Lab Members

Mary Phillips, MD, MD (Cantab)

Pittsburgh Foundation-Emmerling Endowed Chair in Psychotic Disorders, Distinguished Professor in Psychiatry and Clinical and Translational Science, Director of the Center for Translational and Developmental Affective Neuroscience, and Director of the Mood and Brain Laboratory

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Faculty & Postdoctoral Researchers

Manan Arora, MBBS

Manan Arora, MBBS

Postdoctoral Researcher

aroram2@upmc.edu

Hobbies: swimming, reading and watching movies

Michele Bertocci, PhD

Michele Bertocci, PhD

Research Assistant Professor of Psychiatry

bertoccima@upmc.edu

Hobbies: gardening, photography, yoga
Pets: 2 cats, Starwars and Chuckles
Least favorite food: okra

Henry Chase, PhD

Henry Chase, PhD

Research Assistant Professor of Psychiatry

chaseh@upmc.edu

hobbies – bread making
pets – ducks of the world
your least favorite food – bread

 

Fabio Ferrarelli

Fabio Ferrarelli

Associate Professor of Psychiatry

Merage Ghane-Ezabadi, PhD

Merage Ghane-Ezabadi, PhD

Postdoctoral Researcher

Danella Hafeman, MD

Danella Hafeman, MD

Affiliated Investigator

hafemand@upmc.edu

Hobbies: playing flute and piano; yoga

Pets: a remarkably toddler-friendly cat named Hoyo

Least favorite food: papaya

Alison Hipwell

Alison Hipwell

Professor of Psychiatry and Psychology

Ahmad Mayeli, PhD

Ahmad Mayeli, PhD

Postdoctoral Researcher

Sara Nooraeen, MD

Sara Nooraeen, MD

Postdoctoral Associate

SAN278@pitt.edu

Hobbies: reading, listening to podcasts, meditation, poetry, and hiking, coffee lover

Renata Rozovsky, PhD

Renata Rozovsky, PhD

Postdoctoral Associate

rozovskyr@upmc.edu

Hobbies: travelling, hiking, Argentinian tango, board games, puzzles
Pets: my kid’s parakeet
Least favorite food: fruit soup

João Paulo Santo, MD

João Paulo Santo, MD

Postdoctoral Associate

santosjp@upmc.edu

Hobbies: watching movies and cooking

Adriane Soehner, PhD

Adriane Soehner, PhD

Assistant Professor of Psychiatry, K awardee

soehneram2@upmc.edu

Hobbies: Yoga, Training my dog to do fun tricks
Pets: Lana the Bernese mountain dog and Jack the cat
Least favorite food: Ketchup

Amelia Versace, MD

Amelia Versace, MD

Associate Professor of Psychiatry

versacea@upmc.edu

Hobbies: Gardening
Pets: A cat named Cleopatra
Least favorite food: I don’t think there are any. I like everything

Collaborators

Layla Banihashemi, PhD

Layla Banihashemi, PhD

Assistant Professor of Psychiatry

banihashemil@upmc.edu

Hobbies: Yoga

Jay Fournier, PhD

Jay Fournier, PhD

Associate Professor of Psychiatry, Ohio State University

Jay.Fournier@osu.edu

Hobbies: cooking, pottery, martial arts, and occasionally juggling fire
Pets: A cat (Memphis) and a dog (Billie Holiday)
Least favorite food: Kimchi

 

Caroline Oppenheimer, PhD

Caroline Oppenheimer, PhD

Research Scientist RTI International

oppenheimercw@upmc.edu

Hobbies: Exploring Pittsburgh with my 3-year-old son
Pets:  Half golden retriever half labrador named Cornelius
Least favorite food: pickles

