Lab Members
PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
Thomas Kash, Ph.D
Tom received his BS in chemistry from SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry (ESF) at Syracuse, then following graduation, worked briefly in the Medical Department at Brookhaven National Lab. He then moved to Manhattan for graduate school (Weill Medical College at Cornell University) and earned his PhD in Neuroscience working on GABA-A receptor structure/function in Neil Harrison’s lab. At this point, Tom realized he needed to ESCAPE FROM NY, so moved down to the Winder Lab at Vanderbilt University in Nashville, TN. While a post-doc, Tom’s work focused on examining the impact of alcohol and neuropeptide signaling on synaptic function in the amygdala. In 2009, Tom moved to UNC to start his own lab. Tom lives in the rural buffer between Chapel Hill and Durham with his wife, 2 children and many other animals.
POSTDOCTORAL FELLOWS
Lisa Taxier, Ph.D
Lisa started as a post-doc in the Kash lab in January 2022 after finishing her PhD at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. As a graduate student in Dr. Karyn Frick's laboratory, Lisa investigated cell-signaling mechanisms important for estrogenic memory enhancement, and asked whether apolipoprotein E genotype mediates the neuroprotective properties of estrogens in a mouse model of Alzheimer's disease. Lisa joined the Kash lab to gain experience in circuit-based approaches and slice electrophysiology, and is currently working to understand how the aversive properties of ethanol modulate GABAergic plasticity in the insula. In her free time, Lisa likes exploring nature, solving crossword puzzles, watching reality tv, and eating french fries. Lisa lives in Chapel Hill with her husband, Arie, and their two mischievous cats, Markie and Pushka.
Alison Roland, Ph.D
As a graduate student at the University of Virginia, Alison studied prenatal androgenic programming of the female reproductive axis and metabolic regulation of GnRH neuronal function. As a postdoc in Tracy Bale’s lab at the University of Pennsylvania, she studied the interplay among stress, sex, and neuroinflammation in regulating serotonergic function and anxiety and depressive behavior in mouse models. Alison joined Kash Lab in 2019 and has been working on a large collaborative effort looking at whole brain activity in a mouse model to study alcohol dependence. In addition, she has been examining the dynamics of extended amygdala circuits during alcohol consumption.
Sofia Neira, Ph.D
Sofia joined the Kash lab in April of 2018 and defended her PhD in January 2023. She joined as a postdoc in February 2023. A native of Bogota, Colombia, she received a BS in Psychology from the University of Central Florida and came to UNC in 2016 for a postbac program. She worked in the laboratory of Dr. Donita Robinson investigating the long term effects of adolescent exposure to ethanol. Currently, she is interested in circuit neuroscience, and wants to understand and identify the neural circuits underlying the interactions between stress and alcohol. When not in lab, she likes to go on hikes, do puzzles, and hang out with her three cats.
Brianna George, Ph.D
Sloan Markowitz, Ph.D
Sloan started their post-doc in the Kash lab in February 2024 after earning their doctorate at the University of California, Los Angeles. As a graduate student, they studied the neural mechanisms of PTSD using a rodent model. Their dissertation work focused on the effect of midbrain periaqueductal grey activity during stress on long-lasting fear sensitization and associative fear learning In the Kash lab, Sloan is presently studying the interplay of sex and alcohol consumption on endocannabinoid stress regulation in the hypothalamus. When not patching cells in the lab, Sloan enjoys bargain hunting at thrift stores and cooking with their partner, Mel, and their cat, Mu.
Mengfan “Summer” Xia, Ph.D
Summer joined the Kash lab as a post-doc in August 2023 after completing her graduate studies at the University of Kentucky, where she worked on the astrocytic adaptation of short to extended self-administration cocaine at the nucleus accumbens under Dr. Pavel Ortinski’s guidance. Throughout her drug use studies, she also gained experience with animal surgeries, handling and slice physiology, as well as morphology analysis. Summer joined the Kash lab to further study the extended BNST’s role in pain transduction, and is currently working to identify the sex-dependent CRF signaling interaction with chronic pain at the BNST. In her free time, Summer, a foodie, hunts for all types of dining spots, and she also loves nature and traveling to see the world!
