UF NEUROSCIENCE
Postdoctoral Research
University of Florida is a vibrant training ground for postdoctoral fellows. Affiliations with the McKnight Brain Institute and a range of UF centers provides a strong scientific community, and ample opportunity for building essential career skills both in and outside the laboratory.
Why Conduct Your Postdoctoral Training In Neuroscience at UF?
The neuroscience department offers postdoctoral training opportunities in numerous areas including neurodegenerative disease, brain aging, learning and memory, brain trauma/stroke and substance use disorders. Individuals who choose to conduct postdoctoral training at UF will find a highly collaborative scientific community and ample institutional support as they increase readiness and progress toward scientific independence.
Postdoctoral trainees at UF receive NIH-level compensation and have many avenues available to them through which to engage in scientific and professional development.
The larger neuroscience community offers numerous opportunities to present research findings and to develop the practical skills that promote long-term success in a research science career path. Internal funding exists for travel to scientific conferences and to attend specialized training courses.
Fellows are encouraged to create mentorship teams within their first year of training and to engage with their mentor team regularly. Our faculty are committed to providing the training foundation that promotes success of extramural individual fellowships and transition to independence (K) awards from NIH.
Postdoctoral Fellows
Dr. Howell obtained his PhD from the University of Mississippi Medical Center. His mentor at UF is Dr. Eduardo Candelario-Jalil.
Dr. Howell is interested in studying neuroinflammation following ischemic stroke.
Dr. Krumm obtained his PhD from the University of Florida. His mentors at UF are Drs. Jennifer Bizon and Barry Setlow.
Dr. Krumm is interested in the neuroendocrine mechanisms of healthy behaviors and how these behaviors are dysregulated in chronic disease.
Rupsha Mondal, Ph.D.
Dr. Mondal obtained her PhD from the CSIR-Indian Institute of Chemical Biology, India. Her mentor at UF is Dr. Paramita Chakrabarty.
Dr. Mondal is interested in exploring the interplay between mitochondrial dysfunction and neuroinflammation in neurodegenerative diseases, with a particular focus on Alzheimer’s disease.
Dr. Vigil obtained his PhD from the University of Colorado-Anschutz Medical Campus. His mentor at UF is Dr. Nancy Padilla-Coreano.
Dr. Vigil is interested in learning about social decision making in mice and the role of the amydala in pro-social or anti-social decision making.
Dr. Wang obtained her PhD from Texas Tech University. Her mentor at UF is Dr. Karina Alvina.
PostDoc Resources
Office of Postdoctoral Affairs
“The focus on the well-being of postdocs at UF in the College of Medicine and in the Gainesville community really goes a long way towards encouraging high-quality postdocs to come here.”
Adithya Gopinath, Ph.D.
Gator NeuroScholar Fellow
K99/R00 Awardee
“Being a first-generation college student, I’m used to having to figure it out by myself. But this is different in that we have the support system of the program and also the support system of the other Gator NeuroScholars.”
John Aaron Howell, Ph.D.
Gator NeuroScholar Fellow
AHA Fellowship Awardee
Meet some of our Postdoctoral Alumni
Kelly DeMars, Ph.D.
Dr. DeMars obtained her Ph.D. from University of Florida. Her primary mentor is Jeremy McIntyre, Ph.D.
Dr. DeMars is interested in how the brain coordinates its metabolism with different peripheral states.
Nicholas DiCola, Ph.D.
Dr. DiCola obtained his Ph.D. from University of Florida. His primary mentors are Sara Burke, Ph.D. and Andrew Mauer, Ph.D.
Dr. Dicola is interested in the function changes to the hippocampus of aged rats.
Mojdeh Faraji, Ph.D.
Dr. Faraji obtained her Ph.D. from Georgia Tech University. Her primary mentors are Jen Bizon, Ph.D. & Barry Setlow, Ph.D.
Dr. Faraji studies the long-term effects of reproductive experience on decision making in rodent models.
Assistant professor, rosAlind franklin medical school
Sarah Johnson, Ph.D.
Dr. Johnson completed a postdoctoral fellowship under the primary mentorship on Dr. Sara Burke from 2015-2020. During her time at UF, Dr. Johnson successfully competed for a K99/R00 focused on determining the role of declining novelty signals in memory dysfunction associated with aging.
Carly N. Logan, Ph.D.
Dr. Logan obtained her Ph.D. from University of Florida. Her primary mentor is Sara Burke, Ph.D.
Dr. Logan studies the dysregulation of glucose and neurotransmitter signaling it relates to disorders and disease.
assistant professor, university of South Carolina medical school
Joe McQuail, Ph.D.
Dr. McQuail received his Ph.D. from Wake Forest University. He then completed his postdoctoral training at UF with Dr. Jen Bizon , funded by an F32 postdoctoral fellowship. After being promoted to an assistant research professor at UF (2019-2020), he received a K01 to investigate the role of stress associated epigenetic mechanisms in age-related memory decline.
Assistant professor, UNiversity of texas austin
Caitlin Orsini, Ph.D.
Dr. Orsini received her Ph.D. from the University of Michigan. She completed a postdoctoral fellowship under the primary mentorship of Drs. Barry Setlow and Jen Bizon from 2013-2020. During her time at UF, she successfully competed for a K99/R00 focused on using ontogenetic approaches to determine how circuits associated with the basolateral amygdala impact risk taking and contribute to substance use disorders.
Sakthivel Ravi, Ph.D.
Dr. Ravi obtained his Ph.D. from Alagappa University, India. His primary mentor is Dr. Jose F. Abisambra.
Dr. Ravi’s research focuses on the molecular association between mild repetitive traumatic brain injury, tau and ER stress.
