Dr. LeMessurier received a BSc in biology and neuroscience from MIT and a PhD in neuroscience at University of California, Berkeley, working under Dan Feldman. Her PhD research focused on how naturalistic experience shapes the fine-scale organization of sensory representations in somatosensory cortex. For her postdoc work, Dr. LeMessurier is interested in sensorimotor learning in naturalistic contexts�in particular how plasticity in sensory cortical circuits supports learning of complex behaviors by social transmission. Dr. LeMessurier�s research is supported by the BRAIN Initiative NRSA/F32 fellowship.

Dr. Hight studies sensory neuroplasticity in rats and humans with cochlear implants (CIs). The CI is an auditory neuroprosthesis that restores auditory sensation to the deafened ear by sending electrical currents directly to auditory nerve, mimicking the patterns of activity in the healthy ear. Upon hearing with the CI for the first time, however, human subjects report significantly distorted sound compared to later time points. Learning to hear the CI requires a rehabilitation period and is proposed to require plasticity within the central auditory system, for example via changes to synaptic transmission and neural circuits. Dr. Hight is interested in how neuroplasticity enables speech comprehension despite significantly distorted cues provided by the CI. He received a PhD from Harvard University working under Dan Polley focusing on compensatory plasticity in the auditory cortex following noise-induced high-frequency hearing loss. He is completing a joint postdoc with Mario A. Svirsky, PhD, in human CI studies.

Dr. Tanner holds a Ph.D. in Biomedical Engineering from the University of Cincinnati, a Master of Science in Bioengineering from North Carolina A&T State University, and a Bachelor of Science in Biology from Grambling State University. Her doctoral research focused on the efficacy of seizure diaries and machine learning techniques to develop novel strategies for enhancing seizure prediction and precision medicine within the realm of epilepsy and patient care. Expanding on her previous work, Dr. Tanner's postdoctoral research focuses on evaluating the practicability of peripheral physiological signals collected from consumer-wearable devices, alongside patient-reported variables, to forecast future seizure risks in patients with focal epilepsy. The impact of her work aims to create innovative approaches to overcome barriers around epilepsy-based healthcare and translational research. Dr. Tanner’s work is supported by the National Institute of Health T32 and FACES (Finding a Cure for Epilepsy) grants.

As a psychiatrist and researcher, Dr. Q. Laracuente is dedicated to uncovering the neural pathways of pro-social behaviors, including socialization, parental behaviors, and altruism. Observing the wide range of psychiatric illnesses during his clinical practice, he recognized that symptoms often impair social functions. He believes that a deeper understanding of social brain pathways can lead to improved diagnostics, treatments, and preventative strategies for psychiatric disorders. Dr. Q. Laracuente earned his MD and PhD from the University of Puerto Rico, School of Medicine, under the guidance of Dr. Greg J. Quirk, where he explored the circuitry involved in the retrieval of aversive memories over time. He recently completed his psychiatry residency at NYU Grossman School of Medicine.

Dr. Selles Japas received a biochemistry degree from the University of Buenos Aires, Argentina. During her graduate work in the Ferreira Lab (UFRJ, Brazil), she developed an immune-gene therapy for Alzheimer�s disease; in collaboration with Dr. Froemke and Moses V. Chao, PhD, she studied the therapeutic potential of oxytocin for Alzheimer�s disease. By focusing on the oxytocinergic system during postdoctoral training, Dr. Selles Japas aims to understand how social interactions could modulate the onset and progression of Alzheimer�s disease.

Dr. Kirchgessner received an undergraduate degree in cognitive sciences and psychology from Rice University and a PhD in neurosciences from University of California, San Diego. Dr. Kirchgessner conducted doctoral research in the lab of Dr. Ed Callaway at the Salk Institute, studying the functional diversity of different excitatory neurons in the mouse visual cortex that project to the visual thalamus. Her postdoctoral research in the Froemke Lab focuses on understanding the functional postnatal development of auditory cortical circuits, as well as the the environmental and neuromodulatory factors that shape its experience-dependent plasticity. Her work is supported by a Junior Fellow Award from the Simons Foundation Society of Fellows

Dr. Winokur received a PhD in neuroscience from the University of Massachusetts Amherst and a BA in neuroscience from Smith College. For her doctoral research in the lab of Mariana Pereira, Dr. Winokur focused on determining neurobiological underpinnings of depression-related maternal behavior deficits. For her postdoctoral research, Dr. Winokur will use an interdisciplinary approach to continue investigating the maternal brain and behavior�particularly, how sickness and inflammation alters caregiving and associated neural function.

