultrasonic vocalizations during acquisition of oxycodone intravenous self administration in rats and 2) The memory trace of addiction: how drug linked memories impact emotionality and drug-seeking in an experimental model of opioid abuse
BIBB 399 & BIBB 499 Research Fellow academic year 2020-2021
Daily EL Mentor: Steve Simmons, Amelia Eisch
Catalina S. Guzman, BS
Eisch Lab Post-baccalaureate Fellow (PennPREP), 2019-2020
Daily EL Mentor: Sanghee Yun
Next position: Neuroscience graduate student, University of Rochester
Harley A. Haas, UPenn Class of 2024 (Major: Psychology, Minor: Neuroscience)
Overall Project: Touchscreen-based assessment of cognition and mood-relevant behaviors in female and male mice
Daily EL Mentor: Sanghee Yun
Research Fellow, Summer 2020, Spring 2021, 2021-2022 academic year, Summer 2022
PURM Fellow, Summer 2021
Undergraduate Researcher (PSYC 4998-9), 2022-2023 academic year
SUIP Fellow, Summer 2023 (Read about Harley's 2023 summer with us at this link!)
Undergraduate Researcher (PSYC 4998-9), 2023-2024 academic year
Undergraduate Researcher, Summer 2024
**WINNER** University of Pennsylvania 2024 Morris Viteles Award for Excellence in Undergraduate Research in Psychology
Headed in Fall 2024 to Neuroscience PhD program at Mt. Sinai Ichan School of Medicine
Ali Hamandi, UPenn Class of 2022 (Major: Biological Basis of Behavior)
Overall Project: Quantifying Mouse Conflict Resolution Using Deeplearning Behavioral Analysis
Daily EL Mentor: Fred Kiffer
BBB399 & BBB499 Research Fellow, 2021-2022 academic year
Next position: NIH IRTA Fellow
William Haury, UPenn Class of 2021
Fall 2019, BIBB 399: Extinction of intravenous oxycodone self-administration behavior and ultrasonic vocalizations in adult male rats
Daily EL Mentor: Steve Simmons
Yerahm Hong, UPenn Class of 2026 (Major: Bioengineering)
Overall Project (collaboration between Eisch Lab and Goldberg Lab): Cognitive and behavioral analysis of a mouse model of early childhood epilepsy
Daily EL Mentor: Sanghee Yun
PURM Fellow, Summer 2023 (Host Lab: Ethan Goldberg)
Svanik Jaikumar, UPenn Class of 2027, School of Engineering and Applied Sciences (Major: Bioengineering)
Overall Project: A machine learning-based (SLEAP) approach to assessing how the lack of gravity on the International Space Station influences mouse locomotion
Daily EL Mentor: Fred Kiffer
Volunteer, Spring 2024, Fall 2024
Here's Maisie, Naomi's sweet puppy.
Naomi S. Johnson, BS (University of North Carolina, Major: Neuroscience, Minors: Chemistry and African/African American Studies)
Project: Impact of early life bladder inflammation on later life behavioral and cognitive function
Member, Neuroscience Graduate Group (NGG)
PhD Rotation Student, Summer 2023, Spring 2024
Daily Mentor: Fred Kiffer (2023), Sanghee Yun (2024)
Anagha S. Kapsi, Johns Hopkins Class of 2027 (Major: Cognitive Science)
Overall Project: Testing pattern separation ability under short- versus long-term memory consolidation parameters
Daily EL Mentor: Sanghee Yun
Volunteer, Summer 2024
Lisa Kogawa, Peddie School Class of 2023 (yes, another high schooler!)
