Meet the Team
Katalin Gothard, M.D./Ph.D.
Principal Investigator
kgothard@arizona.eduDownload CV
After medical school and postgraduate training in neurosurgery in Romania, Kati obtained her Ph.D. in Neuroscience in the laboratory of Bruce McNaughton (University of Arizona). She continued with a postdoc at UC Davis at the National Primate Research Center in the laboratory of David Amaral. In 2002, she returned to Tucson to establish her research lab at the College of Medicine. Her lab has pioneered neurophysiological studies of the amygdala in the context of naturalistic social and affective behaviors.
Kati loves classical music, jazz, flamenco, and geology. While her love for music and dance comes from formal training in classical ballet in Romania and flamenco in San Francisco, she is only an amateur in geology. Nevertheless, she is happily hammering at rocks in the spectacular rocky landscapes of Arizona.
Derek O’Neill
Laboratory Manager
doneill@arizona.eduDerek is certified as an LATG through AALAS and has a BS in zoology. When he joined the Gothard lab in 2019, he had 15 years of experience working in a neurophysiology lab and 20 years of experience working with animals in a research setting.
When he's not in the lab, he enjoys outdoor activities such as camping, hiking, kayaking, skiing and geocaching. He loves to travel as much as work will allow, has been to, and camped on, every continent except Antarctica. He keeps reptiles as pets and breeds Russian tortoises. He is also an ordained minister and officiated the wedding ceremony of a former lab member.
Alexis Morrison
Laboratory Coordinator
alexisann@arizona.eduAlexis graduated from the University of Arizona in 2019 with a B.S. in Neuroscience and Cognitive Science, with a focus in Language and Communication Sciences. She returned to academia and research in 2022 by joining the Gothard lab to focus on her passion for behavior and its neurophysiological correlates.
With an ever-changing rainbow of hair colors, she spends her time outside of the lab fostering a love for the Sonoran Desert’s ecology and supporting local farmers. When not focusing all her attention on her cat and partner, she watches true crime shows, plays video games, and learns as much as possible about cephalopods and mushrooms.
Archer Ivan Bowman
Doctoral Student - Neuroscience
aibowman@arizona.eduArcher is a graduate student in the Graduate Interdisciplinary Doctoral Program in Neuroscience. He obtained a B.S. in Neuroscience from New York University in 2017, followed by a three-year postbaccalaureate position at the National Institute of Mental Health in Washington, D.C. At the NIMH, he worked with Dr. Arash Afraz studying the visual system and behavior of nonhuman primates. He joined the Gothard Lab in 2021 with an interest in the circuitry underlying algorithmic behaviors of social and affective processing.
Outside of the lab, he spends time cooking, playing collaborative storytelling games with his friends and supportive partner, and giving his two cats lots of love.
Michael Cardenas
Doctoral Student - Neuroscience
mikecard9000@arizona.eduMichael completed his undergraduate degree at the University of Arizona while working in the Gothard lab. In 2020, he started as a graduate student in the Graduate Interdisciplinary Doctoral Program in Neuroscience and is excited to launch a new study on autonomic control and social decision making.
Outside of work, you can find Michael kicking back with a few video games, completing little projects around his house or more likely, sampling the current offerings of the craft brew scene in Tucson. Michael also loves hiking, (good) food, and his extremely high energy dog, Chloe.
Sun Woo Kim
Undergraduate Research Assistant - Physiology
sunwookim1218@arizona.eduSun Woo is a senior majoring in Physiology and Molecular and Cellular Biology with minors in Biochemistry and Emergency Medical Services. She joined the Gothard Lab in September of 2020 and is primarily involved with the Adolescent project. She has recently been accepted into the U of A Honors Early Assurance Program (HEAP) for medical school, and is applying for the combined MD/PhD program to further her research.
Outside of the lab, she is the secretary for Flying Samaritans, MCB Ambassador, and a Undergraduate Biology Research Program Ambassador Pen Pal Coordinator. In her spare time, she enjoys learning new instruments, star gazing, and looking at the city lights.
Nathalie Yolanda Sotelo
Undergraduate Research Assistant - Animal Sciences
nathaliesotelo@arizona.eduNathalie is a senior majoring in Animal Sciences. She has an interest in animal behavior and medicine which led her to join the Gothard Lab. She is currently helping out with the “Social Status & Facial Expressions” project.
In her free time, she enjoys practicing yoga, going hiking, giving campus tours as a university ambassador, and being an animal care volunteer at the wildlife center. After graduation, she plans to attend veterinary school.
Eli Rahamim
Undergraduate Research Assistant - NSCS
elisrahamim@arizona.eduEli is a senior double majoring in Neuroscience & Cognitive Science and Psychological Science. He is working on a facial expression project using DeepLabCut. After undergrad, Eli intends to continue studying neuroscience in graduate school.
