Current Graduate Students

Neuroscience Graduate Students

Name:

Mahta Abbaspour

Education:

Psychology, BA; Shahid Beheshti University, Neuroscience, MS; Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin

Advisor:

Dr. Rashi Mehta
Name:

Yeasmin Akter

Education:

Biotechnology and Genetic Engineering, M.S., Noakhali Science and Technology University, Bangladesh

Advisor:

Dr. Martin Hruska
Research Interests:

Alzheimer's Disease, Synaptic Adhesion Molecules (SAM) - Eph and ephrins

Achievements:

Awards
2019-2020 - National Science & Technology Fellowship, Banglades
Publications
- Akter, Y.#; Jones, G.#; Daskivich, Grant J; Shifflett, V.; Vargas, KJ.; Hruska, M.*; “Combining nanobody labeling with STED microscopy reveals input-specific and layer-specific organization of neocortical synapses” PLoS Biol. 4 April 2025; 23(4): e3002649., doi: 10.1371/journal.pbio.3002649). PMID: 40184426.
- Jones, G., Akter, Y., Shifflett, V. & Hruska, M. Nanoscale analysis of functionally diverse glutamatergic synapses in the neocortex reveals input and layer-specific organization. bioRxiv 2024.05.01.592008 (2024) doi:10.1101/2024.05.01.592008.
- Junaid, M., Basak, B., Akter, Y., Afrose, S.S., Nahrin, A., Emran, R., Shahinozzaman, M. and Tawata, S., “Sakuranetin and its therapeutic potentials–a comprehensive review” Zeitschrift für Naturforschung C, 13 July 2022, IF: 1.649, (doi: https://doi.org/10.1515/znc-2022-0024)
Name:

Kaitlin Bainer

Advisor:

Dr. Charles Anderson
Achievements:
Publications
- Manning, A., Mendelson, B.Z., Bender, P.T.R., Bainer, K., Ruby, R., Shifflett, V.R., Dariano, D., Webb, B.A., Geldenhuys, W.J., Anderson, C.T. “The astrocytic zinc transporter ZIP12 is a synaptic protein that contributes to synaptic zinc levels in mouse auditory cortex.” Journal of Neuroscience, March 2025.
- Bender, P.T.R., McCollum, M., Trate, E., Bainer, K., Ruby, R., Li, H., Anderson, C.T. “Complementary roles of SOM and PV neurons to enhance and suppress responses of principal neurons to repetitive sounds in mouse auditory cortex.” IScience [in review].
Name:

Mikaela Barbour

Advisor:

Dr. Zachary Weil
Achievements:
Publications
- Barbour, M.A., Whitehead, B., Gumbo, C., Karelina, K., Weil, Z.M., 2025. Traumatic brain injury persistently increases the incidence of both ischemic and hemorrhagic strokes: Potential mechanisms. Progress in Neurobiology 248, 102749. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pneurobio.2025.102749
Name:

Logan Bays

Education:

Biochemistry, B.S., West Virginia University

Advisor:

Dr. Bernard Schreurs
Research Interests:

Learning, memory, synaptic plasticity, and preclinical Alzheimer's and post-traumatic stress disorder models in rodents and rabbits

Achievements:
Publications
- Wang D, Irewole EA, Bays LD, Smith MD, Schreurs BG. A long-term mild high-fat diet facilitates rabbit discrimination learning and alters glycerophospholipid metabolism. Neurobiol Learn Mem. 2025 May;219:108053. doi: 10.1016/j.nlm.2025.108053. Epub 2025 Apr 12. PMID: 40228735; PMCID: PMC12140872.
- Wang D, Irewole EA, Bays LD, Smith MD, Talkington D, Bell RW, Lal N, Schreurs BG. Retarded Learning in a Rabbit Model of Metabolic Syndrome Created by Long-Term Feeding of High-Fat Diet and High Sucrose. Nutrients. 2025; 17(19):3143. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu17193143
Name:

Ezekiel Irewole

Education:

Zoology, B.S., Obafemi Awolowo University, Nigeria

Advisor:

Dr. Bernard Schreurs
Research Interests:

Estrogen Neuroprotection, Cholesterol's Influence on Learning and Memory, Neurodegeneration in Alzheimer's Disease.

Achievements:

Awards
2026 - Three Minute Thesis Winner, Office of Graduate Education and Life, WVU

2020 - Royal African Award for outstanding achievement in academic excellence, Royal African Young Leadership Forum (RAYLF) of His Imperial Majesty (H.I.M.), the Ooni of Ife.

