Zoe McElligott, Ph.D.
Zoe (she/her) received her B.S. from New York University in Neural Science in 2003 and subsequently did her Ph.D. in the lab of Danny Winder at Vanderbilt University (2009) studying noradrenergic modulation of glutamatergic signaling in the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis. Zoe then completed a post-doc with Mark Wightman at UNC learning in vivo and ex vivo fast-scan cyclic voltammetry and spent a year in the Stuber lab at UNC learning optogenetic and behavioral techniques. The McElligott Lab officially launched in the fall of 2015 at the Bowles Center for Alcohol Studies and the Department of Psychiatry.
Away from the lab Zoe likes spending time with her family (husband, Tom, children Georgia and Raphael) and all the animals on her crazy farm! She enjoys spinning yarn, knitting, cooking, dancing, and traveling to new places and obtaining new cultural experiences. Fun fact: Zoe loves singing karaoke!
Email: Zoemce@email.unc.edu
Twitter: @nanopharmNC
Tony Downs, Ph.D., Assistant Professor
Tony (he/him) joined the McElligott lab as a post-doc in February 2021. He received his B.S. in Biology from Warren Wilson College in 2012. After graduating, he worked as a research technician at East Tennessee State University for two years in the lab of Dr. Donald Hoover. He received his Ph.D. in Pharmacology from Emory University in the lab of Dr. Ellen Hess in 2021. His dissertation work investigated the mechanism of action of muscarinic receptor antagonists in mouse models of inherited dystonias. Tony is currently studying how central noradrenergic signaling modulates opioid abuse and withdrawal. Tony is originally from Louisville, KY. Outside of lab he enjoys hiking with his dogs, baking, and watching soccer.
Email: Anthony_downs@med.unc.edu
Twitter: @TDowns404
Alexandra (Ally) Nowlan, Ph.D., Postdoctoral Fellow
Ally (she/her) joined the McElligott Lab as a post-doc in September 2021. She received her B.S. from the University of Massachusetts Amherst in 2011 where she majored in Biology. After graduating, she worked as a research technician and lab manager for Dr. Bob Datta at Harvard Medical School, where she studied neural circuits that underlie olfactory processing, which are particularly important for social behavior in mice. She received her Ph.D. in Biology from the School of Biological Sciences at Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory. Under the guidance of her graduate mentor Dr. Stephen Shea, she studied a neural circuit that supports the integration of multisensory social cues used to direct maternal behavior in mice. Ally is interested in motivated behavior and is focused on understanding how noradrenergic signaling influences neuroplastic changes in reward circuitry during opioid withdrawal. In her free time, Ally enjoys exploring the outdoors by hiking and running with her dog, Brady, going on culinary adventures, and cozying up with her cat, Sean (if he will allow it). She is also an advocate for diversity, equity, and inclusion in STEM and volunteers her time to educational outreach activities.
Email: Anowlan@email.unc.edu
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/anowlan/
Twitter: @anowlan
Sarah Sizer, Ph.D., Postdoctoral Fellow
Sarah (she/her) received her Bachelor’s degree in Biology from UNC Chapel Hill in 2015. Following graduation, she worked as a research technician in the laboratories of Dr. Robert Tarran and Dr. Joanne Kurtzberg at UNC and Duke University, respectively. She worked on several projects, including developing a high-throughput screening assay to measure e-liquid toxicity and processing umbilical cord blood/tissue to extract and culture mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) for clinical trials. In 2017, Sarah began her Ph.D. in Dr. Brian McCool’s laboratory at Wake Forest University. Her dissertation work incorporated optogenetics and whole cell patch clamp electrophysiology to understand how chronic intermittent ethanol exposure dysregulates cholinergic neurotransmission in the basolateral amygdala. Sarah recently joined the McElligott lab as a postdoc in August 2022. She is excited to expand her electrophysiology knowledge and gain behavioral experience to dissect how the dysregulation of neuromodulators promotes the progression of alcohol use disorders. In her spare time, Sarah enjoys hiking, gardening, and playing with her dogs, Rudy and Stella.
