PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
Principal Investigator
Stephanie L. Leal, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor of Psychological Sciences, Rice University
Adjunct Assistant Professor of Neurology, Houston Methodist Research Institute
NARSAD Young Investigator
Editor, Nature Scientific Reports
Contact
Email: stephanieleal@rice.edu
Phone: (713) 348-8163
Office: BRC 775
Research Interests:
Dr. Stephanie Leal is an Assistant Professor of Psychological Sciences at Rice University and Director of the Neuroscience of Memory & Aging Laboratory. She received her B.S. in Biopsychology from the University of California, Santa Barbara in 2011 and her Ph.D. in Psychological & Brain Sciences from Johns Hopkins University in 2016 working in the lab of Dr. Michael Yassa. She completed postdoctoral training from 2016-2019 at the University of California, Berkeley with Dr. William Jagust. Her research interests focus on the neurobiological mechanisms underlying episodic memory processing and how these mechanisms are altered in aging and disease states. She develops and utilizes sensitive cognitive tasks, advanced neuroimaging techniques, and translates these methods to states of cognitive impairment. Her overarching goal is to understand the factors that modulate episodic memory processing in order to restore the system to normal function in disorders of mood and memory.
POSTDOCTORAL FELLOWS
Hannah Ballard, Ph.D.
Rice University Academy Fellow
NRSA F32 Fellow
Psychological Sciences
Rice University
Contact
Email: hkballard@rice.edu
Office: BRC 780C
Research Interests:
Hannah completed her Ph.D. in Neuroscience with a focus in cognitive aging at Texas A&M University in 2022. During her graduate career, she worked in Dr. Jessica Bernard’s lab where she examined the cerebellum’s role in functional age-related declines. At present, Hannah is a first year postdoctoral research associate in the Leal Lab. She received a postdoctoral fellowship from the Rice Academy of Fellows to investigate the intersection between preclinical Alzheimer’s disease and the menopausal transition. She will examine the effects of the interaction between reproductive aging and genetic risk for Alzheimer’s disease on the medial temporal lobe network and emotional memory performance. In her free time, Hannah enjoys doing yoga, playing piano, and exploring the Houston food scene.
GRADUATE STUDENTS
Lorena Ferguson, M.A.
Psychological Sciences
Rice University
Contact
Email: lferguson@rice.edu
Office: BRC 780B
Research Interests:
Lorena graduated with a degree in Cognitive Science from UC Berkeley in 2016 and is currently a fourth year doctoral student in the Leal Lab. She previously worked in the lab of Dr. Robert Levenson, where she examined emotional regulation in patients with neurodegeneration and their familial caregivers. In the lab of Dr. William Jagust, she assessed the neurological basis of memory changes across the lifespan in a novel memory task. In the Leal Lab, she studies the intersection of aging-related neurodegenerative diseases and neuropsychiatric disorders. In her free time, she enjoys reading, baking, and hiking.
Fernanda Morales-Calva, M.S., M.A.
she/her/ella
Fulbright García Robles Scholar
Psychological Sciences
Rice University
Contact
Email: fernanda@rice.edu
Office: BRC 780B
Research Interests:
Fernanda is a third year doctoral student in Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience. She received her B.A. in Psychology from Universidad Iberoamericana (Mexico City) in 2017; her M.S. in Clinical Neuroscience from University College London in 2019, and her M.A. in Psychological Sciences from Rice in 2023. She previously worked under the supervision of Dr. Robert Wykes (Queen Square Institute of Neurology), where she studied gene-therapy approaches to drug-refractory forms of epilepsy. Prior to coming to Rice, she worked as a data analyst in clinical trials. Fernanda is interested in the neurobiological underpinnings of episodic memory and its changes across development. She is currently investigating cultural and genetic risk factors of Alzheimer’s Disease and related dementias. Fernanda’s work is supported by a Fulbright García Robles grant, an APAGS Psycholgical Science Research Grant (PSRG), and a Social Sciences Research Institute’s (SSRI) Pre-Dissertation Research Improvement Grant (PDR), and copious amounts of coffee. In her free time, she enjoys reading, traveling, and watching movies.
Kayla Clark, M.A.
