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I grew up in Los Angeles, California and began my undergraduate education at Los Angeles Pierce College, where I majored in psychology and worked as a supplemental instructor and tutor for the college. While at Pierce, I had the opportunity to intern during the summer at UC Berkeley on an imaging study of emotion and cognition. I finished my undergraduate degree after transferring to Johns Hopkins as a neuroscience major, and worked for two years in the Holland lab there, studying the role of the amygdala and connections to the substantia nigra in motivation and attention. My interests are in systems neuroscience and neurological conditions involving memory and attention. I am enjoying living in Vermont; I have a big yard for my two dogs and love the year round outdoor lifestyle.
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After spending the first 18 years of my life in the same small town in Connecticut, I decided to explore the southern region of the country for its sunshine and hospitality. I attended James Madison University in Harrisonburg, VA where I shuffled through several majors including chemistry, psychology and pre-vet until I realized my passion for research. I worked in an undergraduate neuroscience lab studying the role of the vagus nerve in learning and memory. After graduation I worked as a veterinary technician for one year where I gained more exposure to the medical field and acquired a greater perspective for the impact of molecular mechanisms on the whole animal. Although work was rewarding, I was eager to return to school. The Neuroscience program at UVM offered all that I was looking for in a graduate program: friendly faculty and students, an integrative program with research that strongly supports the medical field and an intimate environment allowing for personalized attention. I am now a student in Margaret Vizzard’s lab studying pro-inflammatory mediators of the immune response and their impact on bladder dysfunction.
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John grew-up in Vermont. He attended Brandeis University where he got his master's degree in Neuroscience. This summer he has been doing a rotation dealing with the role of FGFs in a mouse model of Multiple Sclerosis.
In his free time he enjoys snowboarding, soccer, and golf.
 Dr. Kandel and Megan Doczi |
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Hobbies: snowboarding, photography, and hiking
Favorite book: The Alchemist
Favorite food: Italian
Favorite color: Orange
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I began my undergraduate education as an undeclared science major at Colgate University, an hour away from my home town of Homer, New York. If growing up on a dairy farm had instilled me with a general appreciation for biology and animal behavior, neuroscience classes at Colgate edified my fascination; we are only beginning to see where research on this exciting frontier will take us. I graduated in 2002 with a major in cellular neuroscience and a minor in biology.
Neurons interact in many more ways than the quintessential synaptic junction diagram leads most to believe. A large part of my research interest involves studying how proteins and growth-factors participate in neuron-to-neuron and neuron-to-glia communication. My undergraduate research examined the role of a schizophrenia susceptibility gene, neuregulin-1, in a neurodevelopmental animal model of the disease. Recently, I worked in Dr. Karen Lounsbury’s lab here at UVM. My project involved looking at new ways of investigating the changes in arterial gene expression that accompany hypertension.
I am very excited to be attending UVM, a school I chose because of its commitment to the whole of neuroscience as well as its many facets, great faculty, and awesome location. When I’m not studying, I enjoy skiing, riding, hiking, and painting. I also enjoy do-it-yourself remodeling projects and I’m currently retiling my kitchen and bathroom.
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I grew up in central Massachusetts and went to the University of Massachusetts (Amherst) as an undergrad. I double-majored in psychology and theater. It wasn’t until late in my junior year that I was introduced to neurology and began to reconsider my original career plan of clinical psychology. Rather than pursuing the study of pure biology or pure psychology, I decided that I was most intrigued by the bridge between the two: behavioral neuroscience. I took four years off after college to take classes in Harvard’s extension school post-baccalaureate pre-med program and to pursue research at the MassGeneral Institute for Neurodegenerative Disease (MIND). I worked in a Huntington’s Disease lab as a research technician for two years before being promoted to senior research technologist and lab manager. My current goal is to learn as much as possible about consciousness, emotion, learning, and memory. I eventually plan to teach at the university level and I may someday return to medical school and/or clinical psychology. I’m very much looking forward to getting to know the people and places that make Vermont so incredible.
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In 2006, I earned my B.A. in Psychology from the University of Oregon. Shortly thereafter, I began working as a research assistant at Emory University in their neuroscience department. As my first foray into the world of biological research, my experience at Emory galvanized my passion for science and compelled me to pursue a Ph.D. in neuroscience. As a new arrival to UVM, I am thrilled to be a part of the Neuroscience program and in the company of such an outstanding scientific community. At present, I hope to concentrate on research in areas focusing on the molecular and cellular basis of neural development.
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I have spent most of my life in San Diego, California. I attended Centenary College in Shreveport, Louisiana where I majored in biology and played varsity soccer. As an undergraduate, I spent my summers working for a biotechnology company in Southern California. Working in a research and development lab gave me a tremendous insight and appreciation for the concentration and commitment research demands. I am excited to be a part of the neuroscience program and to begin my work towards a PhD.