2018 - Faculty Prize for the best graduating student in the Faculty of Science (2016/2017 Academic Session), Faculty of Science, Obafemi Awolowo University.
Publications
- Wang D, Irewole EA, Bays LD, Smith MD, Schreurs BG. A long-term mild high-fat diet facilitates rabbit discrimination learning and alters glycerophospholipid metabolism. Neurobiol Learn Mem. 2025 May;219:108053. doi: 10.1016/j.nlm.2025.108053. Epub 2025 Apr 12. PMID: 40228735; PMCID: PMC12140872.
- Wang D, Irewole EA, Bays LD, Smith MD, Talkington D, Bell RW, Lal N, Schreurs BG. Retarded Learning in a Rabbit Model of Metabolic Syndrome Created by Long-Term Feeding of High-Fat Diet and High Sucrose. Nutrients. 2025; 17(19):3143. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu17193143
Name:

Matthew Kays

Education:

Immunology and Medical Microbiology, B.S., West Virginia University

Advisor:

Dr. Aminata Coulibaly
Research Interests:

Metabolic relationship between neurons and neutrophils

Achievements:
Publications
- Kays M, Kelly A, McGinnis F, Woods C, Emily H, Brown C, Coulibaly A. 2025. Familial Alzheimer’s disease mutations impair neutrophil phagocytosis and release of immune modulators. Front Immunol. https://doi.org/10.1101/2025.04.21.649766.
- Feldmann J, Kays M, McGinnis F, Heron E, Sati N, Woods C, Coulibaly A. 2025. Aging changes the underlying mechanism of JAK2 modulation of neutrophil function. The Journal of Immunology. https://doi.org/10.1093/jimmun/vkaf323.
- McGinnis F, Feldmann J, Kays M, Coulibaly A. 2025. Highlighting neutrophil intracellular signaling: thinking inside the box. Trends in Immunology.
Name:

Rachel Lee

Advisor:

Dr. Michelle Bridi
Achievements:
Publications
- Bridi, M. C. D., Luo, N., Kim, G., Menarchek, B. J., Lee, R. A., Rodriguez, B., Severin, D., Moreno, C., Contreras, A., Wesselborg, C., O’Ferrall, C., Patel, R., Bertrand, S., Kannan, S., & Kirkwood, A. (2025). Daily oscillation of the excitation/inhibition ratio is disrupted in two mouse models of autism. IScience, 28(1). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.isci.2024.111494
Name:

Farrah McGinnis

Education:

Neuroscience, West Virginia University

Advisor:

Dr. Aminata Coulibaly
Research Interests:

The neutrophil's affects on Alzheimer’s disease p-Tau pathology

Achievements:
Publications
- Feldmann JW, Kays M, McGinnis F, Herron E, Sati N, Woods C, Coulibaly AP. Aging changes the mechanism that underlies JAK2 modulation of neutrophil function. J Immunol. 2025. doi: 10.1093/jimmun/vkaf323. PMID: 41290006.
- Kays M, Kelly A, McGinnis F, Woods C, Brown C, Coulibaly AP. Neutrophils from Alzheimer's Disease mice fail to phagocytose debris and show altered release of immune modulators with age. Front Immunol. 2025. doi: 10.3389/fimmu.2025.1672768. PMID: 40777502.
- Feldmann, J., Kays, M., McGinnis, F., Heron, E., Sati, N., Woods, C., Coulibaly, A.P. Rewiring inflammation: Modulating Neutrophil Signaling to Alter the Course of Alzheimer's Disease
Name:

Claire Melvin

Education:

Behavioral Neuroscience, Centre Collage

Advisor:

Dr. Morgan Bridi
Name:

Lindsey Morais

Advisor:

Dr. Morgan Bridi
Achievements:
Publications
- Gross A.R., Kehinde T, Morais L, Hutchison M, Grise J, Mohamed N, Badami V, Ahmed H, Zdilla M, Vos J, Gross A.G., Leonard R, A Novel Gelatinized Barium Sulfate Injection Method for Assessment of Bronchoalveolar Lavage Parameters. Clin Respir J. 2024;e13721. Doi:10.1111/crj.13721
Name:

Dominique Ottonello

Education:

Creative Writing, B.F.A.; Biology, B.F.A., Chatham University, Anatomy, M.S., Wright State University

Advisor:

Dr. Peter Konrad

Research Interests:

signal localization in the human spinal cord and examining how that signaling and associated plastic circuitry may adapt in response to spinal cord injury
Name:

Rayli Ruby

Education:

Biology, B.S., University of the Ozarks

Advisor:

Dr. Charles Anderson
Research Interests:

Synaptic zinc's contribution to glutamatergic receptor trafficking and maturation in the mouse auditory cortex.