Overall Project: Computational Analysis of Dominance Behavior in Mice Exposed to Space Radiation
Daily EL Mentor: Fred Kiffer
Peddie EXP Fellow, Summer 2022
Priya L. Kumar, UPenn Class of 2022 (Major: Biomedical Engineering)
Overall Project: Touchscreen-based assessment of cognition and mood-relevant behaviors in female and male mice
Daily EL Mentor: Sanghee Yun
Penn PURM Fellow, Summer 2019
Research Fellow supported by funds from Penn URF, Summer 2021
BE497 & BE 498 Research Fellow, 2021-2022 academic year
Next position: Harvard Medical School
Ritvik Kumaran, Class of 2025 (University College Dublin - Medicine)
Overall Project: Assessing of behavior in a mouse model of perinatal hypoxia ischemia
Daily EL Mentor: Danielle Barber
Volunteer, Summer 2023
Kaya S. Johnson, UPenn Class of 2025 (Vagelos Molecular Life Sciences [MLS] Scholar, Majors: Biochemistry and Neuroscience)
Overall Project: Brain lesion assessment in a mouse model of perinatal hypoxia ischemia
Daily EL Mentors: Danielle Barber, Amelia Eisch
Vagelos MLS Fellow, Summer 2023, 2023-2024 academic year, Summer 2024, 2024-2025 academic year
Jaysen A. Lara-Jimenez, Univ Puerto Rico, Class of 2021
SUIP Fellow, Summer 2020
Daily EL Mentor: Fred Kiffer
Next Position: Harvard Program in Neuroscience Post-Baccalaureate Program
Kira Lu, UPenn Class of 2024
Overall Project: Sex differences in microglia in a hypoxia ischemia mouse model
Daily EL Mentor: Danielle Barber
Research Fellow, Summer 2021
Amishi Mahajan, UPenn Class of 2025 (Vagelos Molecular Life Sciences [MLS] Scholar, Majors: Biochemistry and Neurobiology)
Overall Project: Entorhinal Cortex-Hippocampal Circuitry: Stress and Memory Encoding
Daily EL Mentor: Sanghee Yun
Research Fellow, Summer 2022
Volunteer, 2022-2023 academic year
Vagelos MLS Fellow, Summer 2023, Summer 2024, 2024-2025 academic year
Independent Research in Neuroscience *and* Independent Research in Chemistry, 2024-2025 academic year
Jovan S. Mann, UPenn Class of 2024 (Major: Cognitive Science)
Overall Project: Touchscreen-based assessment of cognition and mood-relevant behaviors in female and male mice
Daily EL Mentor: Sanghee Yun
PURM Fellow, Summer 2021
Research Fellow, 2021-2022 academic year
Marlu Martens, UPenn Masters in Engineering: Integrated Product Design, Class of 2025
July 2024: Research Assistant
Overall Project: SLEAP.ai-based tracking of mice on the International Space Station
Daily EL Mentor: Fred Kiffer
May 2025: Earned Master's Degree in Integrated Product Design
Nylah Miles, Graduate Student, Neuroscience Graduate Group (NGG) Undergrad: Temple University, B.S. Neuroscience (Minor: Psychology) 2023
Overall Project: Activity of fan cells in the lateral entorhinal cortex to dentate gyrus: necessity in encoding memory in pattern separation task in mice
PhD Rotation Student, Autumn 2024
Daily Mentor(s): Sanghee Yun, Amelia Eisch
Paula Munoz, Univ Puerto Rico, Class of 2021
SUIP Fellow, Summer 2020
Daily EL Mentor: Steve Simmons
Next position: Graduate student, Stanford Neuroscience PhD Program
Ida Narli, Princeton Class of 2026 (Major: Neuroscience)
Overall Project: Brain lesion assessment in a mouse model of perinatal hypoxia ischemia
Daily EL Mentor: Danielle Barber
Volunteer, Summer 2023, Winter-Spring 2024, Summer 2024
Sofia Nicolayevsky, BS (Major: Psychology, Minor: Biology)
Team Barber Research Technician
Project: Sex differences in a mouse model for hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy: role of microglia
NEXT STOP: NYC and medical school!
