Investigating the Diabetic Brain:
The Effects of Thiazolidinediones and Insulin on Alzheimer's Disease
An undergraduate research team studying Alzheimer's Disease in the University of Maryland Gemstone Honors Program
The Effects of Thiazolidinediones and Insulin on Alzheimer's Disease
An undergraduate research team studying Alzheimer's Disease in the University of Maryland Gemstone Honors Program
Dr. Kara Duffy
Team Mentor
Neurobiology
Ph.D. - University of Maryland, College Park, 2012
Dr. Duffy's interest in neuroscience began with a focus on the interplay between aging and neurodegenerative disease. While working at the National Institute on Aging and throughout graduate school she developed expertise and used research methods to examine behavior, brain aging, Alzheimer's disease and translational approaches for studying human health.
Team Mentor
Neurobiology
Ph.D. - University of Maryland, College Park, 2012
Dr. Duffy's interest in neuroscience began with a focus on the interplay between aging and neurodegenerative disease. While working at the National Institute on Aging and throughout graduate school she developed expertise and used research methods to examine behavior, brain aging, Alzheimer's disease and translational approaches for studying human health.
Dr. Thomas W. Castonguay
Primary Investigator
Nutrition & Food Science
Post-Doc in Nutrition. University of California - Davis CA. 1980-82
Post-Doc in Psychology. Florida St. Univ., Tallahassee, FL. 1978-79
Ph.D. in Psychology. Rutgers Univ., New Brunswick, NJ. 1978
M.S. in Psychology. Mt. Holyoke Coll., So. Hadley, MA. 1975
B.S. in Psychology. Framingham St. Coll., Framingham, MA. 1973
University of Maryland at College Park Awards:
Certificate of Teaching Excellence award, 2002
Certificate of Teaching Excellence award, 2000
Certificate of Teaching Excellence award, 1998
Agriculture and Natural Resources Alumni Association Excellence in Research award, 1997
Dr. Castonguay researches the mechanisms that control food intake and body composition. In particular, his research focuses on how glucoregulation is achieved and how dietary obesity can be explained in part as a failure of glucoregulation.
Primary Investigator
Nutrition & Food Science
Post-Doc in Nutrition. University of California - Davis CA. 1980-82
Post-Doc in Psychology. Florida St. Univ., Tallahassee, FL. 1978-79
Ph.D. in Psychology. Rutgers Univ., New Brunswick, NJ. 1978
M.S. in Psychology. Mt. Holyoke Coll., So. Hadley, MA. 1975
B.S. in Psychology. Framingham St. Coll., Framingham, MA. 1973
University of Maryland at College Park Awards:
Certificate of Teaching Excellence award, 2002
Certificate of Teaching Excellence award, 2000
Certificate of Teaching Excellence award, 1998
Agriculture and Natural Resources Alumni Association Excellence in Research award, 1997
Dr. Castonguay researches the mechanisms that control food intake and body composition. In particular, his research focuses on how glucoregulation is achieved and how dietary obesity can be explained in part as a failure of glucoregulation.
Nedelina Tchangalova, MLS
Team Librarian
Chemical Engineering and Education
M.S. - Chemical and Metallurgical University, Sofia, Bulgaria, 1995
MLS - University of Maryland, College Park, 2004
Nedelina was a fellow at Chesapeake Information and Research Library Alliance at Georgetown University, a Science Reference Librarian at Howard County Public Library in Columbia, Maryland, and now works as a librarian in the Engineering & Physical Sciences Library at the University of Maryland, College Park. She is currently the librarian for the class of 2015 teams EPIDEMICS and SILVER, and the class of 2016 teams BRAIN BLAST and BURN THERAPY.
Team Librarian
Chemical Engineering and Education
M.S. - Chemical and Metallurgical University, Sofia, Bulgaria, 1995
MLS - University of Maryland, College Park, 2004
Nedelina was a fellow at Chesapeake Information and Research Library Alliance at Georgetown University, a Science Reference Librarian at Howard County Public Library in Columbia, Maryland, and now works as a librarian in the Engineering & Physical Sciences Library at the University of Maryland, College Park. She is currently the librarian for the class of 2015 teams EPIDEMICS and SILVER, and the class of 2016 teams BRAIN BLAST and BURN THERAPY.