Ryan Phong Le
Undergraduate Research Assistant - Physiology
ryanle@arizona.eduRyan is a junior majoring in Physiology with a minor in Music. He joined the Gothard Lab in the Spring of 2022 and is furthering work on the Tactile project. After graduation, Ryan hopes to continue research or to eventually apply to medical school.
Ryan is currently part of the Undergraduate Biological Research Program (UBRP).
Gabe Neal
Undergraduate Research Assistant - NSCS
gneal@arizona.eduGabe is an undergraduate student majoring in Neuroscience and Cognitive Science. His interest in the underlying mechanisms of neurological conditions led him to join the Gothard Lab in May of 2023. Gabe primarily assists with the Adolescents Project. After graduation, his hope is to continue studying Neuroscience in graduate school.
On the side, Gabe enjoys staying fit by participating in physical activities such as soccer, snowboarding, weight lifting, and more. He loves spending time with family and is constantly reading for pleasure.
Gabriella Ames
Undergraduate Research Assistant-Veterinary Sciences
games@arizona.eduGabby is a pre-vet student majoring in Veterinary Science. She plans on continuing her education and applying to vet school. She joined the Gothard Lab in January of 2023 and assists with the Adolescent project.
Outside of school and work, Gabby enjoys immersing herself in the great outdoors by traveling, camping, and hiking. Driven by a passion for helping animals, Gabby also volunteers at the Tucson Wildlife Center as an animal caretaker, where she helps rehabilitate local wildlife. You may see her around campus as a preceptor for general chemistry or at various events for the VIDA club, where she serves as president.
Olivia Baumann
Undergraduate Research Assistant-Veterinary Sciences
oliviabaumann@arizona.eduOlivia is an undergraduate student majoring in Veterinary Sciences with a minor in Biochemistry. After graduation, she plans on applying to veterinary school to continue her passion of working with animals. She joined the Gothard Lab in January of 2023 and assists with the Adolescents project.
Outside of the lab, she works as a veterinary assistant at Briarcrest Veterinary Care Center and is involved with VIDA Volunteer club on campus. When not working, she enjoys reading and spending time with her three dogs.
Ava Pal
Undergraduate Research Assistant - NSCS
avapal@arizona.eduAva is a sophomore majoring in Neuroscience and Cognitive Science with a minor in Spanish. She joined the Gothard Lab in August of 2023 and is primarily involved with the Adolescent Project. She has an interest in emotional development and mental health which led her to join the Gothard Lab.
Anna Park
Undergraduate Research Assistant - NSCS
annapark@arizona.eduAnna is a sophomore majoring in Neuroscience and Cognitive Science with a minor in Korean language and Public Health. She joined the Gothard Lab in August of 2023 due to her interest in neurodiversity and animal behavior, and is primarily involved with the Adolescent Project.
Alison Yaw
Undergraduate Research Assistant-Physiology
alisonyaw@arizona.eduAlison is a sophomore majoring in Physiology with a minor in Biochemistry. She is interested in neurophysiology and interoceptive responses which led her to join the Gothard lab in January 2024. She is currently a part of the MaqFACS/facial expressions team. Her post-undergrad plans include applying to medical school and continuing research.
Collaborators
Alumni
Post-Doctorates
Haiyin Chen
Kristof Laszlo
James Drew Solyst
Sebastien Ballesta
Anne Martin
Graduates
Kevin Spitler
Kelly Brooks
Christopher Laine
Clayton Mosher
Philip Putnam
JJ Morrow
Blake Seaton
Rose Andersen
Tess Champ
Seunghyun Lee
Blake Seaton
Rose Andersen
Tess Champ
Seunghyun Lee
Research Technicians
Emily Franklin
Kennya Garcia
Prisca Zimmerman
Lizzie Hillier
Undergraduates
Kaitlin Bianchi
Farid Ghamsari
Daniel Carrera
Cole Hoffer
Travis Wilder
Christine Tang
Alisa Ryan
Kevin Wood
Michelle Mangana-Mendoza
Deke Cisco
Dan Hill
Robert Gibboni
JohnMichael Jurgensen
Matt Stib
Michelle Mangana-Mendoza
Deke Cisco
Dan Hill
Robert Gibboni
JohnMichael Jurgensen
Matt Stib
Kevan Farshad
Miranda Anderson
Jermey Oulton
Natalie Brill
Susma Ghimire
Gabby Lacy
Lorenzo Chavez
Jorge Arturo Bradic
Angela Tulk
Haley Moore
Keturah Ragland
Savannah Threatt
Berna Dennis
Natalia Magnusson
Tanusri Ganapathy
Chan Lim
Nick Lingenfelter
Cam Bolles
