Our Team

Bridget Callaghan, Ph.D.
Principle Investigator

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Bridget is an Assistant Professor of Psychology at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) and is the director of the Brain and Body Lab (BABLab), which opened in 2019. Before starting at UCLA, Bridget was a postdoctoral research fellow at Columbia University in New York, and completed her doctorate in Psychology and her training as a clinical psychologist at the University of New South Wales in Australia. Bridget has experience working with animal models of early adversity, as well as in behavioral, fMRI, and biological research within human populations. Born in Sydney, Bridget is a lover of the sun and beaches. When she is not in the lab, she likes to spend time with her husband Beau, and dog Vinnie, hanging out, hiking (i.e., doing bush walks) and eating grehttps://trello.com/b/Q8py2w59/tasksat food.

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Jessica Uy
Post-Doctoral Researcher

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Jessica is a Postdoctoral Researcher in the BABLab. She earned her PhD in Developmental Psychology at UCLA. Her research interest is in investigating how early experiences become biologically embedded in the developing brain to influence psychological and physical well-being across development, and how these effects might be transmitted across generations. She has used behavioral and neuroimaging techniques to characterize the neural circuits that link normative experiences, such as stress, sleep, and social interactions, to psychological and physical health during adolescence. During her time in the BABLab, she plans to integrate indicators of peripheral biology (e.g., microbiome, inflammation) into her psychology and neuroscience research to examine how these processes interact to influence health across development. Outside of the BABLab, Jessica enjoys spending time with her family and friends, running, reading, and playing board games.

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Jennifer Somers, Ph.D.
Post-Doctoral Fellow

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Jenn is a Postdoctoral Fellow on UCLA’s T32 Program on Biobehavioral Issues in Mental and Physical Health. Before starting at UCLA, Jenn earned her doctorate in clinical psychology at Arizona State University. Her research interest is in biobehavioral processes through which close relationships support mental and physical wellbeing, especially among families facing socioeconomic disadvantage and contextual adversities. By evaluating bidirectional influences between children and their caregivers across multiple timescales (e.g., second-by-second processes that occur during social interactions, longer-term adaptation that unfolds across development), this research provides a framework for characterizing the effects of early social experiences on children’s development, which bears implications for both children and their caregiver’s wellbeing. During her time in the BABLab, she plans to study the effects of adverse early social experiences on parent-child biobehavioral synchrony and developing socioemotional and biological systems. Outside of the lab, Jenn enjoys spending time with friends and family, trying new recipes, and going to the beach with her rescue dog Rosie.

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Fran Querdasi
Graduate Student

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Fran is a Graduate Student in the Brain and Body Lab (BABLab) in the Psychology Department at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). Fran is broadly interested in how experiences during childhood affect long-term health and resilience. In the BABlab, her research focuses on the development of social processes (e.g., cognitions, memory, reactivity to social stress) and interconnected biological systems (e.g., the gut-microbiome, HPA-axis, and brain). Fran also studies factors that foster well-being for children who have been exposed to early adversity, such as positive relationships. She graduated from Pomona College (1 hour east of Los Angeles!) with a Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology in 2018. Before joining the BABLab, Fran was a research coordinator at Stanford University, where she worked on projects investigating neurobiological development in infancy and the influences of early life experiences. Outside of the lab, Fran likes to spend time running, hiking, cooking, and traveling with family and friends.

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Katelyn Phillips
Graduate Student

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Katelyn is a Scientia PhD Candidate at the University of New South Wales in Sydney, Australia. She is working on a project about the psychological impact of congenital heart disease at the Heart Centre for Children at the Children’s Hospital at Westmead. She is excited to be collaborating with the Brain and Body Lab at UCLA during her studies. Prior to commencing her PhD, Katelyn worked as a Research Assistant at Monash University on a study about adult outcomes in autism. She has also completed a Masters of Clinical Psychology at the University of Technology Sydney, where in addition to her clinical training, she completed a thesis focusing on schema therapy in older adults. In her spare time, Katelyn enjoys performing in musical theatre, listening to podcasts, and running her moderately successful Dungeons & Dragons campaign for her friends!