Tanya Bagheri
Major: Finance and International Business
Scheduling Sub-team, Writing Sub-team
In her free time, Tanya enjoys playing tennis, running, volunteering with K.E.E.N., and crafting. She is also an active member of Alpha Omicron Pi and Maryland Images.
Major: Finance and International Business
Scheduling Sub-team, Writing Sub-team
In her free time, Tanya enjoys playing tennis, running, volunteering with K.E.E.N., and crafting. She is also an active member of Alpha Omicron Pi and Maryland Images.
Vincent Bennett
Major: Supply Chain Management and Operations Management and Data Analytics
Funding Sub-team, Data Sub-Team
After the University of Maryland, Vinny is interested in consulting and data analytics. On campus he is involved in AKPsi, a professional business fraternity, and in a student consulting group. He became interested in the project because of his curiosity about the workings of the brain.
Major: Supply Chain Management and Operations Management and Data Analytics
Funding Sub-team, Data Sub-Team
After the University of Maryland, Vinny is interested in consulting and data analytics. On campus he is involved in AKPsi, a professional business fraternity, and in a student consulting group. He became interested in the project because of his curiosity about the workings of the brain.
Annelise Buck
Major: Environmental Science and Policy
Minor: Global Poverty
Mice Lab Sub-team, Writing Sub-Team
Annelise is from Annapolis, Maryland. She enjoys her involvement in Alternative Breaks and her sorority, Alpha Phi. While she is very undecided about exactly what she wants to do with her major and minor, she knows she wants to make a difference in the world. In her spare time, she enjoys watching her TV shows, eating, and spending time with her family and friends.
Major: Environmental Science and Policy
Minor: Global Poverty
Mice Lab Sub-team, Writing Sub-Team
Annelise is from Annapolis, Maryland. She enjoys her involvement in Alternative Breaks and her sorority, Alpha Phi. While she is very undecided about exactly what she wants to do with her major and minor, she knows she wants to make a difference in the world. In her spare time, she enjoys watching her TV shows, eating, and spending time with her family and friends.
Kelles Gordge
Major: Mechanical Engineering
Minor: Engineering Leadership Development
Scheduling Sub-team, Data Sub-team
Kelles is an aspiring engineer who wants to invent something that will change the world. She is very adventurous and loves to travel. She is also a current member in Alpha Omega Epsilon, an engineering sorority. Above all she enjoys reading and spending time with friends.
Major: Mechanical Engineering
Minor: Engineering Leadership Development
Scheduling Sub-team, Data Sub-team
Kelles is an aspiring engineer who wants to invent something that will change the world. She is very adventurous and loves to travel. She is also a current member in Alpha Omega Epsilon, an engineering sorority. Above all she enjoys reading and spending time with friends.
Ilana Green
Major: Physiology/Neurobiology and Psychology
Chemistry Lab Sub-team, Data Sub-team
Ilana is a neuroscience nerd, and hopes to attend medical school after her time at UMD. She loves to cook, play with her dog, and play trumpet! Outside of the Gemstone Program, she plays in the UMD band, works at UMD's peer counseling and crisis hotline, and does research on music's effect on the brain.
Major: Physiology/Neurobiology and Psychology
Chemistry Lab Sub-team, Data Sub-team
Ilana is a neuroscience nerd, and hopes to attend medical school after her time at UMD. She loves to cook, play with her dog, and play trumpet! Outside of the Gemstone Program, she plays in the UMD band, works at UMD's peer counseling and crisis hotline, and does research on music's effect on the brain.
Eric Kang
Major: Biology
Funding Sub-team, Writing Sub-team
Eric is an aspiring dentist, and his favorite song is "My shiny teeth and me" by Chip Skylark. He likes playing basketball and running, and he recently got into cooking.
Major: Biology
Funding Sub-team, Writing Sub-team
Eric is an aspiring dentist, and his favorite song is "My shiny teeth and me" by Chip Skylark. He likes playing basketball and running, and he recently got into cooking.
Nahye Kim
Major: Neurobiology/Physiology
Chemistry Lab Sub-team, Resource Management Sub-team
Nahye dreams of being a either great neurosurgeon or plastic surgeon. She loves to ride and compete horses, eat, watch the Food Network, and get good grades.
