Lab Members
In January 2024, I began working as a Postdoctoral Research Associate in Dr. Bortolato's lab. Our research focuses on alcohol misuse, associated pathological aggression, and their neurobiological mechanisms. We aim to identify potential molecular targets for the prevention and treatment of alcohol-associated violence using a rodent model. Before joining Bortolato's lab, I completed my Postdoctoral training in cardiovascular electrophysiology until 2023 at Memorial University of Newfoundland, Canada. During this time, I studied the molecular mechanisms of cardiac tachyarrhythmia in a swine model of myocardial infarction. I explored how the onset of myocardial infarction contributes to the pro-arrhythmic elevation of spontaneous Ca2+ activity in the Purkinje fibers during the early phase of infarction, eventually resulting in an elevated heart rate. In 2018, I earned my Ph.D. in Cardiovascular Sciences from the University of Leuven in Belgium. My research focused on Adeno-Associated Virus (AAV) vector 8-mediated gene therapy for preventing Heart Failure with Reduced Ejection Fraction (HFrEF) in a rodent model. Before that, I completed my Master's degree in Molecular Biology in 2013 from the University of Skövde, Sweden, and a Master's degree in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology in 2011 from the University of Rajshahi, Bangladesh. These experiences have provided me with a solid foundation in research and academia in biomedical sciences.
University of Leuven, Belgium, PhD
Post Doc: Bortolato Lab
Office: L.S. Skaggs Sr. Hall Rm 25
I recently graduated from a Ph.D. program at the University of Siena, Department of Molecular Medicine, where I primarily work on predictive factors of vulnerability and resilience in major depression. I previously completed my bachelor’s degree in 2017 studying novel targets for anti-angiogenic drugs. I achieved my M.S. in Health Biology in 2019. During my MS program, I worked on the neurobiology of autism spectrum disorder and examined the potential function of fenofibrate as a new possible therapeutic agent. I also had the opportunity to investigate the role of sleep deprivation in psychiatric disorders and its effects on modulating neuronal excitability. I am currently a Post Doc in the Bortolato lab where I principally research pathological aggression and the development of novel therapeutic agents for its treatment. Outside the lab I love reading, listening to podcasts and spending time outdoors.
University of Siena, MS Health Biology, PhD Pharmacology
Post Doc: Bortolato Lab
Phone: 801-587-3352
Office: 25/26 L.S. Skaggs Sr. Hall
I have obtained my Ph.D. in Neuroscience from the University of Brescia – School of Medicine, Italy. During my academic experience, I have mainly worked on dissecting the molecular mechanisms of neurodegenerative diseases, such as Alzheimer´s disease, by using animal models and biochemical and molecular analyses. I have mainly been involved in project analyzing the pathways of programmed cell death, which lead to neuronal loss in several neurodegenerative conditions. Thanks to this experience, I was able to implement new and original approaches to neuroscience research. I am currently a Post Doc in the Bortolato’s lab, where I principally work on neurodevelopmental disorders, such as Tourette syndrome, to understand the underpinning mechanisms in order to be able to develop new therapeutical strategies.
University of Brescia, Neuroscience PhD
Post Doc: Bortolato Lab
Office: L.S. Skaggs Sr. Hall Rm 27
In 2019, I completed an A.S. at Weber State University focused in Biopsychology. I then began work at the University of Utah (Hospitals and Clinics) EEG Laboratory, and earned a B.S. in Neuroscience from Westminster University. Upon graduation in spring of 2023, I started research as a technician in the Bortolato Lab. My education informs my interest in Behavioral and Cellular Systems, as well as Developmental Neuroscience.
Additionally, before joining the Bortolato Lab, many of my presumptive research projects examined neural tube formation & early gene expression, serotonergic cell signaling, and combinatorial sensory encoding. I’m particularly curious how certain periods of development in concert with specific stimuli can change typical behavioral patterns in the long term. I’m also interested in the reversal potential and altered morphology of monoamine and gabaergic cells, as well as their implicated behavioral phenotype alterations - aggression and depression.
As a new research assistant I hope to better understand acquired pathologies, as well as challenge the traditional values of behavioral pharmacology. In this lab, we aim to develop increasingly accurate behavioral models, examine hormonal changes that often underpin neural function, and begin to unravel the complexities of personality across species.""
I am a graduate student currently enrolled in the Pharmacology & Toxicology Ph.D. program. I completed my B.S. in Behavioral Science in 2016, after which I spent the next several years working in industry as a behavioral technician. I later transitioned to a molecular biology lab where I remained until beginning my employment as a tech in the Bortolato lab in 2021. Here, I’ve gotten to explore my strong interest in behavioral neuropharmacology, where I’ve been primarily involved in projects investigating the roles of certain steroidogenic enzymes and neurotransmitters implicated in corticostriatal dysfunction. In my free time, I enjoy reading, playing board/video games, and attending concerts.