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Naomi Gancz
Graduate Student

Naomi is interested in the physiological mechanisms by which early adversity affects self-regulation and health across the lifespan. Specifically, she studies how stressful experiences at different points in the lifespan interact to produce a more vulnerable or resilient phenotype. Her research focuses on interactions between the brain and peripheral systems like the immune system, HPA axis, and microbiome. Naomi graduated from the University of Chicago in 2019 and worked as a study coordinator at the Pittsburgh VA before joining the BAB lab. Outside of the lab, she enjoys baking, walking dogs at the animal shelter, and exploring L.A. on her bike.

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Paul Savoca
Graduate Student

Paul is a Graduate Student in the Brain and Body Lab (BABLab) in the Psychology Department at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). He is interested in how early life experiences shape mental and physical well-being. His primary focus is on how interoceptive processes are altered over the course of development and following adversity. Paul graduated from Northeastern University in 2019 with a B.S. in Psychology. Prior to joining the BABLab, he worked as a clinical research coordinator in the Interdisciplinary Affective Science Lab at Massachusetts General Hospital. When not doing research, he enjoys watching soccer games, cooking, and hiking.

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Zhidi (Judy) Zhang
Visiting Graduate Researcher

Judy is a Visiting Graduate Researcher in the Brain and Body Lab (BABLab) in the Psychology Department at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). She is interested in developmental psychology, particularly the investigation of adversity early life and its impacts on mental health development in survivor’s adult life. Judy is a fifth-year PhD Candidate at Zhejiang University in China, majoring in Agricultural Economics. In her free time, Judy loves traveling to new places, playing tennis, and dancing Jazz.

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James Lian
Visiting Scholar

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James is a Visiting Graduate Researcher from the University of New South Wales in Sydney, Australia. His research uses longitudinal data to examine the impact of childhood adversity on the mental health and cognition of older adults. Previously, James has worked as a research assistant examining domestic violence patterns in the US, as well as exploring mental health outcomes following natural disasters. In his spare time, James likes to play tennis, explore new hikes, go climbing, and learn useless new skills.

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Siyan Nussbaum
Lab Manager

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Siyan is the Lab Manager in the Brain and Body Lab (BABLab) at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). She is interested in the social-emotional development of children, particularly processes underlying the development of self and interpersonal emotion regulation, empathy and prosocial behavior shaped by early life experiences and memories. She graduated from Azusa Pacific University with a Bachelor’s Degree in Clinical/Counseling Psychology, and a Master’s Degree in Psychology from Pepperdine University. Before joining the BAB Lab, she was a research and administrative assistant at the USC Center for Affective Neuroscience, Development, Learning and Education. During that time, she was also a research assistant at the UCLA SAN Lab and SAND Lab. More recently, Siyan had become a collaborator at the SAND Lab looking at how voice qualities may facilitate the efficacy of interpersonal emotion regulation utilizing cognitive reappraisal strategies. Outside of the BAB Lab, she enjoys spending time with her husband and cat – Safari!

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Lorena G. is also a member of the Social Media team at the Brain and Body Lab.

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Madelyn Robinson
Senior Research Assistant

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Madelyn is a Research Assistant in the Brain and Body Lab (BABLab) in the Psychology Department at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). She is a third-year undergraduate student at UCLA majoring in Psychobiology, and she hopes to attend medical school to become a physician. She is particularly interested in how mental health affects physical health. In her free time, Madelyn enjoys running, solving puzzles, and spending time with friends and family.

Maggie Yu
Research Assistant 

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Maggie is a 4th year undergraduate student majoring in MCDB, to which she likes to say she majors in McDonalds Double Burger. She is fascinated by the correlations between the gut microbiome and pathogenesis of neurological disorders, and its mechanisms with CNS homeostasis. Maggie is currently a medic in the U.S. Air Force. After receiving top honor medic graduate during the pandemic, she eagerly volunteered with other military medics to support hospitals, clinics, and other medical facilities overburdened with positive coronavirus patients. The impacts from the pandemic and caring for very sick patients in the ICU and ER led her to pursue a Public Health minor, in addition to a Biomedical Research minor. After graduating as a super senior in the upcoming fall, she plans to continue working in research and work at the VA hospital while studying for the MCAT. After medical school, Maggie will continue to serve as an Air Force physician. Maggie’s ultimate career goal is to provide humanitarian aid to marginalized communities in developing countries with the Peace Corps. She would also love to open up a Chinese bakery with her dream dog, a golden retriever named Peach, as the mascot. In her free time, Maggie loves going on foodie adventures with her partner, walking dogs, walking around Trader Joe’s and checking for new yummy snacks, and working out at the John Wooden rec.

