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Laboratory of Neuropsychology Laboratory of Neuropsychology (LN)

People

Elisabeth A. (Betsy) Murray, Ph.D. | Senior Investigator, Chief, Laboratory of Neuropsychology and Chief, Section on the Neurobiology of Learning and Memory
Dr. Murray received her B.S. in Biology from Bucknell University and her Ph.D. in Physiology from the University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston. The research of her Section explores the neural substrates of learning, memory, decision making and emotion. To that end, the research employs a variety of methods, including behavioral analysis before and after selective brain lesions or temporary inactivations, structural and functional neuroimaging, neuroanatomical tract-tracing, and neurophysiological recordings.

Ping-yu Chen, B.S. | Biologist
Ms. Chen received her Bachelor's degree in Biology from the Pingtung Institute of Agriculture, Taiwan. Before joining the NIMH, she worked as a research assistant in neurobiology laboratories at the University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX and Armed Forces Institute of Pathology in Washington, DC. Ms. Chen is currently studying the connections between temporal lobe structures and frontal cortex, and the routes of the fiber pathways connecting them.

Jaewon Hwang, Ph.D. | Staff Scientist
Dr. Hwang graduated from Seoul National University with a degree in psychology and received his Ph.D. in Brain and Cognitive Sciences from the University of Rochester. He is interested in the neural mechanisms of higher cognitive processes and has investigated multisensory integration, temporal reward discounting and self-control in the frontal lobe with neurophysiological methods. He is currently studying orbitofrontal cortex contributions to autonomic responses during Pavlovian learning and writing software for behavioral control.

Charday Long, B.S. | Post Baccalaureate Fellow
Ms. Long received her B.S. in Psychology from Kansas State University, where she studied the neurobiology of learning and memory in a rodent model. She currently uses functional magnetic resonance imaging to study the neuroanatomy of value-based decision-making in rhesus macaques. Her interests include: improving upon the longevity of surgical implants and veterinary medicine within laboratory settings.

Dawn Lundgren, B.S. | Biologist
Ms. Lundgren received her B.S. degree in Zoology from George Washington University. She collects and analyzes data from a variety of behavioral assessments. In addition, she instructs new staff in the methods and procedures used by the section in behavioral studies. Current projects involve the contributions of orbitofrontal cortex and ventrolateral prefrontal cortex to learning and decision making.

Pam Noble, M.S., M.B.A. | Psychologist
Ms. Noble received her B.A. degree in Anthropology and Psychology from the University of Arizona. She went on to earn an M.S. in Psychology and an M.B.A. While working at the Yerkes National Primate Research Center, and later at NIMH, she used behavioral and endocrine assessments to study the neurobiological basis of social dysfunction. Currently, she is using eye-tracking technology to investigate the role of the orbitofrontal cortex in learning and memory.

Joseph Reyelts, B.S. | Post Baccalaureate Fellow
Mr. Reyelts received his B.S. in Neuroscience from Brigham Young University. He studies interactions between prefrontal cortex and subcortical brain regions and their roles in value-based decision making via eye-tracking and neuroimaging.

Maya Zhe Wang, Ph.D. | Postdoctoral Fellow
Dr. Wang received her Ph.D. in Neuroscience from the University of Minnesota. She combines large-scale electrophysiology and causal manipulations (optogenetics/DREADDs) in 3D virtual reality foraging and choice tasks to study the neural circuits for goal-directed behavior and future planning. Dr. Wang studied circuit interactions between orbitofrontal and posteromedial regions and is currently studying the orbitofrontal - (entorhinal) - hippocampal interaction.
- Google Scholar: https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=Gj-bgOcAAAAJ&hl=en 
- full CV: https://sites.google.com/view/maya-zhe-wang/home 
- Twitter: @ZMayaW

Spencer Waters, B.S. | Post Baccalaureate Fellow
Mr. Waters received his B.S. in Neuroscience from Brigham Young University. His research interests include memory, social cognition, and the use of animal models in translational science. Currently, Mr. Waters studies the contribution of medial temporal lobe structures (e.g. hippocampus, perirhinal cortex) to recognition memory and spatial memory. He also studies how the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) impacts visual attention and arousal during presentation of social stimuli.