Kara Marshall, Ph.D. - PI
Freeman Hrabowski Scholar, Howard Hughes Medical Institute
Assistant Professor, Department of Neuroscience, Baylor College of Medicine
Investigator, Neurological Research Institute, Texas Children’s Hospital
Off topic science interests: hair follicle and skin biology, interesting animals (particularly bats!), anything about the sensory umwelt.
Hobbies: Photography, and other phases have included flying trapeze, improv, and archery. I don’t know if ingesting delicious things is a hobby, but it’s definitely a priority.
CURRENT TEAM
listed in chronological order from the time they joined:
Max Odem, Ph.D. - Senior Scientist
Off-topic science interests: Marine biology and invertebrates. His original dream was to become a marine biologist but we have convinced him that land biology is also cool.
Hobbies: painting scale miniatures and models, playing video games, and playing guitar
Britya Ghosh, M.S. - Graduate Student
(former lab technician)
Off-topic science interests: Sensory processing in microgravity, anything octopus.
Hobbies: Early morning runs, painting, cooking, kayaking, dancing (with pipettes when no one is around)
Yasmeen Hamed, M.S. - Graduate Student
Off-topic science interests: The evolution of troglomorphic adaptation in the Mexican cavefish, tissue regeneration, and space medicine.
Hobbies: Dot mandala painting, singing, traveling, snorkeling, & befriending people who can cook. Also, puppies!!!
Olivia Solomon, Ph.D. - Postdoc
Off-topic science interest: vascular dysfunction, neuroimmunology, and all things microglia.
Hobbies: Being a mom (LOL), enjoying mother nature, going to the beach or a park, and singing off key.
Alexa Martinez - Lab Manager
Off-topic science interest:
Hobbies:
Jiaxiang Zhang - Graduate Student
Off-topic science interests:
Hobbies:
Brandon Chelette, Ph.D. - Senior scientist
Off-topic science interest: dinosaurs + black holes
Hobbies: cooking, changing diapers, D&D, pickleball, and anything at the beach. He is also exceptionally skilled at growing hair.
Ivanshi Patel, Ph.D. - Postdoc
Off-topic science interest: somatic reprogramming and epigenetic imprinting
Hobbies: Running, basketball, reading and cooking
Matthew Ehrenburg - MD/PhD student
Off-topic science interest: Space medicine, neuroethology, functional neurosurgery, and all things Alpheidae (pistol shrimp).
Hobbies: Non-fiction reading/writing, re-listening to all of the Soulquarians discography, acroyoga, learning new languages, soccer (reminded every time he plays his college career has long since ended). And like many transplanted New Jerseyans, he continues to search for the best pizza, bagels, and cups of coffee in town.
Amazing undergrads:
Shriya Pendyala - undergraduate researcher
Off-topic science interests: epidemiology, brain injuries & epilepsy, and coral reef ecology.
Hobbies: traveling, hiking, finding coffee shops with yummy matcha lattes, and going to any and every concert possible!
Tammy Kwok - undergraduate researcher
Off-topic science interests: loves learning about cognition, memory, and anything dermatology
Hobbies: trying new foods and cafes, singing, sketching, and cooking
Cici Calhoun - undergraduate researcher
Off-topic science interests: nanotechnology and social psychology
Hobbies: Running (a member of Rice Track and Field!), dancing, climbing, and bobbin lace. She can really make lace!
LAB ALUMNI
we miss you!
Olivia Solomon, Ph.D. , Former Postdoc. Still in lab occasionally, so she gets to be listed twice! Currently: Assistant Professor, Prairie View A&M University
Eskarleth Lopez Gonzalez, Former Postbaccalaureate student. Currently: Graduate Student, Rutgers University
Nicholas Zhang, Former Lab Tech. Currently: Medical Student, UT Health
Summer Students
Kaelee Mae Rowan, University of North Carolina
Hannah Gorelick, Exeter University
Alexis Davis, Baylor University
Anand Mysorekar, University of California San Diego