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I grew up in Northwood, New Hampshire and attended Wheaton College, where I received a Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychobiology. While at Wheaton, I worked primarily on two studies with my undergraduate advisor. During my first year in the lab, we studied mating-induced Fos in forebrain neurons of female mice. In my second year, we looked at the effects of bisphenol-A on estrogen-induced sex behavior in ovariectomized female rats, which became my Senior Thesis. These experiences in the lab led me to the discovery of my passion for research, and ultimately my decision to pursue a PhD in Neuroscience. I chose UVM because of the many opportunities available, as well as the warm and welcoming environment UVM offers. As a first year student, I look forward to rotating in different labs and finding the best fit for my interest in hormones and behavior.
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I was born and raised in Southern California. I received my BS in Biology with a minor in Neuroscience from the University of California Riverside. As an undergraduate student, I worked in a biochemistry lab where the main focus was biochemical aspects of plant hormones. In this lab I realized that I could see myself doing research for a very long time. Since my passion is Neuroscience, I decided to pursue a PhD. I commuted as an undergraduate and lived at home in California my whole life, so I wanted to take a chance and explore other areas. Of course, being in California you don’t see snow, so I decided I wanted to live on the East coast of the U.S. I looked into many schools but UVM caught my attention for their friendly staff and students plus the personal attention needed for each individual student. The transition to Vermont has been difficult, but possible because of the beautiful scenery Vermont has to offer and the nicest/helpful people I have meet here at UVM.
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As a second year student, I am settling in. Still a lot of classes to go, but I am now a member of the Nishi lab. I have a BS in Biology (Cell and Molecular), with a minor in Biochemistry, from Winona State University. I also have an AAS in Fashion Design from FIT in NYC, three sons, ages 14, 11, and 6 at the moment, a love of writing and arts, and a whole lot of real-world experience. I have worked many places, from Mayo Clinic in the Molecular Genetics Laboratory to the board of directors for Lake City Theatre Company. I write and read poetry. I also have been known to knit, make jam, volunteer, make costumes or design sets, dance, and write short stories and/or fantasy. I need to travel like the sun needs to shine, love sailing and music of all genres, and also have taught myself French. Despite having a varied tableau of interests, I am thrilled to focus in on neuroscience, which has been an area that has touched me personally time and again throughout my life. Being at UVM in particular excites me, as it is one of the few places in which I have truly encountered a willingness to embrace a diversity of backgrounds, giving the “alternative” student the opportunity to create their niche in the world.
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My interests in memory and cognition lead me to pursue my Bachelor’s degree in Psychology. I graduated from Clark University where I developed interests in studying neural correlates of memory and sensory perception. After receiving my BA, I returned to my home state of Connecticut to gain further experience in neuroscience research. I worked on a diverse array of research projects in two separate labs at the John B. Pierce Laboratory at Yale. First, I studied temperature and pain perception in a psychophysics lab. Next, I joined a neurophysiology laboratory where we imaged neural activity in the barrel cortex in mouse using voltage-sensitive dyes. Before arriving at the University of Vermont, I also worked on a project inserting fluorescent proteins into voltage-sensitive channels in order to genetically modify neurons that optically report their electrical activity. During this project, I learned a variety of techniques in molecular biology and electrophysiology. The strong collaborations that form here at UVM create the perfect place to utilize a wide range of research skills and have allowed me to begin to merge my interests in cognition, physiology, and biology.
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Lab
Dr.
JL Spees
Research interests
Neurogenesis, Stroke, Neuroendocrinology, Stem cell
Education
2004 M.S., Life Science, Himeji Institute of Technology, Hyogo, Japan
2002 B.S., Life Science, Himeji Institute of Technology, Hyogo, Japan
Publications
Bakondi B*, Shimada IS*, Perry A, Munoz JR, Ylostalo J, Howard AB, Gregory CA, and Spees JL. CD 133 identifies a human bone marrow stem/progenitor cell sub-population with a repertoire of secreted factors that protect against stroke. Molecular Therapy 2009 Epub ahead of print * These authors contributed equally to this work
Fraley GS, Scarlett JM, Shimada I, Teklemichael DN, Acohido BV, Clifton DK, and Steiner RA. The effects of diabetes and insulin on the expression of galanin-like peptide (GALP) in the hypothalamus of the rat. Diabetes 2004 53; 1237-1242.
