Maria started the NeRD laboratory in May 2017. She obtained her PhD in Clinical Psychology from the University of Los Angeles, CA and completed postdoctoral training in neurobehavioral genetics and developmental cognitive neuroscience. Broadly, her research focuses on ways to improve early detection and intervention in youth at high risk for severe psychiatric disorders. She loves to think about new ways to push the boundaries of science and adores data, data, and data. In her free time, Maria likes wandering through the woods, gardening, and spending time with her family.
Maria Jalbrzikowski, PhD
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Lab Members
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Rebecca Cooper, PhD
Rebecca (Bec) joined the NeRD lab as a Postdoctoral Fellow in October 2023, after obtaining her PhD at the University of Melbourne, Australia. Her doctoral thesis examined interconnecting relationships between adolescent sleep behavior, structural brain development, and emerging psychopathology symptoms. Bec’s research interests focus on adolescent mental health, and identifying predictors and antecedents to the emergence of psychiatric disorders in young people. Bec identifies as a lived-experience researcher and is an advocate for greater inclusion of lived experience and carer perspectives in research. In her free time, Bec does puzzles. You can follow Bec on twitter/X here.
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Mary Corcoran, BA
Mary joined the lab as a Clinical Research Assistant in January 2022. She is a 2020 graduate of Georgetown University, where she majored in Psychology. Her research interests include child and adolescent mental health, and in particular, improving access to mental healthcare resources and reducing mental health disparities. In her free time, Mary likes to spend time outdoors and cook and bake for friends and family. She hopes to attend graduate school and pursue a career in psychiatry.
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Rebecca Hayes, PhD
Becca joined the lab as a Research Specialist in April 2019. She obtained her PhD in Communication Science and Disorders from the University of Pittsburgh in 2018. Her research interests include cognitive development across the lifespan and the effect of neurocognitive disorders on inhibitory processing. In her free time, Becca performs with her comedy team, explores the trails on her bike, and spends time with her partner and their three cats.
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Beatriz Horta, B.A., B.S.
Beatriz joined the lab as a Clinical Research Assistant in June 2023. She’s a May 2023 graduate of Yale University, where she majored in Psychology and Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology. Her research interests include the intersection of genetic and behavioral techniques to study neurodevelopmental disorders and the implementation of early-stage therapeutic interventions. In her free time, Beatriz loves to discover new restaurants in Boston and to plan day trips to neighbouring towns with her friends. She hopes to attend graduate school and pursue a career in applied clinical research.
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Sanna Lokhandwala, PhD
Sanna joined the lab as a T32 Postdoctoral fellow in December 2023. She obtained her PhD in Psychological & Brain Sciences (Developmental Science) from the University of Massachusetts Amherst in 2023. Her research interests include sleep and cognitive development across the lifespan and how the mechanisms of sleep and the brain relate to psychopathology risk early in development. In her free time, Sanna enjoys exploring the vibrant Boston food scene, spending time with friends and family, and trying out new recipes.
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Rashmi Sahasrabudhe, MPH
Rashmi joined the lab as a Research Data Manager in June 2023. She obtained her Master of Public Health from Washington University in St. Louis with concentrations in Epidemiology and Biostatistics. Her research interests include maternal and child health, and using data-driven statistical analysis to inform strategies to eliminate health disparities. In her free time, Rashmi likes to go on hikes, practice Kathak, and play badminton.