Students & Interns

Yvette Afriyie-Agyemang

Yvette Afriyie-Agyemang

Graduate Student Researcher

Yicheng Zhang

Yicheng Zhang

Graduate Student Researcher

Staff

Haris Aslam, BS

Haris Aslam, BS

Database Administrator

aslamha@upmc.edu

Hobbies: Biking, Reading
Least favorite food: Okra

Megan Atkinson, MSW

Megan Atkinson, MSW

Sr. Research Associate

atkinsonmk@upmc.edu

Hobbies: Reading, Knitting, & Yoga

Genna Bebko, PhD

Genna Bebko, PhD

Research Coordinator

bebkog@upmc.edu

Hobbies:  pilates
Pets: Shiba Inu rescue & cats
Least favorite food: pie

Osasumwen Benjamin, MD MA

Osasumwen Benjamin, MD MA

Research Principal

benjaminoe@upmc.edu

Hobbies: reading, writing, cooking, listening to music, dancing and critically analyzing culturally-relevant television programs and films

Lisa Bonar, BS

Lisa Bonar, BS

Systems Analyst

bonarlk@upmc.edu

Hobbies: Drinking pina coladas and getting caught in the rain

Tyler Brady, BS

Tyler Brady, BS

Systems Analyst

bradyt7@upmc.edu
Hobbies: Cooking (mostly Thai food at the moment), fishing, shooting pool.
Pets: A small toothless cat.

Gabrielle English, BS

Gabrielle English, BS

Research Project Coordinator

englishg2@upmc.edu

Hobbies: Gardening, canning / preserving fruits & vegetables
Pets: Aspen and Iris – stray cat and rescue bffs

Least favorite food: Liver and onions

 

 

Simona Graur, MSW

Simona Graur, MSW

Sr. Research Principal

graurs@upmc.edu

Hobbies: Running, photography, animals
Least favorite food: Oysters

 

Alex Grattery, BA

Alex Grattery, BA

Research Coordinator

Jon Hart

Jon Hart

Database Manager

hartj2@upmc.edu

Hobbies: Coaching youth sports, baking, and time with family and friends.
Pets: An elderly but endearingly affectionate cat
Least favorite food: Crunchy frog

 

Jill E Morris-Tillman

Jill E Morris-Tillman

Administrative Coordinator

morristillmanje@upmc.edu

Hobbies: Cooking, murder mysteries, and traveling. 

Robert Raeder, MSc, MA

Robert Raeder, MSc, MA

Research Specialist

raederr@upmc.edu

Hobbies: Running, playing piano and chess

Hope Reveche, BS

Hope Reveche, BS

Research Specialist

revecheh@upmc.edu

Hobbies: dancing, writing, snowboarding, traveling, searching for Pittsburgh’s best peppermint mocha

Pets: 2 Labs, Broccoli (Roc) and Tofu

Least favorite food: peas, pickles, egg yolks (egg whites OK)

 

Luke T. Roberts, BS

Luke T. Roberts, BS

Database Administrator

robertslt@upmc.edu

Hobbies: Running, Hiking, Hunting, Swimming, Learning Hindi, and Puzzles. 

 

Daniel Rozovsky, MS

Daniel Rozovsky, MS

Research Specialist

rozovskyd@upmc.edu

Hobbies: studying AI and LLM, theater, theater, improv, musical improv, tabletop roleplaying and miniature painting.

 

Alex Skeba, BS

Alex Skeba, BS

Systems Analyst Intermediate

skebaas@upmc.edu

Hobbies: playing ragtime and blues on the piano. Grilling some steaks on my back porch. Getting beat at basketball by my 12 year old brother.
Pets: a cat named Poptart
Least favorite food: without a doubt undercooked potato pancakes.

Ricki Stiffler, MSW

Ricki Stiffler, MSW

Research Program Administrator

stifflerrs@upmc.edu

Hobbies: reading, golf, painting and local brewery tours.

Megan Taylor, MS

Megan Taylor, MS

Lead Research Project Coordinator

taylorm7@upmc.edu

 Hobbies: Reading, yoga, cooking or eating out, traveling and movies

Pet: A dog named Sage

 

Yiming Wang

Yiming Wang

Research Coordinator

wangy40@upmc.edu

Hobbies: running, reading, cooking, and painting blobby watercolors