Kusakabe T, Mishima S, Shimada I, Kitajima Y, Tsuda M. Structure, Expression, and Cluster Organization of Genes Encoding Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone receptors Found in the Neural Comlex of the Ascidian Ciona Intestinalis. Gene 2003 322;77-84
Fraley GS, Shimada I, Baumgartner JW, Clifton DK, and Steiner RA. Differential Patterns of Fos Induction in the Hypothalamus of the Rat Following Central Injections of Galanin-Like Peptide and Galanin. 2003 Endocrinology 144;1143-1146
Abstracts
IS Shimada, JL Spees 2009. Activation of endogeneous cortical neural stem/progenitor cells after cerebral ischemia. Annual Neuroscience Research Forum at Vermont Chapter of Society for Neuroscience Abstr 53
I Shimada, JL Spees 2008. Activation of endogeneous cortical neural stem/progenitor cells after cerebral ischemia. Soc. Neurosci. Abstr. 748.1
I Shimada, E Zelazny, CJ Forehand 2006. Leptin decreases c-FOS expression in the hypothalamus and pituitary of the chicken embryo. Soc. Neurosci. Abstr.60.27
I Shimada, T Horie, T Kusakabe, and M Tsuda 2003. Localization of photoreceptors, GnRHs, and GnRH receptors in the neural complex of the ascidian Ciona intestinalis. Annual Meeting of the Zoological Society of Japan. Abstract.
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I am a native of Rochester, NY and earned by B.S. degree (Honors) in Neuroscience from Union College (Schenectady, NY) in June of 2009. I majored in neuroscience and double-minored in philosophy and psychology. During my time at Union, I worked as a research assistant in the Healthy Aging and Neuropsychology Research Laboratory (Advisor and P.I.: Cay Anderson-Hanley, Ph.D.) and completed two undergraduate summer research fellowships studying the effects of biomarkers on the cognitive changes of exercise in the normal aging and neurodegenerative diseased populations. I completed my undergraduate Honors Thesis in Neurophysiology, Exercise Psychology, and Neurobiology through the Neuropsychology Lab at Union College and the Exercise Physiology Lab at Skidmore College (Saratoga Springs, NY) examining the mediating effects of brain-derived neurotrophic factor and insulin-like growth factor I on cognitive outcomes from videogame-enhanced exercise for older adults. I am now a first-year student in the Neuroscience Graduate Program at UVM. I am thrilled to have become part of such an innovative team. My current research interests include the biomarker mediators of cognitive change, the neuroendocrinology of emotion, and impulsivity. My hobbies include music (vocals and violin) and creative and technical writing.
Publications
Cay Anderson-Hanley, Joseph P. Nimon, & Sarah C. Westen (under review). Neuropsychological Effects of Strengthening Exercise for Older Adult Women. Journal of Clinical and Experimental Neuropsychology.
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Paul J. Arciero, Cay Anderson-Hanley, Joseph P. Nimon, Sarah C. Westen, Lyndsay DeMetteo, Naoko Okuma, Ryan Klein (2009 print in progress). Physiological effects of videogame-enhanced exercise for older adults: Results from the Cybercycle Study. Annals of Behavioral Medicine.
Cay Anderson-Hanley, Joseph P. Nimon, Sarah C. Westen, Lyndsay DeMetteo, Paul J. Arciero & Naoko Okuma. (2009 print in progress). Neuropsychological effects of videogame-enhanced exercise for older adults: Results from the Cybercycle Study. Annals of Behavioral Medicine.
Joseph P. Nimon, Sarah C. Westen, Lyndsay DeMatteo, Cay Anderson-Hanley, Paul J. Arciero, & Naoko Okuma. (2009 print in progress). The Theory of Planned Behavior and videogame-enhanced exercise for older adults: Results from the Cybercycle Study. Annals of Behavioral Medicine.
Sarah C. Westen, Cay Anderson-Hanley, Joseph P. Nimon, & Paul J. Arciero. (2009 print in progress). Mediating effects of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) on cognitive outcomes from videogame-enhanced exercise for older adults: Results from the Cybercycle Study. Annals of Behavioral Medicine.
Sarah C. Westen, Cay Anderson-Hanley, Joseph P. Nimon, & Brian Cohen. (2008). Neuropsychology Effects of Exercise for Aging Women: Role of Steroid Hormone Biomarkers. Abstract C071. Annals of Behavioral Medicine. 35(S1), s218.
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When Saturday mornings meant cartoons my favorite was Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, because the nemesis was a wily disembodied brain. Since then my interest in the nervous system has matured, some. I have received my B.S. in neuroscience, been accepted to fellowships, worked as a lab technician, and published as a lead author.
I chose to study neuroscience because the human experience occurs from the neck up. Research about the brain means we no longer ascribe mental disease to humor imbalances or spirit possession, we’ve begun to understand the circuitry that transduces stimuli into perception, and we’ve learned the nervous system is amazingly plastic ala nerve regeneration and learning. My goal is to expand our understanding of this remarkable system through basic research, and also to translate the findings for a wider audience. Careers along that line that interest me include science writing, science/program officer, and translational investigation.
THE BRAIN is wider than the sky,
For, put them side by side,
The one the other will include
With ease, and you beside
~E. Dickinson
Last modified November 12 2009 01:26 PM
