Heersink School of Medicine introduced four new research focus areas in 2022. Of these focus areas, Brain Health and Disease Across the Lifespan aims to improve understanding of brain development, aging, health, and disease.
The Brain Health and Disease Across the Lifespan Task Force launched Brain-PRIME (Postdoctoral Research Initiative for Multidisciplinary Exploration) in August 2023 as part of a major school-wide strategic investment in the neurosciences. The goal of the program is to foster a vital pipeline for diverse junior investigators to drive neuroscience research at UAB to new heights.
Join us in congratulating the inaugural cohort of Brain-PRIME fellows, listed below
Aanishaa Jhaldiyal, Ph.D.
Jhaldiyal is a researcher with a focus on neurodegenerative diseases, holding a Ph.D. in Cellular and Molecular Physiology from Johns Hopkins School of Medicine. She began her career in India with a bachelor’s in biotechnology from Amity University and has progressed through various research roles at Johns Hopkins, specializing in the molecular mechanisms of diseases like Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s. Her work includes significant findings on the role of PARP-1 in Alzheimer's disease. In addition to her research, Jhaldiyal has been actively involved in academic and scientific communities, serving as a review editor and in leadership roles in student organizations.
Research mentor: Erik Roberson, M.D., Ph.D., professor in the Department of Neurology
Abigail Schwarz, Ph.D.
Schwarz is a postdoctoral fellow in the Heinsbroek lab and is passionate about deciphering the underlying biological underpinnings for pain and addiction. Prior to science, her background was in theater and performing arts. She completed her undergraduate degrees in molecular neuroscience and theatre at North Central College in Illinois. She completed her Ph.D. at the University of Arizona. During this time, she investigated individual compounds from cannabis sativa and their therapeutic effects for pain management and opioid addiction.
Research mentor: Jasper Heinsbroek, Ph.D., assistant professor in the Department of Neurobiology
Allie Smith, Ph.D.
Smith received a BS in biology from Judson College in Marion, Alabama, in 2020 and a Ph.D. in neuroscience from the University of Mississippi Medical Center in 2024. She is performing her postdoctoral research at UAB under the mentorship of Briana De Miranda, Ph.D.
Research mentor: Briana De Miranda, Ph.D., assistant professor in the Department of Neurology
Hee-Kyung Lee, Ph.D.
Lee's academic journey is a captivating evolution from exploring olfactory learning and memory to delving into the molecular intricacies of the nervous system in C. elegans. With a strong foundation in neurobiology and genetics from Wonju College of Medicine, Yonsei University, South Korea, and a recently obtained Ph.D., she brings a wealth of knowledge and curiosity to the lab of Hao-Seng Sun, Ph.D., at UAB.
Her decision to join Sun's lab as a postdoctoral fellow underscores her commitment to
advancing our understanding of neurodevelopmental processes. Lee's research focuses on profiling the molecular composition of the C. elegans nervous system, aiming to unravel the fundamental questions in neuronal development and plasticity. By unraveling the molecular mechanisms dictating neuronal activity regulation, she is poised to carve out a significant niche within UAB's vibrant research community.
Research mentor: Hao-Sheng Sun, Ph.D., assistant professor in the Department of Cell, Developmental and Integrative Biology
Christopher Driskill, Ph.D.
Driskill grew up in Austin, Texas, and started his research career as an undergraduate working for Sven Kroener, Ph.D., at the University of Texas at Dallas, studying oxidative stress in a mouse model of schizophrenia. He stayed on for his Ph.D. to study the mechanisms using vagus nerve stimulation (VNS) for the treatment of substance use disorders. The main focuses were the role of brain-derived neurotrophic factors in VNS-enhanced extinction learning and how VNS alters activity in prefrontal cortex networks to reduce drug-seeking. He plans to build on his previous graduate work here at UAB in the lab of Jamie Peters, Ph.D., leveraging psychedelics for the treatment of substance use disorders and further investigating the circuits that regulate drug-seeking.
Research mentor: Jamie Peters, Ph.D., associate professor in the Department of Neurobiology