I. Pamela Alonso, PhD
Degree: PhD, Drexel University
Advisor: Nicholas Gilpin, PhD
Research: The role of periaqueductal gray-signaling mediating hyperalgesia and sleep disorders during alcohol withdrawal.
Department: Physiology
Email: ialons@lsuhsc.edu

Sleep related regions vastly overlap with regions associated with motivation, learning and pain. I am interested in using sleep and/or exercise as a behavioral therapy to attenuate hyperalgesia and decrease relapse and excessive drinking. By using slice electrophysiology, in vivo fiber photometry, and combined circuit and pharmacological approaches, I will test whether rescuing alcohol withdrawal hyperalgesia attenuates excessive alcohol drinking and relapse. In addition, I will test whether the circuits associated with alcohol withdrawal hyperalgesia can be normalized by manipulating sleep.   

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Xavier Chapa-Dubocq, PhD

Degree: PhD, University of Puerto Rico: Medical Sciences Center
Advisor: Patrica Molina, MD, PhD
Research: Examining the Interplay between Alcohol Metabolism and Recovery from Post-Concussion Syndrome
Department: Physiology
Email: xchapa@lsuhsc.edu

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Alejandra Jacotte Simancas, PhD

Degree: PhD, Universidad Autonoma de Barcelona, Spain
Advisor: Patricia Molina, MD, PhD and Nicholas Gilpin, PhD
Research: Traumatic brain injury and alcohol use
Department: Physiology
Email: mjacot@lsuhsc.edu

Currently, my research seeks to elucidate the neurobiological mechanisms underlying escalation of post-TBI alcohol drinking.

Andrea Jones, PhD

Degree: PhD, Tulane University School of Medicine
Advisor: Nicholas Gilpin, PhD
Research: The role of the melanocortin-4 receptor (MC4R) in chronic inflammatory pain
Department: Physiology
Email:ajon41@lsuhsc.edu

The goal of my research is to determine how the MC4R changes with chronic pain. I am interested in sex- and age-specific differences in the way the MC4R functions within brain circuits associated with chronic inflammatory pain. Additionally, I am interested in the role of alcohol use disorder in the transition from acute to chronic pain. 

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Keishla Rodriguez-Graciani, PhD

Degree: PhD, University of Puerto Rico - Medial Sciences Campus
Advisor: Liz Simon, MVSc, PhD
Department: Physiology
Email: krodr7@lsuhsc.edu

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Sydney Vita, PhD

Degree: PhD, University of Mississippi Medical Center
Advisors: Nicholas Gilpin, PhD and Patricia Molina, MD, PhD
Research: Alcohol exposure exacerbates inflammation and anxiety-like behavior induced by repeated mild traumatic brain injury during adolescence
Department: Physiology
Email:svita@lsuhsc.edu

I am interested in the mechanisms through which functional alterations occur from early to chronic periods following mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI), especially during periods of neural development. Furthermore, I am interested in how these alterations accumulate in response to repeated mTBI, and/or are exacerbated by additional insults, such as exposure to alcohol. The overarching goal of my research is to identify potential therapeutics that can preserve or restore brain functions following TBI.

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Marcus Weera, PhD

Degree: PhD Purdue University
Advisor: Nicholas Gilpin, PhD
Research: Neural mechanisms underlying substance use and co-morbid disorders.

Franciely Paliarin, PhD

Degree: PhD, University of Sao Paulo, Brazil
Advisor: Rajani Maiya, PhD
Research: The molecular mechanisms that underlie social defeat stress-induced escalation of alcohol consumption

Patrick McTernan, PhD

Degree: PhD, University of Georgia
Advisors: Patricia Molina, MD, PhD

Currently Research Scientist, Department of Physiology, LSUHSC New Orleans

Christian Montanari, PhD

Degree: PhD, Sapienza University of Rome, Italy
Advisor: Nicholas Gilpin, PhD
 

Currenty Research Assistant Professor
Tulane University

Danielle E. Levitt, PhD

Degree: PhD, University of North Texas
Advisors: Patricia Molina, MD, PhD, and Liz Simon, PhD

Currently Assistant Professor of Kinesiology
Texas Tech University
 

Kandasamy Neelamegam, PhD

Degree: PhD, Annamalai University, India
Advisors: Jason Gardner, PhD, Xinping Yue, MD, PhD, Eric Lazartigues, PhD

Currently Post-Doctoral Associate
Department of Internal Medicine
Texas Tech University Health Science Center

Elizabeth Delery, PhD

Degree: PhD, Tulane University School of Medicine
Advisor: Scott Edwards, PhD
 

Currently Assistant Professor of Microbiology & Immunology College of Osetopathic Medicine at Marian University.

Elizabeth A Fucich, PhD

Degree: Ph.D., UTHSC-San Antonio
Advisor: Patricia Molina, PhD
Research: Traumatic brain injury and alcohol use

Currently Professor of Practice in Neuroscience at Tulane University.

Amanda R. Pahng, PhD

Degree: Ph.D., Tulane University 
Advisor: Scott Edwards, PhD
 

Currently Research Health Scientist Southeast Louisiana Veterans Health Care System

Megan L. Armstrong, PhD

Degree: : Ph.D., University of Florida
Advisor: Patricia Molina, MD, PhD

Currently working in private practice as a clinical psychologist

Paige S. Katz, PhD

Degree: Ph.D., LSUHSC-New Orleans
Advisor: Patricia Molina, MD, PhD

Currently Associate Director and Medical Science Liasion at Novartis Oncology.

Christy A. Itoga, PhD

Degree:  PhD, University of Michigan
Advisor: Nicholas Gilpin, PhD

Currently a postdoctoral fellow at the University of California-Irvine.

Annie Whitaker, PhD

Degree: PhD, LSUHSC-New Orleans
Advisor: Nicholas Gilpin, PhD

Currently a biology teacher at St. Scholastica Academy.

Karina Villalba, MPH, PhD

Degree:  PhD, Florida International University
Advisor: Patricia Molina, MD, PhD

Currently working at Florida International University.