Major: Neurobiology/Physiology
Chemistry Lab Sub-team, Resource Management Sub-team
Nahye dreams of being a either great neurosurgeon or plastic surgeon. She loves to ride and compete horses, eat, watch the Food Network, and get good grades.
Unnati Mehta
Major: Behavioral and Community Health
Minor: International Development and Conflict Management
Mice Lab Sub-team, Writing Sub-team
Unnati eventually hopes to pursue a career in global health policy, and work in the United Nations or the World Health Organization. In addition to her academic endeavors, she is also captain of UMD’s competitive Indian folk dance team, and she is also a trained Indian classical and Western choral singer. Research has always engaged her, and she is glad to have the opportunity to do high-level, interesting research with Brain Blast!
Major: Behavioral and Community Health
Minor: International Development and Conflict Management
Mice Lab Sub-team, Writing Sub-team
Unnati eventually hopes to pursue a career in global health policy, and work in the United Nations or the World Health Organization. In addition to her academic endeavors, she is also captain of UMD’s competitive Indian folk dance team, and she is also a trained Indian classical and Western choral singer. Research has always engaged her, and she is glad to have the opportunity to do high-level, interesting research with Brain Blast!
Caroline McCue
Major: Mechanical Engineering
Minor: International Engineering and Chinese
Lab Analysis Sub-team, Data Sub-team
Caroline plans to attend graduate school, and hopes to work abroad after she graduates. She is an undergraduate research assistant in a physics lab and plans to keep doing research in the future. She an active member of Maryland Images, plays trumpet in the band and loves owls.
Major: Mechanical Engineering
Minor: International Engineering and Chinese
Lab Analysis Sub-team, Data Sub-team
Caroline plans to attend graduate school, and hopes to work abroad after she graduates. She is an undergraduate research assistant in a physics lab and plans to keep doing research in the future. She an active member of Maryland Images, plays trumpet in the band and loves owls.
Shannon Morken
Major: General Biology
Team Manager, Thesis Manager
Shannon is the trumpet section leader of the Mighty Sound of Maryland marching band, and she is an active member of the Maryland Pep Band. She enjoys traveling with the Maryland Basketball Team to tournaments and performing at football games. She marched with the Jersey Surf World Class Drum and Bugle Corps in 2010 and 2011 and is captain of her Relay for Life team. She also enjoys cooking for her roommates and friends.
Major: General Biology
Team Manager, Thesis Manager
Shannon is the trumpet section leader of the Mighty Sound of Maryland marching band, and she is an active member of the Maryland Pep Band. She enjoys traveling with the Maryland Basketball Team to tournaments and performing at football games. She marched with the Jersey Surf World Class Drum and Bugle Corps in 2010 and 2011 and is captain of her Relay for Life team. She also enjoys cooking for her roommates and friends.
Mayumi Rezwan
Major: International Business and Psychology
Funding Sub-team, Resource Management Sub-team
Mayumi is pursuing a career in international development and plans on working for humanitarian non-profit organizations. She enjoys listening to and playing music, binge-watching TV shows on Netflix, and traveling around the world.
Major: International Business and Psychology
Funding Sub-team, Resource Management Sub-team
Mayumi is pursuing a career in international development and plans on working for humanitarian non-profit organizations. She enjoys listening to and playing music, binge-watching TV shows on Netflix, and traveling around the world.
Ashley Zachery
Major: Neurobiology/Physiology and Biochemistry
Lab Analysis Sub-team, Resource Management Sub-team
Ashley works as a research assistant in Dr. Richard Highton’s genetics lab, and works as an editorial cartoonist for the Diamondback newspaper. In her free time, Ashley enjoys kickboxing and caring for her mystery snails. After graduation, Ashley plans to pursue an MD/PhD program in neuroscience.
Major: Neurobiology/Physiology and Biochemistry
Lab Analysis Sub-team, Resource Management Sub-team
Ashley works as a research assistant in Dr. Richard Highton’s genetics lab, and works as an editorial cartoonist for the Diamondback newspaper. In her free time, Ashley enjoys kickboxing and caring for her mystery snails. After graduation, Ashley plans to pursue an MD/PhD program in neuroscience.