Jessica Verpeut, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor of Behavioral Neuroscience
Dept. of Psychology, Arizona State University
B.S. Pennsylvania State University
Ph.D. Rutgers University
Postdoctoral Researcher, Princeton Neuroscience Institute
jverpeut@asu.edu
Google Scholar
Samantha Bowser
Lab Manager / Research Assistant
Sam received her BS in Conservation Biology & Ecology from Arizona State University in 2021. As an undergraduate, she conducted independent research looking at social-vocal communication in great-tailed grackles (Quiscalus Mexicanus) and was able to publish her preliminary findings at PCIecology. Currently, she is looking at cerebellar cognition in rodent models.
Graduate Students
Tristan Lyle, M.S.
Ph.D. student 2021-present
Tristan received his BA in Psychology at the University of Northern Colorado and a MS in Applied Behavior Analysis from Arizona State University in 2021. As part of his master’s journey, he gained direct experience applying behavior analytic interventions to develop and grow communicative and social skills in individuals with developmental disorders (e.g., ASD). Concurrently, he worked as a volunteer research assistant in the Basic Behavioral Processes Lab headed by Dr. Federico Sanabria at ASU. Currently he is studying cerebellar function during sensitive developmental periods and the signaling pathways associated with cognitive and social functions.
Olivia Law
Ph.D. student 2022-present
Olivia received her Honors BA in Psychology from Idaho State University in 2022. During her time at Idaho State, she examined health and decision-making behaviors (e.g. delay discounting) in both human and rat models. Additionally, she gained experience in a personality psychology lab which focused on making personality judgments of others. For her graduate studies, she is interested in the development of mental and genetic disorders and how they affect neural circuits and structures within the brain. In her free time, she enjoys writing and playing with her cat.
Alexandria Melick
Ph.D. student 2023-present
Alexandria received her Honors BS in Neurobiology, Physiology, and Behavior from Barrett, the Honors College at Arizona State in 2021. During her time at ASU, she sought to explore the biological basis of behavior and how physiological dysfunction can directly impact mental health. In her senior honors thesis, she examined the connection between malnutrition and increased mental illness prevalence in regions called food deserts, and ultimately highlighted the significance of the gut-brain axis in the relationship between the body and the brain. For her graduate studies, she is interested in the development of neurodegenerative disorders and how external variables, like food and stress, can affect the progression and severity of these disorders.
(From left: Nazareth Salgado, Henrique Vieira (back), Vincent Truong, Megan Nelson, Dan Chambers, Jaime Farrington, Marina Ittner, Sam Bowser, Olivia Law, Katie Koch, Tristan Lyle, Summer Ahmed, Lori Abbas, Jessica Verpeut)
(From left: Jessica Verpeut, Vincent Truong, Megan Nelson, Andrea Trinh (front), Tristan Lyle (back), Marina Ittner, Neelsha Parekh (front), Akshita Vora, Lori Abbas) Not shown: Summer Ahmed and Katherine Koch
(From left: Megan Nelson, Marina Ittner, Jorge Espinoza, Neelsha Parekh,Tristan Lyle,
Summer Ahmed, Katherine Koch, Jessica Verpeut) Not shown: Sarah Shipley and Andrea Trinh
Join our team!
The lab welcomes motivated students to work in various aspects.
For graduate and undergraduate opportunities, please contact.
To see more fun and past accomplishments of our team:
@verpeutlab on Instagram
We are grateful and supportive of all our past lab members.
Verpeut Lab 
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