Hasun (Sunnie) Noh, Amherst College, Class of 2025 (Majors: Neuroscience and English)
Projects: Hippocampal neurogenesis in a mouse model of early-life onset epilepsy; Testing pattern separation ability under short- versus long-term memory consolidation parameters
Daily EL Mentor: Sanghee Yun
CRISSP Scholar, Summer 2023
Undergraduate Researcher, Summer 2024
Sheridan O'Connor, VMD
PennMed Veterinary Resident
Fellow, July 2024-July 2025
Project: The effect of galactic cosmic radiation and potential countermeasure CDDO-EA on touchscreen behaviors and dopamine dynamics in the nucleus accumbens of male mice
Next position: Third (and final!) year of vet residency
Corinna Oswell, Penn Neuroscience Graduate Group (NGG) Graduate Student
Rotation, Autumn 2021
Daily EL Mentor: Sanghee Yun
Project: Entorhinal cortex regulation of dentate gyrus signaling underlies associative learning in mice
Next position: UPenn NGG graduate student, Lab of Greg Corder, UPenn Dept Psychiatry
Rikley Costa Paixao, Bucknell, Class of 2021
Riya Patel, Rutgers, Class of 2023
Project SUPER EL Fellow, Summer 2020
Daily EL Mentor: Fred Kiffer
Liah Perez Classe, Franklin and Marshall Class of 2026 (Majors: Biochemistry and Chemistry)
Overall Project: Defining the time-dependent brain inflammation in the mouse seen after early-life bladder infection
Daily EL Mentor: Sanghee Yun
ITMAT TRIP Fellow, Summer 2024
Haley M. Phillips, UPenn Class of 2023 (Major: Neuroscience)
Daily EL Mentor Summer 2020: Steve Simmons and Amelia Eisch
Penn CURF Fellow, Summer 2020, Ultrasonic Vocalizations in a Rodent Model of Oxycodone Self-Administration
Overall Project, Summer 2021 and onward: , Sex differences in microglia in a hypoxia ischemia mouse model
Daily EL Mentor Summer 2021 and onward: Danielle Barber
Research Fellow, Summer 2021
Ricardo Petrilli Fortuna, Graduate Student, Neuroscience Graduate Group (NGG) Undergrad: Temple University, B.S. Neuroscience (Minors: Psychology and Spanish) 2022
Overall Project: Tagging of context-associated cells in the dentate gyrus during fentanyl CPP in mice
PhD Rotation Student, Autumn 2024
Daily Mentor(s): Lori Colón, Amelia Eisch
Kassandra Pulido, Texas A&M Class of 2022 (Major: Biomedical Sciences); University of Texas Rio Grande Valley School of Medicine Class of 2027
Overall Project: Sex differences in post-HIE consequences in human infants
Daily EL Mentor: Danielle Barber
Summer Underrepresented Minority Medical Student Research (SUMMR) Program, Summer 2024
Astrid Ramos-Rolón, BS
Member, Neuroscience Graduate Group (NGG)
PhD Rotation Student, Autumn 2022
Daily Mentor: Sanghee Yun
Dana Raphael, UPenn Class of 2022 (Majors: Neuroscience & French)
Overall Project: Sex differences in microglia in a hypoxia ischemia mouse model
Daily EL Mentor: Danielle Barber
Penn PURM Fellow, Summer 2019, Immunohistochemical assessment of antibody concentrations for microglial marker Iba1
Penn Neuroscience Scholar, Summer 2021
Nita Rome, BS (Weslyan, Majors: Neuroscience and French)
Project: Recording from entorhinal cortex long-range inhibitory projections LRIP cell activity recording after chronic stress (CSDS) (probably during SI test) via fiber photometry
Member, Neuroscience Graduate Group (NGG)
PhD Rotation Student, Spring 2024
Daily Mentor: Sanghee Yun
Yuying Rong, Haverford Class of 2020 (Neuroscience)
Overall Project: Touchscreen-based assessment of cognition and mood-relevant behaviors in female and male mice
Daily EL Mentor: Sanghee Yun
ITMAT TRIP Fellow, Summer 2020
Anthony G. Russo, UPenn Class of 2021 (Neuroscience, Chemistry)
BIBB 399 Project: Examining Markerless Tracking to Quantify Social Behavior in the Tube Test
Daily EL Mentor: Fred Kiffer
Delia J. Russo, UPenn Class of 2023 (Major: Neuroscience)
Overall Project: Ultrasonic vocalizations in the young female and male mice
Daily EL Mentor: Danielle G. Barber
Undergraduate Researcher (NRSC 3999), 2022-2023 academic year
Ian Sanchez, University of Puerto Rico - Cayey, Class of 2022 (Major: Biology)
Overall Project: Stress and antidepressant effects on cognition in mice
Daily EL Mentor: Sanghee Yun
SUIP Fellow, Summer 2021
Jordyn Schwartz, Dickinson College, Class of 2021
Volunteer, Team Addiction, Summer 2019
Daily EL Mentor: Steve Simmons
Raymon Shi, UPenn Class of 2022 (Major: Cognitive/Computer Science)
Overall Project: Touchscreen-based assessment of cognition and mood-relevant behaviors in female and male mice
Daily EL Mentor: Sanghee Yun
Research Fellow, Spring 2021
Research Fellow, Summer 2021
Research Fellow, 2021-2022 academic year
Analyn Sil, UPenn Class of 2022 (Major: Neuroscience)
Overall Project: Impact of space radiation on mouse brain and behavior
Daily EL Mentor: Fred Kiffer
Research Fellow, Summer 2021
Steven J. Simmons, PhD
Neurodevelopmental Disabilities T32-supported Postdoctoral Fellow
June 2018-November 2020
Project: Targeting a hippocampal memory circuit to protect against opioid relapse
Next Position: Medical Science Liaison, Alkermes Pharmaceuticals
Samantha Smith, UPenn Class of 2026, (Major: Biology/Neurobiology)
Overall Project: Psychosocial stress-response in somatostatin positive long-range inhibitory projecting (LRIP) cells during social avoidance
Daily EL Mentor: Sanghee Yun
Volunteer, Spring 2024, Summer 2024
Undergraduate Researcher (BIOL 399), Fall 2024
Ivan Soler, BS
Eisch Lab SUIP Fellow, 2017
Eisch Lab Post-baccalaureate Fellow (PennPREP), 2018-2020
Daily EL Mentor: Sanghee Yun
Next position: Neuroscience Graduate Student, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai
Ivan looks so happy working with the Eisch Lab mouse touchscreen chambers.