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Meredith Faivre
Research Assistant

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 Meredith is a fourth-year undergraduate student (second-year transfer!) majoring in psychology. In the Brain and Body Lab, she is working on her senior thesis on early life adversity and gastrointestinal activity with graduate student Naomi Gancz as her mentor. After UCLA, Meredith hopes to attend graduate school in the field of clinical psychology. In her free time, she enjoys hiking, making dinner for her friends, and dancing.

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Audrienne Ow
Research Assistant & Micro-FIMS Coder

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Audrienne is a third-year undergraduate student majoring in psychology and minoring in Society and Genetics. After UCLA, she hopes to attend graduate school in the field of clinical psychology. After working as an ABA Behavioral Interventionist, she has fallen in love with working with children and developmental psychology. She is from the Bay Area in California, but she moved to China at the age of eight. She transferred from Orange Coast College with an associate degree in psychology. In her free time, she loves solving puzzles, doing yoga, and finding stray cats around the neighborhood.

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Caitlin Ballantyne 
Research Assistant & Micro-FIMS Coder

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Caitlin is a Research Assistant in the Brain and Body Lab (BABLab) in the Psychology department at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). She is a third-year undergraduate student (first-year transfer!) at UCLA and is majoring in Psychology. After graduating, she plans on going to graduate school for clinical psychology in hopes of pursuing a career as a pediatric therapist.  She is extremely passionate about child development and literacy, as she has volunteered at local Orange County libraries reading to children. In her free time, she loves working out, spending time with family, going to the beach, reading, and traveling.

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Jackie Jones
Research Assistant & Micro-FIMS Coder

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Jackie is a third-year undergraduate student majoring in psychology and plans on pursuing a graduate degree in developmental psychology. Her research interests are on the effects of early adversity and trauma on education and the path to trauma-informed education to promote equity and resilience. In her free time she enjoys reading, trying new foods, and playing with her two dogs, Cara and Beau.

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Madie Bachelor
Research Assistant & Micro-FIMS Coder

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Madison is an Undergraduate Research Assistant in the Brain and Body Lab (BABLab) in the Psychology Department at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). She is a fourth-year undergraduate student at UCLA majoring in Psychology and minoring in Applied Developmental Psychology. She hopes to pursue a graduate degree in developmental psychology. She is also interested in possibly pursuing social work. Her research interests include looking at the effects and possible interventions for risk factors. Outside of research she is an intern at IDP. In her free time, she likes playing volleyball, playing the guitar, and drawing.

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Minella Aghajani 
Research Assistant & Micro-FIMS Coder

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Minella is a 3rd year student at UCLA majoring in Psychology. Her research interests include studying the impact that culture has on a children’s emotional and social development. After graduating, she plans on earning her doctorate in Clinical Psychology, with hopes of becoming a Child Psychologist. In her free time, Minella enjoys playing basketball, spending time with family, and playing with her dog Max.

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Natasha Reddivalam
Research Assistant & Micro-FIMS Coder

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Hello, my name is Natasha Reddivalam and I am a second year student at UCLA majoring in psychobiology. After graduating, I plan to attend medical school to eventually become a child psychiatrist. I hope to promote more mental health specifically regarding children. I am also involved in three different clubs on campus: Save the Children, One Love, and 1Girl. Outside of school I enjoy staying active which includes hiking and going to the gym as well as going on road trips and watching movies.

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Teague Ruther
Research Assistant

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Teague is a 4th year student in the psychology department here at UCLA working as a PROPS student in the BABLab. Outside of academics and the lab, he is a Behavior Interventionist, working to help improve the lives of children and adolescents with Autism. He has an immense fascination with substance use’s influence on choice behavior, as well as the role of early childhood adversity on the development of affective and substance use disorders. In his (rare) free time he is a voracious consumer of manga, an avid cook, and loves watching movies with his fiancé and their dog. 

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Maria Molina 
Research Assistant

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I am a 4th-year, first generation student majoring in psychobiology. I just joined the Brain and Body Lab (BABLab) as a research assistant through the Psychology Research Opportunity Program (PROPS). After college I plan to take a gap year and shortly after apply for a masters in clinical psychology. I currently volunteer as a Crisis Text Line mental health counselor and tutor elementary schoolers. In the future I plan to work with children who may be going through challenges in life and educate people about the importance of mental health. On my free time I love to do weightlifting, learning how to crochet, and watch anime.

