Lab Director

David Dodell-Feder, PhD
Assistant Professor of Psychology, University of Rochester
Assistant Professor of Neuroscience, University of Rochester Medical Center
Staff

Jojo Dong, B.A.
Lab Manager
xiaoyu.dong@rochester.edu
Jojo graduated from Vanderbilt University in 2022 with a B.A. in Psychology. Broadly, Jojo’s interests include social and emotional functioning in individuals with schizophrenia-spectrum disorders. In her spare time, Jojo enjoys going on walks, writing, and practicing photography.
Graduate Students

Abhishek Saxena, M.A.
Clinical Psychology PhD Student
asaxena8@ur.rochester.edu
Abhi’s research investigates the role of socio-cultural and environmental factors on neural social information processing in relationship to risk for severe mental illness. More specifically, Abhi is interested in how experiences of chronic social defeat and isolation may increase risk for psychopathology and if social cohesion can act as a buffer. Abhi has particular interest in psychosis-risk among adolescents and young adults, as well as in the experiences of minorities (e.g., racial, immigrant, sexual, gender, etc). Additionally, Abhi is interested in the potential diagnostic and therapeutic applications of neuroplasticity and neuromodulation in relation to psychopathology.

Bridget Shovestul, M.A.
Clinical Psychology PhD Student
bshovest@.rochester.edu
Bridget’s research examines how negative perceptions of one’s social environment might explain the exacerbation and precipitation of social-cognitive and pleasure deficits in individuals with schizophrenia-spectrum disorders. To the extent that negative perceptions are due to faulty information-processing, she is interested in how we can use fMRI to help explain these deficits and their relationship to pernicious symptoms, such as social anhedonia. Additionally, Bridget is interested in how these relationships may differ when negative perceptions are instead a product of recognized, adverse treatment (e.g., discrimination).

Lisa Lin, M.A.
Clinical Psychology PhD Student
lisa.lin@rochester.edu
Lisa’s research focuses on using computerized methods to quantify the degree of coordination of nonverbal behaviors (i.e., nonverbal synchrony) between pairs of individuals during social interactions. She is interested in understanding the role that nonverbal synchrony plays in various types of social interactions and how the degree of nonverbal synchrony may be predictive of both clinical and social outcomes.

Beth Kruse, B.S.
Clinical Psychology PhD Student
ekruse2@ur.rochester.edu
Beth’s research interests revolve around psychotic spectrum disorders, social cognition, and MR imaging. She is particularly interested in the onset and progression of social functioning deficits across the psychosis spectrum, and disruptions in the underlying structural neural circuitry involved. Additionally, she is interested in the degree to which volitional control can be employed by individuals with psychotic disorders to regulate brain activity in key pathways associated with social cognition. In her free time, she enjoys baking, reading, running, hiking, and camping!

Emily Przysinda, B.A.
MD/Neuroscience PhD Student
Research Assistants

Chenyuan Qu

Rachel Seo

Brooke Gotthelf

Catherine (Chrys) Lee

Brian Taliano

Elena Barr
Collaborators
Steve Silverstein, Departments of Psychiatry, Neuroscience and Ophthalmology, University of Rochester Medical Center
Judy Thompson, Departments of Psychiatry and Neuroscience, University of Rochester Medical Center
Brian Keane, Departments of Psychiatry and Neuroscience, University of Rochester Medical Center
Laura Germine, Institute for Technology in Psychiatry/Department of Psychiatry, McLean Hospital/Harvard Medical School
Christine Hooker, Department of Psychiatry, Rush University Medical Center
M. Ehsan Hoque, Computer Science Department, Goergen Institute for Data Science, University of Rochester
Edmund C. Lalor, Departments of Biomedical Engineering and Neuroscience, University of Rochester/University of Rochester Medical Center
J. Steven Lamberti, Department of Psychiatry, University of Rochester Medical Center
Feng V. Lin, School of Nursing, University of Rochester Medical Center
Diana Tamir, Department of Psychology, Princeton University
Lab Alumni
Aaron Johnson
Abby Strugger
Aly Chenaille
Angie Chen, B.S.
Human Subject Research Coordinator, University of Rochester Medical Center
Arisha Ansari, B.A.
Graduate Student, Boston University Medical Sciences
Chenwei Wu, B.S.
Technology Analyst, Credit Suisse New York
Daniella Deis, B.S.
Elizabeth (Lizzie) Schupbach, B.S.
Emanuela Natali, B.A.
Healthcare Informatics Analyst
Emily Dudek, B.S.
Clinical Research Coordinator, The Brain Injury Research Center of Mount Sinai
Emma Saubermann, B.S.
Epiphany Adams
Gloria Liu, B.A.
Rochester Optical Research & Development Department Administrator
Isabel Adeniji
Jessica Woodyatt, MSc
Jiayin Han, B.S.
Graduate Student, Carnegie Mellon University
Jonathan Lai
Kailin Zhuang, B.S.
Lab Manager; Jagust Lab, University of California, Berkeley
Lia Rodriguez
Madeline Ruoff
Mars Scharf, B.A.
Research Assistant; Lowe Lab, Drexel University
Natasha Kruelski
Nicole Calcagno, B.S.
NIH Postbac Intramural Research Training Award (IRTA); Lab of Behavioral Neuroscience, National Institute on Aging
Nya Robinson
Paige Amormino, A.B.
Pyschology PhD Student, Georgetown University
Rachel Bordonaro, B.A.
Patient Care Technician, Unity Hospital Emergency Department
Sanoelani Lanais, B.A.
Clinical Research Coordinator, Finger Lakes Clinical Research
Sara Signorelli, B.A.
Research Associate in K-12 Education at Hanover Research in Arlington, VA
Sarah Preuss
Shangzan (Sunny) Liu, B.S.
Research Analyst with the Morality Lab at Boston College
Siddhant Iyer, B.A.
Research Assistant at the Dartmouth Social Neuroscience Lab
Stephanie Reda, B.A.
Senior Analyst, Consumer Insights at Peacock, NBCUniversal
Tori Popov, M.S.
Drs. Foxe and Freedman’s Cognitive Neurophysiology Lab (CNL)
Yiheng Hua