Principal investigator

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Jeremy Day
Jeremy Day

Director, UAB Comprehensive Neuroscience Center
Michael J. Friedlander Heersink Endowed Professorship
Associate Professor, Department of Neurobiology

Adjunct Faculty, HudsonAlpha Institute for Biotechnology

B.A., Auburn University
Ph.D., University of North Carolina

jjday@uab.edu | Google Scholar

Postdoctoral Fellows and staff

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Nathaniel Robinson
Nathaniel Robinson

Postdoctoral Fellow

Nathaniel received his B.S. from The Ohio State University and his Ph.D. from Case Western Reserve University, where his work focused on the genetic and epigenetic mechanisms underlying breast cancer metastasis. In the Day lab, Nathaniel is interested in understanding how transcriptional networks transduce experiential inputs and how these networks become dysregulated in substance use and other neuropsychiatric disorders. Outside of lab, Nathaniel enjoys music (as a patron and a performer), food, and spending time with his family, friends, and cat. Nathaniel’s projects in the lab are supported by the UAB T32 program in Genomic Medicine and an Emerging Scholar Award from the Civitan International Research Center.

njrobins [at] uab.edu

Emily Jorgensen
Emily Jorgensen

Postdoctoral Fellow

Emily received her double BS from Kansas State University and her PhD from the University of Wyoming, where she used behavioral and physiological tools to investigate the role of extracellular matrix structures in cortical plasticity and cocaine-associated memories. In the Day Lab, she plans to continue studying substance abuse and build on her previous work using molecular techniques to examine how changes in gene expression and corresponding changes in intrinsic excitability and synaptic plasticity, contribute to drug-seeking behaviors. Outside of the lab, EmJ enjoys skiing, hiking, mountain biking, and beach bumming. Dr. Jorgensen’s projects in the lab are supported by an NRSA F32 award from the National Institute on Drug Abuse.

Katelyn Varden
Katelyn Varden

Lab manager

B.S., University of Alabama at Birmingham

kvarden9 [at] uab.edu

Cathy Newman
Cathy Newman

Data Scientist

Cathy is a bioinformatics specialist interested in application of computational tools to understand sequencing-based datasets. Cathy received bachelors and masters degrees from the University of Alabama prior to completing her PhD in Biology at LSU, where she studied the evolutionary genetics of salamanders in the southeast United States.

Emily Morring
Emily Morring

Researcher III

B.S., University of Alabama at Birmingham

Graduate students

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Kasey Brida
Kasey Brida

MD/PhD student (Genetics theme)

Kasey is a dual-degree MSTP student in the GBS Genetics program. She received a B.S. in Integrative Neuroscience from Binghamton University prior to joining UAB. Kasey is interested in understanding the role of the extracellular matrix protein Reelin in striatal function. Kasey’s research in the lab is supported by an Emerging Scholar Award from the Civitan International Research Center and an F30 NRSA from the National Institute on Drug Abuse.

Dalton Fitzgerald
Dalton Fitzgerald

MD/PhD student (Neuroscience theme)

Dalton is an MSTP student in the GBS Neuroscience program. She received her bachelor’s degree in Psychology and Neuroscience from the University of the South in 2018, and completed post-baccalaureate studies at Yale University prior to joining the MD/PhD dual degree program at UAB. Dalton is interested in the molecular and cellular mechanisms that contribute to motivated behaviors, and the complexity of dopamine neuron subtypes. Her work in the lab is supported by the NINDS T32 program in the Neurobiology of Cognition and Cognitive Disorders.

Guy Twa
Guy Twa

Genetics PhD student

Guy is a student in the GBS Genetics, Genomics, and Bioinformatics theme. He received an undergraduate degree from UAB prior to enrolling in graduate school. Guy’s main interest in the lab is using computational approaches to understand large single cell sequencing datasets.

Undergraduate Students

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Ethan Wan
Ethan Wan

UAB, Undergraduate Neuroscience Program

Tanner Caton
Tanner Caton

UAB, Undergraduate Neuroscience Program

Lydia Slocum
Lydia Slocum

UAB, Undergraduate Neuroscience Program

Angela Cleere
Angela Cleere

UAB, Psychology program

Lab Alumni

  • Jennifer Tuscher, PhD (Postdoctoral Fellow from 2017-2023)
    Assistant Professor, Medical College of Wisconsin
    Jen is recruiting! See her lab website for more details.