Achievements:
Publications
- Philip T.R. Bender; Mason McCollum; Emma Trate; Kaitlin Bainer; Rayli Ruby; Hui
  Li; Charles T. Anderson. “Complementary roles of SOM and PV neurons to enhance
  and suppress responses of principal neurons to repetitive sounds in the mouse
  auditory cortex.” (Under final revision at iScience)
- Manning, A., Mendelson, B. Z., Bender, P. T. R., Ruby, R., Shifflett, V. R., Bainer, K., Dariano, D., Webb, B. A., Geldenhuys, W. J., & Anderson, C. T. (2025). The astrocytic zinc transporter ZIP12 is a synaptic protein that contributes to synaptic zinc levels in mouse auditory cortex. Journal of Neuroscience, e2067242025.
  https://doi.org/10.1523/jneurosci.2067-24.2025
Name:

James Scripter

Education:

Biology, B.S., Westfield State University

Advisor:

Dr. Martin Hruska
Research Interests:

I am researching the effects of the c-Jun N-terminal Kinase (JNK) signaling pathway on Thalamocortical Axon development and examining the mechanisms of Thalamocortical Axon projections by observing guidance cues in JNK cTKO brains.

Achievements:

Awards
● 2020 – Inductee, National Society for Leadership and Success

● 2020 – Cell Biology and Biomedical Engineering T32 Training Program Trainee, West Virginia University

● 2012 – Boy Scouts of America, Eagle Scout
Publications
- Cunningham, JG, Scripter, JD, Nti, SA, Tucker, ES. Early construction of the thalamocortical axon pathway requires c-Jun N-terminal kinase signaling within the ventral forebrain. Developmental Dynamics. 2021; 1- 22. doi:10.1002/dvdy.416
- Cunningham JG, Scripter JD, Nti SA, Tucker ES (2021) Early construction of the thalamocortical axon pathway requires JNK signaling within the ventral forebrain. bioRxiv. doi: https://doi.org/10.1101/2021.04.09.439208
Name:

Victoria Shifflett

Education:

Biology, B.S., West Virginia University

Advisor:

Dr. Michelle Bridi
Research Interests:

the role of endocannabinoid signaling in sleep/wake states

Achievements:
Publications
- Akter Y, Jones G, Daskivich GJ, Shifflett V, Vargas KJ, Hruska M (2025) Combining nanobody labeling with STED microscopy reveals input-specific and layer-specific organization of neocortical synapses. PLoS Biol 23(4): e3002649. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pbio.3002649
- Manning A, Mendelson BZ, Bender PTR, Bainer K, Ruby R, Shifflett VR, Dariano DF, Webb BA, Geldenhuys WJ, Anderson CT (2025). The astrocytic zinc transporter ZIP12 is a synaptic protein that contributes to synaptic zinc levels in mouse auditory cortex. Journal of Neuroscience. https://doi.org/10.1523/JNEUROSCI.2067-24.2025
Name:

Eva Stanley

Education:

Biological Sciences, B.S.; Psychology, B.A., University of Maryland, Baltimore County

Advisor:

Dr. Kevin Daly

Research Interests:

Role of Ascending Neurons in Sensory-Motor Processing and Predictive Motor Signals
Name:

Laurel Stone

Education:

Psychology, West Virginia University

Advisor:

Dr. Morgan Bridi
Name:

Rebekah Thurn

Education:

Cell Biology & Neuroscience, B.S., Montana State University

Advisor:

Dr. James Mahoney
Research Interests:

Neuromodulatory interventions as adjuctive treatments for substance use disorder

Achievements:
Publications
- Thurn, R., Thompson-Lake, D.G.Y., England, L., Ranjan, M., Bhagwat, A., Aromin, J., Finomore, V., Rezai, A., & Mahoney, J.J. (2025). Neuromodulation as a Therapeutic Approach for Opioid Use Disorder: Mechanisms, Efficacy, and Future Directions. Current Addiction Reports.
- Mahoney, III, J.J., Thurn, R., Patel, V. (In Press). Neuromodulation as a treatment for substance use disorders. In Brian Fuehrlein & Mark Gold (Eds.), Encyclopedia of
  Neurological Sciences, Psychiatry, Psychopharmacology and Addiction Medicine, 2024.
- Encyclopedia of the Neurological Sciences, 3rd Edition
  Section: Psychiatry, Psychopharmacology and Addiction Medicine Chapter Title: Neuromodulation for Psychiatric Disorders Co-authors: James Mahoney, PhD; Daisy Thompson-Lake, PhD; Rebekah Thurn, BS Anticipated Submission Date: June 2023 Website: https://www.sciencedirect.com/referencework/9780123851581/encyclopedia-of-the-neurological-sciences
Name:

Emma Trate

Education:

Psychology, B.S., Shippensburg University

Advisor:

Dr. Charles Anderson
Research Interests:

Neuronal circuits, zinc neuromodulation and manipulation, auditory processing

Achievements:
Publications
- Philip T.R. Bender; Mason McCollum; Emma Trate; Kaitlin Bainer; Rayli Ruby; Hui
  Li; Charles T. Anderson. “Complementary roles of SOM and PV neurons to enhance
  and suppress responses of principal neurons to repetitive sounds in the mouse
  auditory cortex.” (Under final revision at iScience)

Neuroscience M.D./Ph.D. Candidates

Name:

David Fletcher

Education:

Biochemistry, B.S., University of Notre Dame

Advisor:

Dr. Peter Konrad

Research Interests:

Focused ultrasound, epilepsy, movement disorders, minimally invasive neuromodulation
Name:

Brandon Kirby

Advisor:

Candice Brown
Research Interests:

Effects of chronic cerebral hypoperfusion on cerebral microvasculature

Achievements:
Publications
- Epigenetic Role of Circulating Microvesicles in Sepsis. Duaa Dakhlallah, Jon Wisler, Divine Nwafor, Allison Brichacek, Ahmad Dakhlallah, Brandon Kirby, Mya Vannoy, Tierra Ware, Yijie Wang, Emily Hoblitzell, Kathy Brundage, Robert J. Wetzel, Amy Gross, Erin Leatherman, Amal Amer, Timothy D. Eubank, and Candice Brown, Clay B. Marsh. Submitted, under review.
- Rehabilitation after Subarachnoid Hemorrhage: Optimizing Outcomes; Divine Nwafor, Brandon D. Kirby, Jacob D. Ralston, Mark A. Colantonio, Elochukwu Ibekwe, Brandon Lucke-Wold;Journal of Vascular Diseases; Received: 12 January 2023; Accepted 02.2023
- Neurocognitive Sequelae and Rehabilitation after Subarachnoid Hemorrhage: Optimizing Outcomes; Divine Nwafor, Brandon D. Kirby, Jacob D. Ralston, Mark A. Colantonio, Elochukwu Ibekwe, Brandon Lucke-Wold; Journal of Vascular Diseases 2023, 2(2), 197-211Chronic cerebral hypoperfusion results in vascular and behavioral deficits in the brain of an asymmetric carotid arterial stenosis mouse model; Kate Karelina, Brandon Kirby, Zachary Weil,Briana Clary, Deborah Corbin, Duaa Dakhlallah, Paul Chantler, Courtney Devries, Candice Brown, James Simpkins; Under final preparation.
  
  Advancements in the use of Deep Brain Stimulation for the treatment of neuropsychiatric conditions; Brandon D. Kirby, Jacob D. Ralston, Mark A. Colantonio, Rebecca Zelmanovich,
  Divine Nwafor. Pending submission
  
  Lung microbiome changes in susceptible and non-susceptible mouse strains before and after Pseudomonas aeruginosa aerosol infection; Lexie Blalock, Evan Lau, Brandon Kirby, T. Ryan Withers, Tatiana Patton, E. Joseph Nolan IV, Zachary Dillard, Daniel Lukich, Nicole Mihalik, Katelyn Yauch, Hongwei D. Yu; Frontiers in Microbiology. Pending Submission
Name:

MacKinzie Smith

Education:

Biology and Chemistry, B.S., Davis & Elkins College

Advisor:

Dr. Bernard Schreurs
Research Interests:

Effects of adverse childhood experiences on modification of the eyeblink reflex

Achievements:
Publications
- Wang, D., Irewole, E.A., Bays, L.D., Smith, M.D., Schreurs, B.G. (2025). A long-term, mild, high-fat diet facilitates rabbit discrimination learning and alters glycerophospholipid metabolism. Neurobiology of Learning and Memory, 219:108053 doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nlm.2025.108053
- Alyateem G, Wade HM, Bickert AA, Lipsey CC, Mondal P, Smith MD, Labib RM, Mock BA, Robey RW, Gottesman MM. Use of CRISPR-based screens to identify mechanisms of chemotherapy resistance. Cancer Gene Ther. 2023 Apr 7. doi: 10.1038/s41417-023-00608-z. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 37029320