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Elena Chan 
Research Assistant

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Elena is a Research Assistant in the Brain and Body Lab (BABLab) in the Psychology Department at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). She is a second-year student majoring in Psychobiology. After completing her undergraduate education, she aspires to become a general dentist and intersect mental health with dentistry advocating for improved mental health practices to promote a healthier culture in dental offices. Her research interests delve into the effects of childhood adversity and trauma on psychophysiological responses. Outside of BABLab, she is a co-chair for the Bruin Mental Health Advisory Committee and a student intern at CAPS (Counseling and Psychological Services). In her free time, you can find her exploring new food spots in LA, weightlifting in the gym, and engaging in graphic design and other art mediums.

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Jeslin Joshi 
Research Assistant

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Jeslin is an Undergraduate Research Assistant in the Brain and Body Lab (BABLab) in the Psychology Department at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). She is a third-year student majoring in Psychology and minoring in Applied Developmental Psychology. After completing her undergraduate education, she hopes to become a Clinical Psychologist and work with with children in the future. Her current research interests are concerning the effects of early childhood development on mental and emotional health. In her free time, she loves to choreograph and perform dances, travel to new places, and bake for her family and friends!

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Emily Hao 
Research Assistant

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Emily is a Research Assistant in the Brain and Body Lab (BABLab) in the Psychology Department at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). She is a first year student majoring in psychobiology. After graduating, she plans to attend medical school and pursue a career in psychiatry. Emily is particularly fascinated by research that explores the relationship between mental and physical health. Outside the lab, she also spends her time volunteering at the local Ronald Reagan Hospital. In her free time, she enjoys playing tennis, creating art, going to the gym, and listening to/playing music.

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Angie  Eng
Research Assistant

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Angie is a 2nd year UCLA student majoring in Psychology, with hopes of minoring in Brain and Behavioral Health. After her undergraduate education at UCLA, she plans on obtaining a Psy.D. in Clinical Psychology, specializing in the mental, emotional, and social development of children. She joined the BABLab as an Undergraduate Research Assistant with hopes to learn more about parent-child interactions and how quality of early life experiences can effect development, and possibly predict the onset of future mental illnesses. Outside of academics, Angie is on a dance team and enjoys spending her time going to concerts, thrifting, and playing with her cats.

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Jaiden Huang  
Research Assistant

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Jaiden is a first-year Psychobiology major at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). Her current interests lie in studying mental illness and its interconnectedness with different parts of human physiology. After graduating from UCLA, she plans to attend graduate school (she isn’t sure what type yet!). She is currently a cadet in Air Force ROTC at UCLA, so she will additionally fulfill a period of service in the U.S. Air Force upon graduating. Outside of academics, she enjoys running, playing soccer, doing graphic design, playing piano, and reading!

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Sarah Steffen  
Research Assistant

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Sarah is a current fourth year student at UCLA majoring in psychobiology with the hopes of pursuing a career in the medical field. She has always had an interest in psychology/psychiatry and trying to better understand the brain in terms of decision making, behavior, mental cognition, etc. and both genetic and environmental factors that play a part in influencing all of these things. She is currently working as a medical assistant at a neurology office for a doctor who graduated from UCLA med (go bruins)! When she is not working or doing school, she volunteers in a club on campus called Bruin Partners, where she tutors high school students in underserved communities of Los Angeles. In her free time, she loves to go hiking, especially in Malibu. She also loves finding new restaurants in Los Angeles to try with her friends. She also is a reality TV fanatic for anything on the Bravo network.

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Sara Jones  
Research Assistant

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Sara is a Research Assistant in the Brain and Body Lab (BAB Lab) in the Psychology Department at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). She is a second-year undergraduate student majoring in biochemistry, and she hopes to attend graduate school after completing her degree. She is particularly interested in the microbiome and the complex interplay between mental and physical health. Outside of school, Sara enjoys reading, solving crosswords, and hanging out with friends.

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Ashley Kang  
Research Assistant

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Ashley is a Senior Research Assistant in the Brain and Body Lab at UCLA. She is a second year majoring in Psychology and Sociology and hopes to obtain a PhD in Criminology or Forensic Psychology! She loves learning about how childhood adversities and/or trauma can impact an indidivudal and their future actions. Ashley enjoys spending time with friends, gaming, and going out to eat.

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Alumni