  • Emma Andraka, MS (Master’s student from 2021-2023)
    PhD student at Icahn School of Medicine at Mt. Sinai

  • Adi Maese (PREP scholar from 2022-2023)
    PhD student at University of Utah

  • Robert Phillips III, PhD (PhD student from 2018-2023)
    Postdoctoral Fellow with Dr. Keri Martinowich at the Lieber Institute for Brain Development

  • David Reid (SURE-GM summer student in 2022)
    Medical student, UAB Heersink School of Medicine

  • Nicholas Southern (Undergraduate student from 2018-2021)
    PhD student with Dr. Dominik Niopek at Heidelberg University

  • Saige Thompson (SURE-GM summer student in 2021)
    Research Associate, Chroma Medicine

  • Abhi Kamanth (Undergraduate student from 2019-2021)
    Medical student, UAB Heersink School of Medicine

  • Jenna Hinds (Undergraduate and Research Technician from 2018-2021)
    Lab technician, Nubad LLC

  • Saakshi Thukral (Undergraduate student from 2018-2021)
    Healthcare consultant, Impact Advisors

  • Tanvee Sinha (Undergraduate student from 2018-2021)
    Medical student, UAB Heersink School of Medicine

  • Nancy Carullo, PhD (Graduate student from 2015-2020)
    Postdoctoral Fellow, Roche Switzerland

  • Salomon Roman (Undergraduate student from 2018-2021)
    Medical student, UAB Heersink School of Medicine

  • Allie Bauman (Lab Manager 2017-2020)
    Lab manager for Dr. Amy Nelson, University of South Alabama

  • Morgan Zipperly, MD PhD (Graduate student from 2015-2020)
    Research-track Psychiatry Residency, University of Colorado-Denver

  • Corey Duke, MD PhD (Graduate student from 2015-2020)
    Resident, Harvard University/Boston Children’s

  • Svitlana Bach, PhD (Postdoc from 2015-2019)
    Staff Scientist with Dr. Keri Martinowich at the Lieber Institute for Brain Development

  • Darya Hosein (Undergraduate student from 2017-2019)
    Clinical Research Coordinator, Emory University School of Medicine

  • Katherine Savell, PhD (Graduate student from 2014-2019)
    Postdoctoral Fellow with Dr. Bruce Hope, National Institute on Drug Abuse

  • Jasmin Revanna (Undergraduate student from 2015-2019)
    PhD student with Dr. Rusty Gage, UCSD/Salk Institute

  • Miguel Hernandez-Rovira (UAB SPIN student, Summer 2018)
    Medical student, Washington University in St. Louis

  • Kendra Bunner, PhD (Postdoc from 2016-2017)
    Assistant Professor, Indiana University

  • Faraz Sultan, MD PhD (Postdoc from 2014-2018)
    Residency, Rush University

  • Mika Guzman-Karlsson, MD PhD (Postdoc in 2018)
    Residency, Baylor College of Medicine

  • Michael Vivian (Undergraduate student from 2016-2017)
    PhD student, Brandeis University

  • Will McLean (Undergraduate student from 2013-2015)
    Laboratory Technician, UAB

  • Jordan Brown, PhD (PREP scholar from 2014-2015)
    Medical Writer, Meditech Media

  • J.J. O'Malley, PhD (Technician from 2014-2015)
    Postdoctoral Fellow with Dr. Mario Penzo, National Institute of Mental Health

  • Rhiana Simon, PhD (Undergraduate student from 2013-2016)
    Postdoctoral Fellow with Dr. Corey Harwell, UCSF

  • Roxanne Robidoux (Undergraduate student from 2015-2017)
    MD student, Université Laval

  • Andrew Brane (Laboratory technician from 2015-2017)
    PhD student, UAB

  • Guan-En Graham (Undergraduate student from 2015-2018)
    PhD student with Dr. Kasia Bieszczad, Rutgers University

  • Aaron Salisbury (Undergraduate student from 2016-2018)
    PhD student with Dr. Keri Martinowich, Johns Hopkins University and Lieber Institute

  • Julia Burke (SPIN student, summer 2017)
    IRTA/Researcher at National Institute of Mental Health