Juan Mena-Segovia, MD, PhD

Principal Investigator

Associate Professor

I graduated in Medicine in 1999 from the School of Medicine of UNAM followed by a Ph.D. at the Institute of Neurobiology, UNAM. In 2003 I joined the MRC Anatomical Neuropharmacology Unit of the University of Oxford in the group of Prof. Paul Bolam and my research was funded by the Human Frontier Science Program and by grants from the Parkinson Disease Foundation (US) and Parkinson’s UK. From 2010 to 2015 I held a Medical Research Council Investigator Scientist position at the University of Oxford to further develop my research on the functional relationship between the pedunculopontine nucleus and the basal ganglia. In 2015 I moved to Rutgers University and established my own laboratory.

[Google Scholar]

Icnelia Huerta-Ocampo, MD, PhD

Research Assistant Professor

BNS Program Director

During my training, I completed Medicine and obtained a PhD from the University of Mexico (UNAM). I have specialized in the analysis of the ultrastructure of endocrine and neuronal circuits in the labs of Helen Christian (Dept Anatomy, Oxford), Peter Somogyi, Marco Capogna and Paul Bolam (MRC Anatomical Neuropharmacology, Oxford).  

Nadine Gut, PhD

Research Associate

I graduated in Psychology from the University of the Balearic Island, followed by an M.Res in Psychology from the University of St Andrews, Scotland and received my PhD in Behavioural Neuroscience (University of St Andrews), under the supervision of Prof Philip Winn and Dr James Ainge. I completed most of my PhD work at the Strathclyde Institute of Pharmacy and Biomedical Sciences in Glasgow, investigating the potential of the PPN as a target for deep brain stimulation to alleviate parkinsonian symptoms.

Yuwoong Kim

PhD Candidate

I hold a BSc in Life Science from Sangmyung University, Rep. of Korea and an MSc in Neuroscience from Stony Brook University, NY. Formerly, I studied the neuronal fixation of experts in problem-solving with fMRI technique at Brain Science of Learning Center at the Korean National University of Education. My Master's thesis topic was the functional topology of the subthalamic nucleus in terms of sex hormone sensitivity related to non-motor symptoms of the Parkinson's disease

Duygu Yilmaz

PhD Candidate

I got my undergraduate degree in Psychology from Bogazici University, Turkey. Throughout my studies, I have worked on various topics, such as circadian rhythms, depression, extinction learning, and stress, mostly at the behavioral level. As of Fall 2017, I am doing my first rotation as a PhD student in Mena Lab. 

Miguel Diaz

PhD Candidate

I am an aspiring systems neuroscientist who studies the basal ganglia, midbrain, dopamine, action selection, and motor function. My thesis work in the Mena Lab generally focuses on the heterogeneity of glutamatergic pedunculopontine circuits, with a specific emphasis on how these PPN neurons affect dopamine release and behavior via the SNc. The methods to be used in my thesis include: a variety of anatomical tracing techniques, in vivo electrophysiology, behavioral assays, fluorescent dopamine indicators, and computational analysis/modeling. I completed my B.S. in Neuroscience and B.S. in Psychology at the University of Texas at Austin in 2016 where I worked in the lab of Dr. Steven M. Phelps..

Giuliana Dimarco

PhD Candidate

I completed my B.S. in Biology at Texas Tech University (2014-2018), where my research focused on the effects of acute stress on short-term memory and attention in a mouse model of Alzheimer’s Disease. Since joining the Mena Lab in August 2018, I have focused on using neuroanatomical tracing techniques and electron microscopy to define the circuitry between the hypothalamus and MLR.

Sirin Zhang

PhD student

I hold an undergraduate degree in psychology and biology from Vassar College, with previous research experience in behavioral psychology, neuroscience and neuroeconomics. I’m interested in the circuit level mechanism behind valuation and goal-directed decision making.

Damilola Kalejaiye

Masters student

I graduated from Rutgers-University Newark in 2020 with a B.A. in Biology and a minor in Chemistry, I was fortunate to have interned in the Dr. Mena-Segovia’s Lab during my junior and senior year at Rutgers. While working in this lab I learned a lot about the underlying mechanics that go into Neurobiology research and I am gladly continuing to obtain my master’s with a thesis with the support of the great folks at Mena Lab.

Akshaya Sridharan

Part-time lab technician

I graduated from Rutgers Newark in 2021 with a B.A. In Neuroscience and Behavior and a minor in Psychology. I joined the Mena Lab as an undergrad intern working under Miguel Diaz and currently work under Giuliana Dimarco studying the circuitry between the PPN and the spinal cord. I plan on perusing a graduate degree in Neuroscience in the future.

Mikaéla Murph

Part-time lab technician

I graduated from CUNY Brooklyn College with a B.S. in Biology. I stayed at Brooklyn College to work under Dr. Mara Schvarzstein where I specialized in molecular biology and bioinformatics to study aneuploidy and chromosome inheritance mechanisms during meiosis. I joined the Mena Lab in September of 2021 and I look forward to learning the fundamentals of neurobiology research and Parkinson’s disease.

Fanyu Hercules

Intern

I am a Neuroscience & Behavior major at Rutgers University- Newark, working under Giuliana Dimarco as an undergraduate student. I'm working on my senior thesis at the Mena Lab and am interested in neuroanatomy and understanding the projections between the PPN and spinal cord.

Hajrah Iqbal

Intern

I am currently a senior at Rutgers-Newark majoring in Neuroscience and Behavior with a Pre-Health concentration. I joined the lab in January of 2021 and I have been working under Duygu Yilmaz during this time. In the lab, I am learning about anatomy, coding, as well as electrophysiology recording and after finishing my undergraduate degree, I plan to go medical school.