Email: Sizer@email.unc.edu
LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/sarah-sizer
Twitter: @sarah_sizer
Madigan Bedard,
Ph.D., Postdoctoral Fellow
Madigan (she/her) graduated from Vanderbilt University with a BA in Neuroscience and Psychology in 2018. She worked at the University of Pennsylvania for one year before moving to NC to begin her graduate studies in the Fall of 2019. Madigan's thesis work investigates the changes to inhibitory signaling in the BNST caused by opioid exposure and withdrawal. Madigan is from Woodstock, GA and comes from a large family with four siblings. Outside of lab, she loves to hike with her dog and husband, explore local distilleries, and go skiing in the winter. Email: madiganb@email.unc.edu Twitter: @MadiganLBedard
Email: Madiganb@email.unc.edu
Twitter: @MadiganLBedard
Michaela Price Ph.D., Postdoctoral fellow
I received my B.S. in Biology from UGA in 2018. Then I received my PhD in Neuroscience from Wake Forest University in 2024 where I was mentored by Dr. Brian McCool. During my PhD, I studied how chronic intermittent ethanol exposure alters glutamatergic and GABAergic signaling onto two distinct populations of neurons in the basolateral amygdala using whole-cell patch-clamp electrophysiology. My future goals are to extend my knowledge of electrophysiology and learn voltammetry in order to better understand how alcohol exposure and neurodegenerative disorders dysregulate glutamatergic, GABAergic, dopaminergic signaling. In my free time I like to do puzzles, listen to music, and go hiking.
Email: michaela_price@med.unc.edu
Sara Conley, Ph.D. Candidate
Sara (she/her) graduated from Vanderbilt University in 2020 with BAs in Psychology and Neuroscience. While at Vanderbilt, she worked in the Winder Lab, where she focused on endocannabinoid signaling in the insula-to-bed nucleus of the stria terminalis (BNST) circuit in the context of alcohol and stress. She moved to UNC for graduate school and joined the McElligott Lab in April 2021. Her thesis work focuses on exploring the effects of alcohol on tonic and synaptic excitatory transmission in the BNST. In her free time, Sara enjoys skulking around town, game nights with her friends (or lab), and spending time with her partner and their menagerie.
Email: conleysy@email.unc.edu
Mitchell Huffstickler, Graduate Student Researcher
Mitchell (He/Him) received his undergraduate degree from the University of Michigan in Cognitive Science. After graduation, he worked in the research lab of Dr. Herr at the EPA’s Neurotoxicology Division on chemical testing, and with the Duke Behavioral Core on drug discovery. At UNC, Mitchell jointly joined the McElligott and Shih lab to work on the functional and behavioral effects of synthetic opiates in animal models. In his off time, Mitchell enjoys playing games, running, hunting ghosts, and cooking.
Email: mlhuff@unc.edu
Alex Brown,
Graduate Student
Alex Brown (he/him) joined the McElligott Lab as a graduate student in April 2024. Alex graduated from Bates College in Lewiston, Maine in 2017 where he majored in Neuroscience. Before attending UNC, Alex worked as a technician and lab manager at many different labs, starting under Dr. Kyle Smith at Dartmouth College, where he studied the role of the nucleus accumbens on sign tracking behavior in rats. Subsequently, he moved to MIT to work under Dr. Kay Tye studying the neural basis of compulsive alcohol drinking in mice. Most recently, he worked at Vanderbilt University as the Lab Manager of Dr. Cody Siciliano's lab from its inception in 2019 until leaving to attend UNC in 2023. There, he studied developed a model for tracking mice’s progression through a drinking task that resulted in different drinking phenotypes to explore how compulsive drinking arises. Alex is interested in the individual differences underlying compulsive alcohol drinking and how the progression from casual to compulsive drinking can be altered. Outside of the lab, Alex has two cats (Lewiston and Moxie) who he loves dearly and also enjoys spending weekends exploring new restaurants, breweries, and stores with his partner. Additionally, he's a huge geek and enjoys board/card games, video games, and socializing with friends.
Email: alexbrwn@unc.edu
Twitter: alexbrwn1
Shannon Rausser,
Graduate Student
Shannon (she/her) joined the McElligott Lab as a graduate student in April 2024. She graduated from UMass Amherst in 2018 with a B.S. in Neuroscience. She then spent 5 years working as a research assistant in Dr. Martin Picard’s Mitochondrial Psychobiology Lab at Columbia University Medical Center researching the role of energetics in mediating the cellular and molecular response to psychological stress. Shannon is interested in the bi-directional signaling between the brain and body and how individual differences in interoceptive processing can influence the incidence and severity of psychiatric disorders. Outside of lab, Shannon enjoys painting, biking, and hiking.
