What Starts Here Changes the World
The University of Texas at Austin’s Division of Pharmacology and Toxicology attracts top students and postdoctoral fellows from all over the world. We are proud to build a culture where everyone has opportunities and a sense of belonging.
Current Graduate Students
Current Postdoctoral Fellows
Narayan Acharya, Ph.D.
Lab: Richburg Lab
Education: Ph.D., Texas Tech University
Contact: Email Narayan | Narayans' LinkedIn
Research Interests:
Mechanistic toxicology/Reproductive toxicology, Cancer biology
Alexis (Lexi) Campanile, Ph.D.
Lab: Fonken Lab
Education: Ph.D., Florida State University
Contact: Email Alexis | Alexis' LinkedIn
Research Interests:
As a postdoc in the Fonken lab, I'm interested in how immune function can become altered due to aging, and how this can lead to changes from the cellular to behavioral level.
Emily N. Hilz, Ph.D.
Lab: Gore Lab
Education: Ph.D.
Contact: Email Emily
Research Interests:
Endocrine disrupting chemicals, brain development, intergenerational inheritance of cognitive-behavioral disruption
Natalie Narawawong, Ph.D.
Lab: Nixon Lab
Education: Ph.D., The Medical College of Wisconsin; BA, Vassar College
Contact: Email Natalie
Research Interests:
My research focuses on investigating the role of neurons born during reactive neurogenesis on hippocampal structure and function.
Christy Lite Samuel, Ph.D.
Lab: Richburg Lab
Education: Ph.D., SRM University
Contact: Email Christy | Christy's LinkedIn
Research Interests:
Male Reproductive Biology and Immunology
Nishant Sharma, Ph.D.
Lab: Mukhopadhyay Lab
Education: Ph.D., National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research-Ahmedabad, India
Contact: Email Nishant | Nishant's LinkedIn
Research Interests:
I am interested in exploring the pathobiology of Manganese-induced motor disease, and how SLC30A10 is expressed and functions in neuron-specific subtypes to develop a tailored medicine approach.
Kevin Uribe, Ph.D.
Lab: Marinelli Lab
Education: Ph.D., The University of Texas at El Paso
Contact: Email Kevin | Kevin's LinkedIn
Research Interests:
My research interests are exploring how the endocrine system regulates the progression of drug dependency. Specifically, I am interested in how a previously ignored brain structure, the lateral preoptic area (LPO), incorporates glucose and hormonal signaling to modulate motivated behavior. My current research focuses on the mechanisms through which activation of the LPO reinstates cocaine-seeking behavior. Additionally, I am looking at how the glucose system in the LPO mediates the acquisition and escalation of alcohol consumption.
Jessica Wooden, Ph.D.
Lab: Nixon Lab
Education: Ph.D., University of Houston
Research Interests:
My interests lie within the field of behavioral neuroscience, and specifically, exploring changes to brain and behavior related to use and abuse of drugs and alcohol. My current research focuses on the role microglia play in mediating an adolescent’s susceptibility to developing an alcohol use disorder.