People

Alita D'Almeida is a PhD student in Biomedical Engineering at UC Davis and a graduate student researcher with the Chaudhari lab in the Department of Radiology. Her research is primarily in preclinical neuroimaging with projects in developing methods for analysis of MRI and PET scans in small and large animal models as well as in the development of methods to quantify imaging data.

Valerie Porter is PhD candidate working in Dr. Abhijit Chaudhari's lab and collaborating with Dr. Pamela Lein and CounterACT. She is developing automated segmentation techniques with machine learning for analyzing MRI and PET data of brain scans following organophosphate exposure.

Hoda AbouEich is a PhD student in the Neuroscience Graduate Group working in Dr. Gene Gurkoff’s lab. Her research investigates the potential of psychedelic administration to enhance neuroplasticity in a rat model of traumatic brain injury, with the goal of developing innovative therapeutic strategies for alleviating cognitive impairments and to advance our understanding of neural repair and recovery. She is cross training and assisting with Project 3 studies.

Brittany Davis is a DVM-Ph.D. student in the Neuroscience Graduate Group. As a dual degree student, she aspires to contribute to research aimed at improving the quality of both human and animal lives. Her research is focused on understanding how organophosphate exposure affects the blood brain barrier, with the goal of identifying therapeutic strategies to mitigate neurotoxicity.

Maria Muñoz is a graduate student in the Pharmacology and Toxicology Graduate Program. She first worked as an undergraduate researcher studying the effects of environmental pollution on the lung, and then after graduation, in a cancer biology lab developing models of soft-tissue sarcomas. Maria is working to neuroprotective compounds against the toxic effects from acute organophosphate exposure.

Chelsea Unkel is a Ph.D. student in the Pharmacology and Toxicology Graduate Program. She studies the role of neuroinflammation following acute organophosphate intoxication and potential therapeutics to reduce long-term sequalae, emphasizing translational models and understanding of epileptogenesis.