As a result of Dr. Frey�s work in the Gotoh Laboratory involving the visual cortex�s nuclear responses towards visual stimulation under in vivo monitoring, Dr. Frey was granted a PhD from the University of Tokyo in pharmaceutical science. Previously, Dr. Frey received a master�s degree in neurobiology from Freie University under Dr. Craig Garner at the Deutsches Zentrum f�r Neurodegenerative Erkrankungen (DZNE) on NMDA encephalitis and the reconstruction of a potential therapeutic antibody. In the Froemke Lab for postdoctoral work, Dr. Frey is looking forward to focusing on the auditory learning processes in versatile interneuron subtypes as well as their different responses in layer specific manner under the usage of in vivo imaging and behavioral studies.

Asha graduated from Emory University with a BS in neuroscience and behavioral biology and philosophy. While there, Asha studied potential therapeutics for TBI and stroke with Shan Ping Yu and social salience network activation in prairie voles with Larry Young. For graduate work, Asha is interested in how sickness and inflammation alter social behavior in mice. Asha plans to use a combination of behavior, optogenetics, and in vivo recording techniques to study how oxytocin modulates these social interactions.

Chloe graduated from McMaster University in Canada, where she worked with Deda Gillespie on development of the auditory brainstem. Chloe then went to University of California, San Francisco, where she worked with Alexandra Nelson on the cellular and circuit mechanisms underlying Parkinson's disease and levodopa-induced dyskinesia. For her graduate work, Chloe is interested in how neuromodulators affect inhibitory cortical interneurons to convey state-dependent information and alter sensory perception. She plans to use a combination of in vivo and in vitro electrophysiology and behavior to better understand neuromodulation of inhibition in the auditory cortex.

Habon received a BS in biology from George Washington University. Before starting graduate school, Habon studied sleep homeostasis and social behavior with Mark Wu at Johns Hopkins University. Habon is interested in understanding how pup-related sensory cues influence oxytocin�s modulation of the basal ganglia to alter maternal motivation and related caregiving behaviors.

Luisa SchusterLuisa is interested in understanding the spatio-temporal dynamics of oxytocin as it modulates the neural circuits for maternal and social behavior in naturalistic settings. Luisa is currently working on documenting maternal behaviors in the nest as they are developed while, simultaneously, measuring neural activity on a long-term basis. She studied law at Universidad Externado de Colombia and received a BA in cognitive science from University of California, San Diego in 2016. Luisa is supported by an NSF Graduate Research Fellowship.

Patrick received a BA in psychology from Cornell University. In collaboration with Dayu Lin, PhD, he is interested in understanding how social experiences alter the function of neural circuits�particularly in the context of parental behaviors. Patrick plans to use a combination of in vivo recording techniques, functional manipulation approaches, and behavioral experiments to study sensory and conspecific representations in hypothalamic circuits. Patrick is supported by an NSF Predoctoral Fellowship.

Violet received a BS from the University of Massachusetts Amherst, where she researched how zebra finches integrate sensory information to process social cues in the Healey Lab. After graduating, Violet worked as a research assistant in the laboratory of Jeffrey Friedman M.D., Ph.D at Rockefeller University, where she investigated the neurocircuitry underlying stress and eating disorders in mouse models. For her graduate work, Violet is interested in understanding the neural mechanisms of cooperative caregiving. Specifically, how oxytocinergic modulation of the mesolimbic dopamine system promotes engagement in communal childcare. She plans on using novel behavioral methods and in vivo recordings to delineate the synergy between these neuromodulators.

Gaia Moisan graduated from Sarah Lawrence College in 2023, with a concentration in neuroscience and psychology. They are interested in the neurophysiology of birth and parental attachment- particularly how the development of these systems impacts health and wellbeing. Their work in the Froemke lab involves visualizing and quantifying oxytocin receptor expression in mouse uterine and mammary tissue in the days following birth.

Janaye graduated from NYU in 2020 with a bachelor’s degree in biology and is entering her final year of a master's degree in biology at NYU. She is investigating oxytocin mediated diapause—a temporary halt in embryo development—through optogenetic stimulation of oxytocin neurons simulating nursing patterns. With a foundation in animal husbandry from her work at NYU Langone’s DCM, followed by research at the Perlmutter Cancer Center targeting novel treatments for lung cancer, Janaye transitioned to the Neuroscience Institute driven by her passion for animal behavior. Upon completing her master's, she aims to pursue veterinary school, aspiring to apply her research to improve the well-being of animals in zoos and sanctuaries.

Gurket graduated from New York University with a BS in Applied Psychology and Global Public Health. As a research associate in the Froemke lab, she is interested in exploring maternal behaviors between dam and pup dyads during sickness. In collaboration with graduate student Asha Caslin, Gurket works on researching the sensory modalities that influence dam's health status assessment of sick versus healthy pups.

Ayat received her bachelor's in psychology from NYU. Ayat is interested in understanding the synaptic representation of infant distress cries in the auditory cortex. Ayat's work in the lab involves measuring the acoustic features of mouse pup distress cries and using confocal imaging to measure auditory cortical synaptic distributions in female mice with and without maternal experience.