Psychological Sciences
Rice University
Contact
Email: kayclark@rice.edu
Research Interests:
Kayla graduated from the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor in 2019 with a degree in Biopsychology, Cognition, and Neuroscience and is currently a third year doctoral student in the Leal Lab. During her time at Michigan, she worked in the lab of Dr. Patricia Reuter-Lorenz studying the effects of training and concurrent transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) on verbal working memory. After graduating and having an interest in emotion, she worked for two years as the lab manager in the lab of Dr. Maital Neta where she studied the relationship between valence bias, emotion regulation, individual differences, and their neural correlates. In the Leal Lab, Kayla is interested in studying the intersection of memory and emotion by investigating the relationship between memory, music, and emotion in aging and Alzheimer’s Disease. In her free time, Kayla enjoys watching movies, reading, and spending time outdoors!
Madelyn Castro, B.S.
NSF GRFP Fellow
Psychological Sciences
Rice University
Contact
Email: mc151@rice.edu
Research Interests:
Madelyn completed her bachelors of science in psychology and minor in neuroscience from the University of Minnesota in 2018. She is currently a second year doctoral student. Prior to becoming a doctoral student and working at Rice as a lab manager, she was a clinical research coordinator at the N. Bud Grossman Center for Memory Research & Care at the University of Minnesota studying Alzheimers & dementia where she learned how to utilize imaging tools such as MRI, EEG, MEG, and PET-CT. Her research interests include the neurobiological mechanisms of anti-depressants and emotional memory. Madelyn’s work is supported by the National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship Program (NSF GRFP). In her free time, she enjoys being active, talking her lab mates ears off, and hanging out with her dog, Zeus.
RESEARCH ASSISTANTS
Aditi Velgekar
Aditi is a junior at Rice University majoring in Psychology and History with a minor in Neuroscience. She is fascinated by the connection between brain and behavior and her main interests lie in understanding emotion and its impact on memory as well as memory from a developmental standpoint. In her free time, Aditi enjoys swimming, biking, and trying out new coffee and brunch stops with friends!
Jacob Buergler
Jacob is a sophomore at Rice University majoring in neuroscience. He is fascinated by the intersection between biology and psychology as explored in the neuroscience of aging and the study of neurodegenerative diseases. In his freetime, Jacob Likes to play chess, go for a run (even in the Texas heat), explore national parks, and chill with his dog Yogi.
Ivanshi Ahuja
Ivanshi is a junior at Rice University pursuing a bachelor’s degree in Psychology. She is particularly interested in researching how genetic and lifestyle factors affect Alzheimer’s Disease pathology and other neurodegenerative disease development in diverse populations. In her free time, she loves to paint and draw, watch movies, and explore different restaurants in the area.
Ashwathi Nair
Ashwathi Nair is a recent graduate from UCLA who studied psychobiology and bioinformatics. During the summer after her junior year of high school, she did research on the effect of music on the feelings of Alzheimer’s patients. The experience kickstarted her interest in studying the mind-brain problem, with a focus on emotion and memory. She is currently applying to medical school while working as a research assistant at the Neuroscience of Memory, Mood, and Aging Lab examining how emotion modulates long-term memory formation. In her free time, Ashwathi enjoys singing, reading, visiting museums and playing with her dog Benji.
Inés Iriondo
Inés is a junior at Rice University majoring in Cognitive Sciences. She is deeply interested in exploring the multifaceted aspects of memory and how factors such as emotions, substance use, and age play into cognition. In her free time, Inés enjoys spending time with friends, drawing, thrifting, and exploring Houston!
Ella Zhou
Ella is a freshman at Rice University majoring in neuroscience. She is particularly intrigued by neuropsychiatry, human creativity, and neurodegenerative diseases. In her free time, Ella loves photography, music, and exploring cat cafes!
Ahi Ajayan
Ahi is a sophomore at Rice University pursuing a major in Psychology with a minor in Neuroscience. She is very interested in seeing the connection between emotion and memory, how memory changes as a consequence of aging, and is fascinated by the potential ties between music and memory. In her free time, she loves to sing, play the piano, cook, test out her latte art skills, and travel!
Madeleine Lucid
Madeleine is a junior at Rice University majoring in Psychology with a minor in Anthropology. She is particularly interested in how lifestyle factors affect memory and other cognitive processes. In her free time, she enjoys playing basketball, riding bikes, and listening to music.
Michael Tsao
Michael is a sophomore at Rice University majoring in Neuroscience and Cognitive Sciences. He is fascinated by the vast complexity of the brain and the role of biological processes in creating higher-order cognitive function. His specific research interests revolve around investigating the pathophysiology and novel therapies of neurodegenerative diseases, particularly Alzheimer’s disease. In his free time, Michael enjoys swimming, growing houseplants, going to concerts, and learning k-pop dances!
