RESEARCHER

Justin graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Neuroscience from the University of Minnesota in 2017. Justin's interests include decision making in addiction and sleep-deprived states, finding biomarkers that could be predictive of a relapse event, and neuroimmunology. He looks to further his education in the field of Neuroscience and subsequently develop more tools, therapies, and interventions for rehabilitation services. He enjoys coaching and playing ultimate frisbee, golfing, and hiking with friends in his free time.

RESEARCHER

Stefanie graduated from the University of Minnesota in 2020 with a B.S. in Animal Science and a B.A. in German Studies. After graduating into the COVID pandemic and realizing her interest in the fields of neuroscience and psychology, she joined the Translational Neuroengineering Lab as a research technician in July 2022. There, she assisted a team targeting phase-locked stimulation to the basolateral amygdala (BLA) based on oscillations in the prelimbic (PL) and infralimbic (IL) cortices, with the goal of modulating both maladaptive avoidance and excessive reward-seeking. Looking for a change of scenery, as well as research that more directly related to her interests, she joined the Groman Lab and moved to Chicago in November 2023.

Her research interests include the biological embedding of stress in early childhood, as well as various risk or resiliency factors during this time that influence the development of substance use disorder and other psychiatric disorders in adulthood. These are very broad subject areas, so she looks to further specify a research topic in either a Neuroscience or Clinical Psychology graduate program!

In her free time, she loves running, watching Dimension 20, spending time with friends, and cuddling her cat, Sebastian.

RESEARCHER
Marcini completed her B.S in Neuroscience at the University of Illinois at Chicago in 2019 where she worked on Dr. Maki’s Women’s Mental Health Research Program, investigating the mercurial gut microbiome and dynamic mental health changes throughout pregnancy and after delivery. Her research continued at the University of Chicago’s Comprehensive Cancer Center where she worked with a team researching novel, antigen-specific T-cell therapies in ovarian cancer, specifically working to identify and engineer HLA class-specific T cell receptors. Marcini enthusiastically joined the Groman Lab in 2024 largely due to both taking a deeper dive into her field of interest, Neuroscience, as well as for the lab’s culture: inherent integrity, respect, and individual development, values that align with hers. Marcini’s current interests include the systems and underlying neural circuits of learning during development as well as the deterioration of memory. She adores and spends the majority of her free time with her quintessential ‘Big Fat Greek’ family. Otherwise, you can find her enjoying time spent volunteering as a CASA of Cook County, reading, fishing, hiking, camping, hanging out with her silly English bulldog, Ramona, and automotive restoration.

RESEARCHER

Shawn graduated from Knox College, Illinois with a B.S in Psychology in 2023. His research experience spans across different domains with a focus on the classification and assessment of Obsessive-compulsive and related disorders. He ha experience with sex research where he studied the bidirectional relationship between sexual disgust and sexual arousal in the face of a disgusting stimulus experimentally. His current interests include understanding the association between drug rewards and natural rewards and delineating the cellular and molecular mechanisms behind drug-seeking behaviors. He aims for a multidisciplinary approach when it comes to studying the brain and behavior and hence, pleased to be part of the Groman Lab.

Nice neuroscience books and iced coffee would interest Shawn the most. He also cooks and/or sings to relax (minus the cleaning).

UNDERGRADUATE RESEARCHER

Alex is a fourth year undergraduate student majoring in Biological Chemistry and minoring in History, Philosophy, and Social Studies of Science and Medicine. With experience studying animal welfare and behavior at the Lincoln Park Zoo, their research interests broadly include behavior and its underlying neurological pathways. Outside of the lab, they enjoy crocheting, reading, and eating cheese.

UNDERGRADUATE RESEARCHER

Stirling is a second year undergraduate at the University of Chicago majoring in neuroscience while being on the pre med track. He was born and raised in Hawaii. His research interests are neurological diseases andI he is a part of the football team at UChicago.

UNDERGRADUATE RESEARCHER

Olly is an undergraduate at the University of Chicago, studying Neuroscience and Economics. In his spare time, he loves music / concerts, running, Aston Villa and traveling! He is from Birmingham, UK, but loving life out here in the US!