Stella L. Spears, DVM
Eisch Lab Laboratory Animal Medicine Resident Veterinarian, University of Pennsylvania Laboratory Animal Resources
September 2019-May 2020
Project (along with Fionya Tran and Kyung Jin Ahn): Effect of chronic systemic administration of the DREADD agonists clozapine-N-oxide (CNO) and Compound 21 (C21) on mouse behavior, published but free preprint can be found here
Daily EL Mentor: Sanghee Yun
Next position: Laboratory Animal Medicine Fellow at NCI (National Cancer Institute)/LEIDOS (contract company)
Dr. Spears during her virtual graduation from Penn Vet Residency in May 2020! Nothing like capturing such a momentous event over Zoom :)
Avi Sura (Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and Albany Medical College 7-Year Physician-Scientist Program, Class of 20206)
Volunteer, Team Perinatal Hypoxia, Summer 2020
Daily EL Mentor: Danielle Barber
Next position: continue in school, come work with EL when he can!
Daksh Stanislaus, University of Pittsburgh, Class of 2025 (Major: Neuroscience)
Volunteer, Team NASA, Summer 2022
Daily EL Mentor: Fred Kiffer
Fionya H. Tran, BS
EL Research Technician II, 2018-2020
Daily EL Mentor: Sanghee Yun
Next position: Master's Student, Arcadia University
Fionya loved traveling (in pre-COVID19 times) as much as she loved running rodent touchscreen testing when she was in the Eisch Lab :)
Stephanie Uroda, Dickinson College, Class of 2024 (Major: Neuroscience)
Overall Project: Fiber photometry exploration of entorhinal cortex-dentate gyrus circuit activation
Daily EL Mentor: Sanghee Yun
SUIP Fellows, Summer 2022
Elise Wallen-Friedman, UPenn Class of 2025 (Major: Neuroscience)
Projects: Understanding the neural substrates controlling behavioral pattern separation; Alterations in dentate gyrus neurogenesis in a mouse model of a genetic epilepsy
Daily EL Mentor: Sanghee Yun
PURM Fellow, Summer 2022
Volunteer, 2022-2023 academic year
Undergraduate Researcher (NEURO 3999), 2023-2024 academic year
Undergraduate Researcher, Summer 2024, Fall 2024
**SELECTED** 1 of 8 neuroscience Penn undergraduate honors students (from >50) to present to entire Penn neuroscience community in Spring 2024
Ruthie and her best friend, Hershey, from whom she gets all her best science ideas.
Ruthie E. Wittenberg, BA
PhD Candidate, Neuroscience Graduate Group (NGG)
Member of the Dani Lab, co-mentored by Amelia Eisch and Sanghee Yun
Project: Adolescent nicotine-induced enhancement of adult morphine-context associative learning: mediation by midbrain inhibitory circuits
*AWARDED* NIH/NIDA Ruth L. Kirschstein Predoctoral Individual National Research Service Award (NRSA F31), 2021
Thesis defended, May 2025
Next position: Postdoctoral Fellow, Paul Kenny's laboratory at Mount Sinai School of Medicine
Max Wragan, UPenn Class of 2022 (Major: Neuroscience)
Overall Project: Microglial Densities in the Developing Hippocampus: Sex Differences?
Daily EL Mentor: Danielle Barber
Research Fellow, Summer 2020
BIBB 399 & BIBB 499 Research Fellow academic year 2020-2021
Goldwater Scholar, 2021, Mitchell Scholar 2021
Research Fellow, Summer 2021
Next position: Fuccillo Lab
Eileen Yang, Washington University in St. Louis, Class of 2024
Overall Project: Impact of space radiation on mouse brain and behavior
Daily EL Mentor: Fred Kiffer
Peddie EXP Fellow, Summer 2019
Research Fellow, Summer 2021
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