Meet The Guild

Jonathan Morrow, M.D. Ph.D.

Principal Investigator / Paladin
jonmorro@med.umich.edu

Jonathan Morrow, M.D., Ph.D. received his Bachelor of Science in Biological Sciences from the University of Southern California, and his M.D. and Ph.D. in Neuroscience from the University of Michigan. His graduate studies focused on the relationship between sleep and the immune system. Specifically, Dr. Morrow used rodent models to show that interleukin-6 does not directly increase or decrease non-REM sleep the way other cytokines had been previously shown to do; rather it disrupts the circadian timing of non-REM sleep to allow sleep and wakefulness at unorthodox time periods in response to homeostatic challenges. Dr. Morrow went on to complete his residency training in Adult Psychiatry at the University of Michigan, and subsequently became certified in Addiction Medicine.

Dr. Morrow joined the faculty of the University of Michigan as an Assistant Professor of Psychiatry in 2011. He provides medication management and other clinical care to patients through the University of Michigan Addiction Treatment Services. His clinical interests include treatment of co-occurring psychiatric disorders such as addiction and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

GRADUATE STUDENTS

Marcel El Kouri - Ph.D Candidate in the Neuroscience Graduate Program / Bard
melkouri@umich.edu

Marcel Elkouri earned his Bachelor of Arts in Neuroscience from The College of Wooster in 2021, and came to Michigan the same year. He joined the lab in 2022 to study individual variations in emotional memory consolidation, a process which typically occurs during sleep. His career interests center around science communication; sharing knowledge of psychiatric disorders in English, Spanish, and Portuguese. When not in lab, he sits outside and wishes he could come back as a flower.

Ilanis Rodríguez-Torres - Ph.D Candidate in the Neuroscience Graduate Program / Witch
ilanisr@umich.edu

Hello! I’m Ilanis Rodriguez-Torres; I have a B.S. in Cellular Molecular Biology from the University of Puerto Rico, Rio Piedras. After I graduated, I began my PhD in Neuroscience at the University of Michigan, joining the Morrow lab in 2024. My interest in research focuses on how psychostimulants impact synaptic plasticity and cued & contextual learning in Sign Trackers and Goal Trackers. When I'm not in the lab, my favorite thing is to walk my corgi at 10°F and watch him roll around the snow. I like to stand out by speaking in first-person on the Lab Website.

UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS

Menami Gordon - Undergraduate Student / Chimeric Rat
mygordon@umich.edu

Menami Gordon is a senior at the University of Michigan studying neuroscience. She joined the lab in 2023 due to her interest in the mechanisms explaining the development of psychiatric disorders. After graduating, Menami plans to attend medical school and pursue her passion for medicine as a physician. In her free time, she enjoys playing hockey, trying new foods, and spending time outdoors.

Aya Moughni - Undergraduate Student / Chimeric Rat
moughni@umich.edu

Aya Moughni is a junior at the University of Michigan majoring in Biopsychology, Cognition, and Neuroscience on the pre-medical track. She joined the Morrow Lab in 2025 and is excited to support the team’s research on trauma, emotional learning, and behavior. Outside the lab, Aya is involved in student organizations focused on advocacy, culture, and healthcare. In her free time, she enjoys going for walks and runs outdoors, trying new cafes, spending time with family and friends, baking and cooking new recipes, and choreographing dances for Arab Xpressions!

Gracie Shahu - Undergraduate Student / Chimeric Rat
shahu@umich.edu

Gracie Shahu is a junior at the University of Michigan majoring in Neuroscience on the pre-medical track. She joined the Morrow Lab in 2025 and is excited to support the team’s research on how sleep affects the brain. After graduating, Gracie plans to attend medical school to continue learning about neuropathology. In her free time, she enjoys playing basketball, watching movies, listening to music, and baking.

Haley Kampner - Undergraduate Student / Chimeric Rat
hkampner@umich.edu

Haley Kampner is a junior at the University of Michigan. She is majoring in Neuroscience and minoring in Spanish and Music. She joined the lab in 2025 and is excited to support the team’s research in addiction recovery. Outside of the lab, Haley works as an EMT and plays in two orchestras, including Michigan Pops Orchestra. In her free time, she enjoys playing her violin, listening to music, and going hiking with friends and family.

Darian Rashid - Undergraduate Student / Mage of the Boxes
darianr@umich.edu

Darian Rashid is a senior at the University of Michigan majoring in Neuroscience. He joined the lab in 2025 and is interested in assisting with the mechanical side of the experiments, scientific writing, and outreach. He plans to attend medical school after graduation to pursue a specialty in child psychiatry. His interests outside of the lab include art, movies, and comic books.

Kobey Jia - Undergraduate Student / Chimeric Rat
kojia@umich.edu

Kobey! yeah. description coming soon!

SUMMER UNDERGRADUATE

Derek Dong - Undergraduate Student / Chimeric Rat
yueyangd@umich.edu

Derek Dong is a senior at CUNY Hunter College in NYC majoring in Biological Sciences and Clinical Psychology on the Pre-med track. This is his first time doing wet lab research! He joined the lab in the summer of 2026 through the BP-Endure program for his interests in memory, learning, and General Psychiatry. Outside of lab, he enjoys playing volleyball, sunset watching and going on outdoor walks and hikes.