People

Monese Christensen, B.A. | Administrative Lab Manager
Ms. Christensen attended travel and trade school in Long Beach, CA and became a travel agent after high school. Prior to coming to NIH, she worked at the Office of Hearings and Appeals for the Social Security Administration. She first came to NIH in the extramural division with the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke before coming to NIMH intramural where she has been for the last 30 years. She supports the administrative needs of the staff in the Laboratory, including processing procurement requests, planning travel to conferences, submitting personnel actions, and preparing training requests.

Alexander C. Cummins, M.S. | Biologist
Mr. Cummins received his M.S. in Biology from George Washington University in 1984. He has been at NIH since 1987 working in the neurosciences. Currently, Mr. Cummins is a histologist and microscopist providing support for the research in the Laboratory of Neuropsychology.

Mark Eldridge, Ph.D. | Staff Scientist
Dr. Eldridge received his Ph.D. in Anatomy (Neuroscience) from the University of Bristol. His research focuses on understanding how the perceptual and reward value systems interact in the formation of visual memory in nonhuman primates. He uses traditional techniques (e.g., aspiration lesions and pharmacology), combined with the application of modern molecular tools (e.g., chemogenetics) to explore the neural substrates of recognition, categorization and stimulus value assignment in the inferior temporal lobe and interconnected regions.

Brendan Hines, B.S. | Post Baccalaureate Fellow
Mr. Hines received his B.S. in Neuroscience from SUNY Geneseo, where he conducted research on semantic interference in memory, spatial memory, and the attenuation of cocaine relapse. He now studies interactions of the ventromedial frontal cortex and temporal lobe structures in value-based decision making. He is also learning various techniques for investigating brain-behavior relationships.

Megan Malloy, B.S. | Administrative Lab Manager
Ms. Malloy is a graduate of Allegheny College with a B.S. in Neuroscience. She provides administrative support to the staff in the Laboratory of Neuropsychology, specializing in personnel actions. She also coordinates training for all personnel, monitors NHP safety training and assists investigators with preparation and submission of animal study proposals to the NIMH Animal Care and Use Committee.

Justin Mikanda, M.S. | Contractor
Mr. Mikanda has a B.S. in Computer Information Networking Systems and a M.S. in Computer Systems Security from Strayer University. He applies his technical expertise to the implementation, monitoring, and maintenance of laboratory information technology (IT) systems. Specialty areas include: network analysis, system administration, security, information assurance, IT audit, database administration, web administration, and more.  In addition to ensuring the smooth functioning of IT systems in the laboratory, Mr. Mikanda is responsible for purchasing new hardware and software.

Andrew R. Mitz, Ph.D. | Staff Scientist
Dr. Mitz received his B.S. in Electrical Engineering from Washington University, an M.S. from University of Maryland, and a Ph.D. in Neurophysiology from Emory University. Dr. Mitz conducts basic research and spearheads electronic, mechanical and software development for implementing novel solutions in the laboratory. He serves as a resident expert in nonhuman primate electrophysiology and supports a broad range of projects in the Laboratory of Neuropsychology.

India Stafford-Clark, B.A. | Administrative Lab Manager
Mrs. Stafford-Clark is a graduate of Georgetown University with a B.A. in Liberal Studies. She supports all the administrative needs of the staff in Laboratory of Neuropsychology, including planning travel to conferences, maintaining property inventory, preparing procurement request and submitting personnel actions. Prior to coming to NIMH, Mrs. Stafford-Clark worked at Georgetown University for 21 years and served as the Operations Coordinator for Cancer Prevention and Control.