Meet the Robison Lab Members
Lab Personnel
Ken Moon
Laboratory Manager
Ken studied aquatic & fisheries biology and photography at Grand Valley State University. After graduation, he began working as a chemistry quality assurance analyst at Mead-Johnson Nutritionals in Zeeland, MI; followed by some research and development work in a cell culture lab at Alticor in Ada, MI. Ken’s academic career began at the West Virginia School of Osteopathic medicine where he was fortunate enough to study nicotine and alcohol addiction pathways with Dr. Chris Butt. He enjoyed his first three years at MSU working in the lab of Dr. Barbara Atshaves studying biochemical mechanisms of obesity before joining Dr. Robison and Dr. Mazei-Robison’s labs. Ken enjoyed a very successful career rowing competitively at the intercollegiate and international levels as well as coaching at Forest Hills Northern high school and GVSU, and still find the opportunity to study photography in his free time.
Melissa (Missi) Rogers, LVT, LATG
Laboratory Technician
Missi received a Bachelor’s of Science in Veterinary Technology from Michigan State University. She is also a Licensed Veterinary Technologist and a Laboratory Animal Technologist. Missi has 24 years of experience as a research veterinary technician and training specialist in academia. She has extensive experience with rodents in pharmacokinetics and toxicology studies. Currently, Missi is a surgical technician in AJ Robinson’s laboratory, focusing on rodent surgery, particularly jugular vein catheter placement in mice for self-administration of cocaine.
Meesum Syed
Laboratory Technician
Meesum graduated from Michigan State University with a bachelor’s and later a masters in Physiology. He completed his thesis work on pseudo allergic mast cell responses in the Subramanian Lab, investigating the inhibitory effects of lactic acid. Meesum joined the Robison Lab in January of 2023 to research the immunomodulatory effects of ΔFosB expression in activated mast cells. Outside of the lab, he enjoys slow pitch softball.
Post-Doctoral Fellows
Emmanuel Quansah, PhD
Emmanuel obtained his doctorate in neurobiology from De Montfort University. He then joined the Brundin lab at Van Andel Institute, where he investigated the effect of the kynurenine pathway enzyme ACMSD and the epigenetic marker Tet2 in models of synucleinopathy and Parkinson’s disease. In November 2023, Emmanuel joined the Robison lab. His current research focuses on the role of mast cell mediated FOSB gene expression in neuroinflammation and Parkinsonism. Outside the lab, Emmanuel loves jogging, reading, and spending time with his family.
Sarah Simmons, PhD
Sarah graduated from the Michigan State University with a Ph.D. in Neuroscience in 2018. She previously had worked in the Mazei-Robison Lab as a trainee. She is now a Postdoctoral Fellow in the Robison Lab at Michigan State University.
Graduate Students
Daniela Anderson
Daniela graduated from Universidad Ana G. Mendez in 2023, where she received a B.S. in Biology. During her undergraduate studies, she participated in the Bridge to PhD in Neuroscience Program at Michigan State University through which she discovered her passion for research and the brain. Daniela had the opportunity of working under Dr. Alexa Veenema investigating the role of the GABAergic pathway between the nucleus accumbens and the ventral pallidum in the regulation of social play behavior in juvenile rats. Daniela was later admitted to the Neuroscience PhD program at MSU in 2023 and joined the Robison Lab. Her current project focuses on the small molecule modulation of ∆FosB for the treatment of epilepsy and seizures. Outside of the lab, Daniela enjoys crocheting, camping, cooking, and CrossFit.
Victoria (Toria) Fex
Toria received a B.S from Michigan State University in December 2023 with a major in behavioral neuroscience and a minor in bioethics. In her undergraduate career, she studied aspects of learning and memory in rodent models of schizophrenia and addiction under Dr. Alex Johnson. Toria is currently enrolled in the DO/PhD program at MSU which divides her time between the lab and medical school over eight years. She joined the Robison lab in 2024 and is studying the role of the circuit projecting from the ventral hippocampus to the basolateral amygdala in anxiety behaviors. Outside of lab, Toria loves to paint, read, traveling, and spend time with her friends, family, and dog.
Ivana Lakic
Ivana received a B.S. from Iowa State University in 2018 with a major in Psychology and a minor in Biology. She is studying the effects of chronic stress in the development of affective disorders with a focus on sex differences. Ivana’s thesis project is on the role of androgen receptors in circuit-specific sex differences in mouse models of depression. Outside the lab, Ivana loves jogging, hiking, swimming, and spending time with her family!
