ABOUT ME
Education
Ph.D. in Neuroscience in 2008
M.S. in Psychology in 2005
Awards and honors
Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Award from the National Institute for Neurological Disorders and Stroke
B.W. Robinson Memorial Endowment for Neuroscience from Tallahassee Memorial Hospital Lloyd M. Beidler Fellowship from the Florida State University
New Investigator Travel Award from the Society for the Study of Ingestive Behavior
Postdoctoral research
Brain Endowment Bank at the University of Miami medical campus - studies ranging from a potential cure for the neurological disorder known as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, (or ALS, a.k.a. Lou Gehrig’s disease) to a specific addiction-related condition that was linked to sudden death
KiDZ Neuroscience Center at the Miami Project to Cure Paralysis - neurotrauma prevention and outcome research and establishment of the BikeSafe program
Scientific publications (a selection)
Metabolic and behavioral changes after ovariectomy
Metabolic and cardiovascular effects of long-term caloric restriction
Estrogen exerts its anorexigenic effect partly by suppressing an orexigenic signal
Cardiovascular effects of the orexigenic neuropeptide, melanin-concentrating hormone
An investigation into a critical brain region important for normal homeostatic responses to fasting
Instructor
Neuroanatomy, Advanced Neurological Mechanisms of Obesity and Metabolism, Nutritional Biochemistry, Integrative and Functional Nutrition, Professional Training and Counseling for Integrative Health, Advanced Nutrition for Health and Fitness, Applied Nutrition for Health and Performance
In my spare time
Outside of academia, most of my spare time is devoted to my family and two young children. When possible, I love to compete in endurance sporting events, practice mindfulness and am a passionate road safety advocate.