THINK LAB

Dept. of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurosciences

Dr. Marusak is a tenure-track Assistant Professor in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurosciences, Wayne State University School of Medicine. She also has a secondary faculty appointment Merrill Palmer Skillman Institute for Child and Family Development and the Department of Pharmacology, is a Scientific Member of the Karmanos Cancer Institute and the CURES Center, and a Science Advisor for the nonprofit organization Kids Kicking Cancer.

Leah graduated from the University of Michigan in 2022, earning a B.A. with a double major in Psychology and History. She is interested in examining how adverse childhood experiences impact brain and behavioral development. Leah plans to apply to clinical psychology PhD programs for a Fall 2024 start. Outside of the lab, Leah enjoys playing with her kitten, powerlifting, and watching Marvel movies.

Sam attended Albion College where she graduated with a Bachelor's degree in Psychology, concentrating her studies in neuroscience. She is currently a second-year PhD student in the Translational Neuroscience Program at Wayne State University. Her broad research interests include investigating the neurodevelopmental mechanisms of anxiety- and stress-based disorders. Outside of the lab, Sam enjoys painting, photography, hiking, and other outdoor activities.

Aman earned her B.S. in Psychology in 2019 from Wayne State University. Her recent work at the lab has focused on the impact of perceived discrimination regarding sexual orientation on mental health and neurodevelopmental (e.g., brain structure) outcomes. Additionally, Aman has been interested in bridging the communication of research to the lay audience with her creative work in film. Aman will be applying to doctoral programs for fall of 2024.

Reem is a Computer Science graduate from Wayne State University as of May 2022. She is interested in software development and data analysis. Reem plans to pursue a long-term technical career and obtain a master's degree in data science.

Carmen is currently a third year undergraduate student at Wayne State University. She is pursuing a Bachelor’s Degree with a major in Psychology and Criminal Justice. She plans to pursue a PhD in Clinical Psychology and ultimately study the mental health of prisoners.

Aneesh is a medical student at Wayne State University School of Medicine. He completed his bachelor's degree in Biological Sciences at Wayne State University. He is interested in pursuing a career in Child & Adolescent Psychiatry and/or Neuropsychiatry.

Shelley is currently an undergraduate student at Wayne State University majoring in Public Health and minoring in Neuroscience. She is currently studying for the MCAT and her plans are to apply to medical school and specialize in Pediatric Oncology. Shelley has been a research assistant in Dr. Marusak's lab for over 4 years and has worked on several projects and co-authored 2 publications. In her free time, she enjoys spending time with her son and cat.

Jennifer is an alumnus of Central Michigan University with her bachelor's degree in Psychology. She is currently a second-year graduate student in the Basic Medical Sciences program at Wayne State University. Jennifer is interested in better understanding the biological and environmental factors that puts children at risk for development of psychiatric disorders and utilizing neuroimaging techniques to evaluate structural and functional brain changes associated with psychiatric disorders.

Mariya is currently an undergraduate student at Wayne State University majoring in neuroscience and minoring in psychology. She loves to learn about various fields of neuroscience, specifically developmental, cognitive and behavioral. Mariya is also interested in health psychology which ties in with her current research about the effects of exercise, meditation, and stretching on anxiety in youth.

Sarah is currently a senior undergrad student at WSU and in her last semester of her bachelor's degree in Exercise and Sports Science. Additionally, she will begin grad school in the fall to pursue her master’s degree. She also has an associate degree in business and plans on earning 500-hour yoga cert next year. She loves learning and working out. When she is not hitting the books, she is in the gym, doing yoga, or doing research on health and fitness. She also really loves being outdoors. Her favorite pastime is fishing, but she enjoys anything that involves camping, hiking, or being in or by water.

Jovan is currently a Medical Student at the Wayne State University School of Medicine with an interest in intervention development and translational research. He has a background in mental health research and cognitive development, and is hoping to build and add to this experience while a part of the THINK lab. He hopes to take this experience and leverage it as a clinician in the future developing interventions that can address existing gaps in healthcare.

Micala is a third year undergraduate student at Wayne State University with a major in Psychology and a minor in Neuroscience. After graduation, she plans to pursue a PhD in Clinical Psychology. Micala is currently a member of the social media team, allowing her to pursue her passion for science communication and making research accessible to the general public.