Email: srausser@unc.edu
Twitter: @ShannonRausser
Salem Vinson, Research Technician
Salem (She/He/They) joined the McElligot lab in Dec. 2023.They graduated from UNC-Greensboro in 2023 with a B.S. in Biology and a minor in Chemistry. She enjoys playing JRPGs, rock-climbing, skateboarding and stargazing. He also has a loyal and amazing dog named Denver.
Email: salemvi@med.unc.edu
Luke Wykoff, Research Technician
Luke (he/him) is a Research Technician with a Degree in Neuroscience and a minor in biology and chemistry. He plans to gain research experience as he wishes to persue a PhD in Pharmacology. In his free time, Luke enjoys trying new restaurants, kayaking, listening to music and painting.
Email: lawykoff@email.unc.edu
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/luke-wykoff-09413422a
Isabella Girgis, Undergraduate Researcher, Neuroscience Major
Isabella Girgis (she/they) is a junior majoring in Neuroscience and I am planning on seeking an additional degree in healthcare. I am interested in Neuroscience research to learn the depth of its intersection with medicine. Specifically, I would like to gather experience in the research side of addiction to apply to harm reduction in the field. Outside of neuroscience, I am an activist who likes to read and workout!
Email: igirgis@unc.edu
Madhura Manjunath, Undergraduate Researcher, Neuroscience Major, Computer Science and Chemistry Minors
Madhura (she/her) is an undergraduate student majoring in Neuroscience and minoring in Computer Science and Chemistry. Her research interests lie in the molecular and cellular dynamics of the brain in substance use disorders. In the McElligott Lab, Madhura is involved with projects analyzing neural processes of alcohol use disorder. After graduation, Madhura plans to attend medical school. In her free time, she enjoys practicing music, trying new recipes, and exploring national parks.
Email:madhuram@unc.edu
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/madhura-manjunath/
Calista Cline, Undergraduate Researcher, Psychology Major and Neuroscience Minor
Calista Cline (she/her) is a fourth-year undergraduate majoring in Psychology (B.S.) and minoring in Neuroscience. Prior to joining the McElligott Lab, Calista worked with the Fitting Drug Abuse/HIV Group at UNC, where she studied the effects of cannabinoids on HIV-induced neuroinflammation. She joined the McElligott Lab in the spring of 2023 and her research primarily focuses on the behavioral and physiological impacts of opioid exposure. She plans to pursue a PhD in Pharmacology, where she hopes to continue her research on addiction and substance use. Outside of the lab, Calista enjoys hiking, music, traveling, and gymnastics.
Email:ccline@unc.edu
Gracie Kmiec, Undergraduate Researcher, former student
Ali Alvarez, former UNC PREP scholar, current Neuroscience PhD Student at Emory University
Grace Foland, Undergraduate Researcher, Neuroscience Major
Adonay Teklezghi, former Lab Technician
Christina Catavero, former Graduate Student, currently consultant at ClearView Healthcare Partners
Michel Anthony Companion, Ph.D., former postdoc fellow
Isabel Bravo, former undergraduate student graduated with Highest Honors in Biology and Honors in Neuroscience, currently graduate student in Molecular Pharmacology and Theraputics, Columbia University
María Luisa Torruella Suárez, Ph.D., former Graduate Student, Neurobiology Curriculum, currently postdoc in the Carrasquillo Lab at the NCCIH
Elizabeth Cogan, Ph. D., former postdoc fellow, currently Medical Writer/Editor at Education and Training Systems International (ETSI)
Karl Schmidt, Ph.D., former postdoc, currently a scientist at Davidson College
Patric Perez, former PREP student, currently a graduate student at University of Alabama at Birmingham
Brennon Luster, Ph.D., former postdoc, currently a Medical Scientist Liaison for Eli Lily
Shanaya Fozdar, former undergrad research assistant
Rani Richardson, former rotation student, MD/Ph.D. Student at UNC
Catherine Normandeau, Ph.D., former visiting student
Kedar Dange, MPH, former undergrad research assistant
James Hutson, former undergrad research assistant
Anna Jones, former undergrad research assistant
Greg Tipton, former lab manager
Gunjan Patel, former undergrad research assistant
Jessica Vandenberg, former undergrad research assistant
Viren Makhijani, former BBSP rotation student
Anze Testen, former BBSP rotation student
Gray Gereau, PhD, Former Ph.D. Canidate
Crystal Dezha, former PREP scholar
Jackson Murray, Former Research Technician
Diana Zhou, Former Undergraduate Researcher
Zoë Martin del Campo, Former Research Assistant