I’m a Puerto Rican scientist trained in Biology (BS) with a minor in Education from IUPR-San Germán, a PhD in Anatomy & Neurobiology from UPR-MSC, and Postdoctoral experiences in Psychiatry from UPR-MSC and in Neuroscience from Icahn School of Medicine at Mt. Sinai. Outside the lab, I spend time with family and friends with several hobbies. Adaption/Maladaptation: Balanced & perseverant / Every meal should end with something sweet. Email: fmartinezrivera@ufl.edu

I’m an Indian scientist with an MS in Bioinformatics from USF. Adaption/Maladaptation: listening to music constantly, cooking, and spending time gardening / indulging in sweets after every meal. Email: p.nagendirakumar@ufl.edu

I'm a Puerto Rican neuroscientist with a bachelor’s in biology and a minor in health promotion from UF. Passionate about studying the effects of drug abuse on the central nervous system through rodent models. Adaption/Maladaptation: Always listening to music. Email: rodriguezi1@ufl.edu

I hold a BS in Biology from UF, with career aspirations to perform research in microbiology, virology, and neuroscience. Adaption/Maladaptation: I can make a mean sports betting parlay and love to choose the underdog. Email: tgoold@ufl.edu

I completed a BS in Behavioral Neuroscience at Nova Southeastern University with a minor in Applied Statistics, Chemistry, and Philosophy. Now, as a PhD student, I’m studying the impact of substance use on approach/avoidance decisions. Adaption/Maladaptation: Love to explain difficult topics/often clueless about academic etiquette. E-mail: roberto.fileni@ufl.edu

I am an undergraduate (BS) student in the Psychology Program specializing in Behavioral and Cognitive Neuroscience with a minor in Sociology at UF. I am passionate about mental health and adaptive behaviors. In my free time, I enjoy volunteering, hiking, and listening/playing music! Adaption/Maladaptation: Stress eating work. Email: raginiaggarwal@ufl.edu

Hi, I'm a PhD student interested in studying the circuitry of how anhedonia affects socialization in the context of depression. Adaption/Maladaptation: I get congested when I eat. E-mail: acotelolarrea@ufl.edu

I’m interested in cognition and sensory ecology. I completed a B.S. in Biology at Wheaton College (IL) and a MS in Zoology at UF (Liao Lab; Laboratory for Marine Bioscience), where I studied swimming kinematics and sensory-motor dynamics in fish predation. While attending to a conference, I realized that my driving questions were sensory/cognitive-based, leading to a transition into the field of animal cognition neuroscience research. Adaption/Maladaptation: Loves to learn/Slow reader Email: david.sparks@ufl.edu

I am an undergraduate student pursuing a BS in Psychology specializing in Behavioral and Cognitive Neuroscience at UF. In addition to being an undergraduate research assistant, I am a guitarist, candle-maker, and an avid reader. Adaption/Maladaptation: I always want to try new coffee shops! Email: avabell@ufl.edu

I am an undergraduate student pursuing a BS in Psychology specializing in Behavioral and Cognitive Neuroscience with a minor in Health Disparities in Society at UF. In the future, I plan to attend medical school. Outside the lab, I volunteer with Solace at UF, Baby Gator, and I am the director of the Indian Student Association. I enjoy dancing, playing sports, reading, and practicing calligraphy in my free time. Adaption/Maladaptation: Breaking down overwhelming tasks into smaller, manageable pieces / I get sensory overload very easily when I go shopping. Email: deshna.soni@ufl.edu

I completed my undergraduate studies at the University of Florida, majoring in Microbiology and Cell Science. I am passionate about medicine, and in my free time I like to play tennis, go to the gym, and do chess puzzles. My maladaptation is that I wait until the end of the day to do dishes.

I am an undergraduate student pursuing a BHS in Health Science specializing in Applied Brain Science at UF. I am interested in topics related to the brain and neuroscience. In my free time, I enjoy listening to music, hanging out with friends, and trying newfoods/drinks!​ Adaptation/Maladaptation: I will take 2 hour long naps when tired. ​

I am an undergraduate student studying biology and nutrition at UF. In addition to research, I enjoy fostering animals, anything creative, and going on walks with my friends. ​ Adaptation/maladaptation: chronically arrive way too early to everything. ​

Nagheme Thomas is the Founder and CEO of LabAssistant, LLC, a leading scientific consulting firm based in Florida. Since its inception in 2017, LabAssistant has been instrumental in advancing research for over 22 academic and industry laboratories and Contract Research Organizations (CROs) across the United States and Canada. Under Nagheme’s leadership, LabAssistant has made significant contributions to numerous high-impact publications, leading to its reputation as a trusted partner in the scientific community. With a deep passion for science and a commitment to excellence, Nagheme has built LabAssistant into a company known for its rigorous standards, innovative approaches, and unwavering dedication to supporting groundbreaking research. Her leadership and vision continue to drive LabAssistant’s success, making it a key player in the advancement of scientific knowledge. Nagheme completed her undergraduate work at The University of Lethbridge in Alberta, Canada where she majored in neuroscience before relocating to sunny Florida, working initially as a laboratory technician and then as lab manager at the University of Florida, Department of Neuroscience. Subsequently, in pursuit of an advanced degree, Nagheme relocated to Phoenix, Arizona where she continued to work in laboratories at Arizona State University while earning a master’s degree, before moving back to Florida and subsequently developing LabAssistant, LLC. Outside of work, Nagheme enjoys spending time with family and traveling, trying to embrace the balance between her professional and personal life.