Jobe Ritchie, Ph.D
Jessica Wojick, Ph.D
Jessica joined the Kash lab as a postdoc in September 2024 after completing her PhD at the University of Pennsylvania. As a graduate student, she studied how acute and chronic pain impact the affective circuitry between the basolateral amygdala and the nucleus accumbens. In the Kash lab, she is interested in studying the role of serotonin in the comorbidity of alcohol use disorder and other mental illnesses. Outside of the lab, Jessica enjoys hiking and traveling with her husband, baking complicated recipes, reading, singing, and spending time with her two cats, Poppy Cadillac and Rupert.
GRADUATE STUDENTS
Sarah Chong
Kalynn Van Voorhies
research staff
Lili Kooyman
Lili joined the Kash Lab as a research technician after she graduated from UNC Chapel Hill in May 2024 with a B.S in Biology and minors in Neuroscience and Persian. With ambitions of focusing on Comparative Physiology with animal models, she is working every day to gain valuable new skills in studying the effects of external stresses on the brain. She loves to read, watch movies, and spend time outdoors bird watching.
Maya Eberle
Maya joined the Kash lab as a research technician in July of 2024 after obtaining a B.A. in Biochemistry and Psychology from Vassar College. Finding a keen interest in unraveling the complexities of the human mind, she committed herself to studying the neuronal mechanisms of learning and memory and is currently researching how such mechanisms influence alcohol dependence. Driven by her passion for interdisciplinary work, she strives to acquire a Ph.D. in neuroscience, which she will use to investigate the genetic underpinnings of neurodegenerative disorders. Beyond the workplace, Maya enjoys hiking, playing her saxophone, and inventing new recipes.
Undergraduate Research Assistants
Maithili Kulkarni
LAB ALUMNI
Harold “JR” Haun
Meghan Flanigan
Dipa Pati - Dignify Therapeutics
Carol Gianessi - AAAS Fellow NIH HEAL INITIATIVE
Olivia Hon - Neurophotometrics
Kristen Boyt - Retired
Christina Stanhope - Graduate Student, Duke University
Waylin Yu - Inscopix
Andrew Hardaway - Assistant Professor, UAB
Dan Bloodgood - Dyno Therapeutics
Ashley Meadows - Research Specialist, Duke University
Catherine Marcinkiewcz - Assistant Professor, University of Iowa
Jeff Diberto (Research Technician/Lab Manager) - Ph.D Student, UNC School of Medicine and Roth Lab
Jennifer Jensen (Undergraduate research assistant) - Ph.D. Student, UCSD
Morgan Bowling (Undergraduate research assistant) - UNC Eshelman School of Pharmacy
Chris Mazzone (Graduate student) - Scientist Eli Lilly
Jess McKlveen (Postdoctoral fellow) - Program officer, NCCIH
Michelle Kim (Research Technician/Lab Manager) - Graduate Student, MSSM
Kristen Pleil (Postdoctoral fellow; Research associate) - Assistant professor, Weill Cornell Medical College
Nicole Crowley (Graduate student) - Assistant Professor, Pennsylvania State University
Jonathan Sugam (Postdoctoral fellow) - Senior scientist, Merck
Emily Lowery-Gionta (Postdoctoral fellow) - Lab Head, WRAIR
Cayce Dorrier (Undergraduate research assistant) - Graduate student, University of California San Diego
Alexis Kendra (Research technician/Lab manager) - Graduate student, Master of Biotechnology Program at Northwestern University
Chia Li (Graduate student) - Staff Scientist, National Institutes of Health
Alberto Lopez (Research technician/Lab manager) - Post-Doc, Vanderbilt University
Nora McCall (Research technician/Lab manager) - Post-Doc, U Penn
Ana Jijon (Research technician)