Thomas Witherspoon
Thomas is a sophomore at Rice University studying Psychology and Public Health. He is especially interested in the various forms of dementia, how they can present differently across cultures and populations, and how these groups can have unique perspectives on neurocognitive diseases. In his free time, Thomas enjoys listening to music, baking, and playing sports.
Thara Venkateswaran
Thara is a junior at Rice University majoring in Neuroscience and Cognitive Sciences. She is also part of Rice Naval ROTC, and will be an officer in the US Navy upon graduating. She is especially interested in the neuroscience of learning, the neural correlates of mental illnesses, and leadership psychology. In her free time, she enjoys working out, spending time in nature, and hanging out with friends.
Angie Cordova
Summer NSF REU Scholar
Angie is a third year undergraduate student at the University of Florida majoring in psychology with a concentration in cognitive and behavioral neuroscience and a minor in health disparities. She is particularly interested in the relationship between emotion and its effects on memory formation, including the neural mechanisms and brain regions involved in these processes. In the near future, she hopes to work with clinical populations, using neuroimaging techniques to better understand neural mechanisms of target disorders for biomarkers and treatment methods. Aside from academia, Angie greatly enjoys going to the movie theaters and trying out local food spots.
Michele Medina
Visiting Summer Student
Michele is a junior at Texas A&M University majoring in Behavioral and Cognitive Neuroscience. Throughout her time at TAMU, she has been involved in research on the cerebellum’s role in age-related cognitive decline, and investigating the relationship between hormones and Alzheimer’s progression. These past experiences have allowed for her interests in neural mechanisms of memory and neurodegenerative diseases to flourish! In her free time, Michele enjoys trying out new food spots, rock climbing, and painting.
COLLABORATORS
Dr. Fred Oswald PhD, Psychological Sciences, Rice University
Dr. Bryan Denny PhD, Psychological Sciences, Rice University
Dr. Pat DeLucia PhD, Psychological Sciences, Rice University
Dr. Margaret Beier PhD, Psychological Sciences, Rice University
Dr. Paul Schulz MD, Neurology, UT Health Houston McGovern Medical School
Dr. Louise McCullough MD/PhD, Neurology, UT Health Houston McGovern Medical School
Dr. Jennifer Gatchel MD/PhD, Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Baylor College of Medicine
Dr. Ricardo E. Jorge MD, Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Baylor College of Medicine
Dr. Joseph Masdeu MD, Neurology, Houston Methodist Research Institute
FORMER LAB MEMBERS
Eva Dicker (2019 – 2023) – Graduate Student (Now an Assistant Professor at Seattle University!)
Alexis Bailey (2022 – 2023) – Research Assistant (Now a medical student at Baylor!)
Sydney Bogan (2023 – 2023) – Research Assistant
Amy Lam (2023 – 2023) – Research Assistant
Michelle Sekili (2022 – 2023) – Research Assistant
Renae Mannion (2021-2022) – Summer NSF REU Fellow
Chandler Bannis (2022-2022) – Research Assistant
Gabriel Bolanos (2022-2022) – Research Assistant
Madelyn Castro (2021-2022) – Lab Manager (Now PhD student at Rice!)
Nessa Kim (2020-2022) – Master’s Student (Human Factors) (Now PhD student at Rice!)
Amritha Harikumar (2020-2021) – Lab Manager (Now PhD student at Georgia State University!)
Rishi Vas (2020-2021) – Research Assistant (Now a medical student at Columbia!)
Brandon Hayes (2020-2021) – Research Assistant (Now a PhD student at UC Davis!)
Taylor Phillips (2020-2021) – Research Assistant (Now a research specialist at UPenn!)
Lorena Ferguson (2019-2020) – Lab Manager (Now PhD student at Rice!)
The Neuroscience of Memory, Mood, and Aging Lab members in March 2023!
The Neuroscience of Memory, Mood, and Aging Lab in May 2022!
The Neuroscience of Memory, Mood, and Aging Lab at Stephanie’s house for a spring get together in April 2021!
Interested in joining the lab?
We have no open positions in the lab at this time. If you are an undergraduate looking for research experience, please fill out our google form for possible future opportunities. The lab will not be taking any new graduate students or postdocs this coming year.