Brianna Smith
Brianna graduated from Michigan State University in 2023, where she received a B.S. in Molecular Genetics and Microbiology. During her undergraduate career, Brianna worked in the Amalfitano Laboratory under Dr. Yasser Aldhamen investigating the molecular pathways of exhausted T-cells. Brianna joined the Physiology PhD Program and the Robison Lab in March of 2024. Brianna’s current research involves determining the epigenetic mechanisms of FosB gene expression in active mast cells. Outside of the lab, she enjoys swimming, reading, and spending time with her family.
Chiho Sugimoto
Chiho graduated from Miami University in 2015 where she received her bachelors in Biochemistry. At Miami University, she investigated the effects of inhibiting microglial activation prior to early life stress on classical conditioning in rats. After graduating, she worked as a research assistant in the Vorhees/Williams Lab and the Animal Behavioral Core at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center where she worked on a variety of projects spanning rodent models of toxicology and environmental stress to behavioral/cognitive characterization of genetic models. Chiho joined the Robison lab and MCIP program in 2020 where she is currently investigating the role of androgen receptors on brain circuits implicated in mood disorders. Outside of the lab, Chiho enjoys the outdoors and spending time with friends and dogs.
Undergraduate Students
Juliana Benitah Botelho
Juliana is a Neuroscience major in her junior year at Michigan State University
Shruthi Pillai
Shruthi is a Neuroscience major in her senior year at Michigan State University.
Laura Furletti Santiago
Laura is a Neuroscience major in her junior year at Michigan State University.
Grace Stys
Grace is a Neuroscience major in her senior year at Michigan State University.
Post-Doctoral Alumni
Andrew Eagle, PhD
Andrew worked in the Robison Lab as a postdoc and a Research Professor
from 2013 to 2023. He is now a tenure-track Assistant Professor at UT Dallas.
Natalia Duque-Wilckens, DVM, PhD
Natalia was a joint postdoc the Robison and Moeser Labs from 2018 to 2022.
She is now a tenure-track Assistant Professor at NC State.
Graduate Student Alumni
Christine Kwiatkowski, PhD
Christine graduated from the Robison Lab with a
PhD in both Neuroscience and Criminal Justice in
2021. She is now a State Assistant Administrator, Training and Research, with the Michigan State Police.
Haley Lynch, PhD
Haley graduated from the Robison Lab with a
PhD in Physiology in 2021. She is now a Senior
Scientist at Ionis Pharmaceuticals.
Kaitlin Durga, MS
Kaitlin graduated from the Robison Lab with an
M.S. in Physiology in 2020. She is now a Clinical Research Associate at Morair Medtech.
Liz Williams, MD/PhD
Liz graduated from the Robison Lab with an
MD/PhD in Pharmacology in 2019. She is now a Resident Physician at University of Michigan.
Claire Manning, PhD
Claire graduated from the Robison Lab with a
PhD in Neuroscience in 2019. She is now a
scientist at Astellas Gene Therapies.
Paula Gajewski-Kurdziel, PhD
Paula graduated from the Robison Lab with a
PhD in Genetics in 2017. She is now an Assistant Professor at Florida Atlantic University.
Undergraduate Student Alumni
Ashley Harlock
Ashley joined the Robison Lab
in 2022. She graduated from
Michigan State University with a
B.S. in Neuroscience in 2024.
Hayley Kuhn
Haley joined the Robison Lab
in 2019. She graduated from
Michigan State University with a
B.S. in Neuroscience and Sociology in 2022.
Emily Steffke
Emily graduated from
Michigan State University
with a B.S. in Neuroscience and Sociology in 2022.
Audrianna St. Germain
Audrianna joined the Robison Lab
in 2016. She graduated from
Michigan State University
with a B.S. in Physiology in 2020.
Alexis Wirtz
Alexis graduated from
Michigan State University
with a B.S. in Neuroscience, 2017
Lauren Gron
Lauren graduated from
Michigan State University
with a B.S. in Neuroscience, 2017
Karina Matos
Karina joined the Robison Lab
as a Bridge to PhD in Neurosciences Program (BPNP) summer student. She graduated with B.A. in Psychology and Mental Health from University of Puerto
Rico in Ponce in 2019.
Lorina Gallegos
Lorina joined the Robison Lab
as a Bridge to PhD in Neurosciences Program (BPNP) summer student. She graduated with a B.S. in Radiological Sciences from University of New Mexico in 2018.
Sam Tauscher
Sam graduated from
Michigan State University
with a B.S. in Neuroscience, 2016.
Mackenzie Thibault
Mackenzie graduated from
Michigan State University
with a B.S. in Neuroscience, 2016.