Kathryn attended the University of Houston where she received her BS and MA in Anthropology. She has conducted research examining the American Indian healthcare system; caregivers of parents with Alzheimer’s Disease; and stress in caregivers and patients with non-small cell lung and glioma cancers.  She also spent many years conducting her own research in forensic taphonomy and later applying her knowledge to the identification of recovered American military personnel listed as prisoners of war or missing in action from designated past conflicts. She now joins the CHEN lab to apply her experience helping individuals with cognitive impairments. While caring for her father, who was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s Disease, she knows firsthand the stress of being a caregiver and wants to help others while they navigate that role. She is a Charter Member and founding donor to the Smithsonian National Museum of the American Indian and an Associate Member of the American Academy of Forensic Science.  In her free time, she enjoys stargazing, hikes in the woods, and endless hugs from the many fur babies that call her house home.

Ahria graduated from the University of Colorado Colorado Springs in 2021 with a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and a minor in Cognitive Studies. She received the Outstanding Undergraduate Student in Psychology award for Spring 2021, highlighting her academic success and work in research. Ahria also graduated from Bellevue University with a Master of Science in Data Science in 2024, so she loves all things Python! Her academic interests include anxiety and stress disorders, such as post-traumatic stress disorder, and how social connections can influence the trajectory of internalizing mental health symptoms. Ahria has worked with adolescents in past research labs who experienced a wide variety of traumatic events and had comorbidities of both internalizing and externalizing disorders. She also has clinical experience working with children with autism in an Applied Behavioral Analysis clinic in Colorado Springs. She aims to start a PhD program in Clinical Psychology where she can utilize her research and clinical background to help people by staying actively involved in both research and clinical practice. Ahria works as a volunteer for the Crisis Text Line, assisting people who need someone to listen to and support them through their crisis. In her free time, Ahria enjoys spending quality time with her family, including her two dogs, playing board/card/video games, watching movies, and crocheting stuffed animals. 

Sarup, from Papillion, Nebraska, graduated from the University of Nebraska-Omaha in 2023 with a Bachelor of Science in Neuroscience and minors in Chemistry and Psychology. His previous research experience focuses on the neurobiological implications (i.e. functional connectivity, alterations in synaptic architecture) of drug use, particularly methamphetamine and oxycodone. Currently, Sarup also works part-time at a Crisis Stabilization Program as a youth support specialist, assisting youth in active crises. In the future, he aspires to resume his education at the University of Nebraska Medical Center’s College of Medicine, while building a strong foundation in research. Sarup recently joined the CHEN Lab to explore the intricate relationship between social interactions and disease progression, particularly concerning persons with dementia (PWD), and how this knowledge can enhance health outcomes for both patients and care providers (formal and informal). In his free time, he enjoys outdoor activities, spending time with family and friends, and cheering on his favorite basketball team, the Boston Celtics.

Jagadeesh is from India, pursuing a Master of Science in Management and Information Systems at the University of Nebraska at Omaha. He holds a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from Jawaharlal Nehru Technological University Hyderabad and has professional experience as a Quality Specialist at Amazon. His academic pursuits focus on data analysis, visualization, machine learning, and AI. Currently, he is engaged in a project that involves data visualization and analysis of individuals with dementia to comprehend their behavioral patterns and alleviate the caregiving burden. In his leisure time, Jagadeesh enjoys playing chess, badminton, Cricket and listening to music.

Arianna Tidball is a first-year student at the University of Nebraska Medical Center's College of Medicine. She was born in Lincoln, Nebraska and lived in Indonesia for many years. She attended Smith College in Western Massachusetts where she earned her B.A. in Biochemistry. After graduating, Arianna worked at Massachusetts General Hospital as a clinical research coordinator. Her work focused on Alzheimer's Disease and stroke. She is excited to continue her medical education at UNMC and is looking forward to being a part of the CHEN lab.

Anna Haggart is a medical student at the University of Nebraska Medical Center, where she is projected to complete her M.D. in 2026. She previously received a B.S. in Psychological and Brain Sciences from the University of California, Santa Barbara, where she graduated High Honors in 2021. Anna's academic interests include how our understanding of the pathophysiology of disease can be applied in the clinical setting to improve disease recognition and early intervention. She has previously been involved with research with the University of California, San Francisco, as well as here at UNMC. Her past projects have looked at neurological disorders including autism and epilepsy, as well as autoimmune diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis and interstitial lung disease. Outside of academics, Anna can most likely be found hitting the ski slopes with her family, training for her next marathon, or at home with her 2 cats.

Charlie is from Papillion, Nebraska and is entering his final year in pursuit of a BS in Biochemistry at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.  After completing his undergraduate studies, he plans to attend medical school and work towards a career as a physician.  During his time in the CHEN lab, Charlie is drafting his Honors Senior Thesis paper, which he will complete and defend in the spring of 2025.  He enjoys learning about intra- and extracellular metabolic pathways, biochemical signaling between the brain and body, and the relationship between neurophysiology and cognition.  Outside of academia, Charlie enjoys spending time outdoors, working out, watching sports, and listening to music.

Ninotchka is from San Juan, Puerto Rico (PR). She is a doctoral candidate in clinical psychology at Ponce Health Sciences University in Ponce, PR. She is currently completing her doctoral internship at the Nebraska Internship Consortium in Professional Psychology (NICPP) - Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS). She also serves as a revisor for the journal "Revista Salud y Conducta Humana" (Health and Human Conduct Journal). 

Ninotchka's research and clinical interests revolve around social and cognitive neuroscience, neuropsychology, neurodevelopmental disorders, caregivers of individuals with disabilities, neuroimaging, and instrument validation and translation. Ninotchka joined the CHEN Lab at UNMC as a graduate research assistant in August 2023. With her psychology background, she collaborates with the team on brain synchrony neuroimaging research concerning dementia patients and their caregivers, studies related to developing social technological markers using wearables in children with autism, and more. 

Ninotchka aims to specialize in clinical neuropsychology, providing comprehensive assessments and conducting research on patients with neurological disorders and their caregivers. During her free time, she enjoys listening to music, trying new foods, embarking on adventures with friends and family and watching movies on Netflix.

Claire is from China and attended Sun Yat-sen University, where she received her M.D. and completed her residency training in Anesthesiology. To obtain a comprehensive scientific training in research, she pursued her doctoral study at the University of Nebraska Medical Center, graduating with a PhD in Physiology. In 2024 she joined CHEN lab to explore her research interests in neuroscience and clinical study and apply her experience in physiology. In her free time, she enjoys working out, hiking, cooking, and watching crime documentaries.