Cana Park, PhD

I am a neuroscientist studying how signals in the blood communicate with the brain to shape memory and cognitive resilience in aging and neurological disease. I received my PhD in Neuroscience from POSTECH (South Korea), completed postdoctoral training at UCSF, and am now an Assistant Professor at UMass Amherst.

Outside the lab, I enjoy reading and running.

Shannon Zhen, BS

I graduated from UMass Amherst in 2023 with a BS in Biochemistry & Molecular Biology where I studied the aggregation and spread of Tau in neurodegenerative diseases in the Rauch Lab. Following graduation I worked on discovering novel non-opiod based compounds for pain treatment in the Woolf Lab at the F.M. Kirby Neurobiology Center. I joined the Park Lab in February 2026 as a PhD student in the Neuroscience and Behavior program. My research interests include neurodegenerative disease, aging, and cognition. In my free time I enjoy spending time with friends and family, listening to music, and gaming.

Samantha Dhanani, BS

I am a PhD student in the NSB program and a member of the Park and Fénelon Lab, where my research focuses on using electrophysiological approaches to study the effects of platelet factors on cognitive function. I graduated from Barnard College with a BA in Neuroscience and Behavior, where I conducted research for two years in the Muhle Lab at Columbia University. After graduating, I remained in the Muhle Lab for an additional two years as a research assistant. During this time, I used operant conditioning and fiber photometry to study behavior and neural circuitry in a mouse model haploinsufficient for Chd8, a gene highly associated with a diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder.

Outside of lab I enjoy skiing, running, and hiking. 

Alex Miller

I am a senior at UMass Amherst in the Commonwealth Honors College (CHC) pursing a B.S. in Neuroscience with a minor in biology. I joined the Park lab in the summer of 2026.

Outside of the lab I enjoy taking long walks, listening to audiobooks, and genealogy.

Sonia Jahng, BS (2024-2026)

Will Mulholland, BS (2024-2026)

Truong Thi My Nhung, MD/PhD (2025-2026)