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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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

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Naomi studies how early experiences affect risk and resilience via the brain-gut-microbiome-axis. Her research approach incorporates various methods, including gut and oral microbiome analyses, neuroimaging, and electrogastrography. 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

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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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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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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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Cheryl 
Research Assistant & Micro-FIMS Coder

 

Cheryl is a fourth-year undergraduate student majoring in psychology and minoring in Statistics. Her research interests focus on how social factors impact the presentation and treatment of clinical disorders, and her goal is to pursue a Clinical Psychology Ph.D. She is an international student from Shanghai, China. Outside of BAB Lab, she is also an editor at the Undergraduate Research Journal of Psychology (URJP) at UCLA. In her free times, she loves traveling, drawing, and baking.

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Lily Li (she/her)
Research Assistant & Micro-FIMS Coder

Lily is a third-year UCLA student majoring in Psychology from Vancouver, Canada. She is interested in researching parent-child interactions and the impact of language and immigration on development. She plans on pursuing clinical psychology after her undergraduate education at UCLA. Outside of academics, Lily enjoys photography, travelling, attending K-pop concerts and learning new languages.

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Sarah Xu (she/her
Research Assistant & Micro-FIMS Coder

Sarah is a fourth-year majoring in Psychology with minors in Philosophy and Global Health. She is interested in exploring the intersection of developmental psychology, social welfare, and child advocacy. She particularly seeks to understand the systemic challenges faced by vulnerable populations, especially children and families. Outside of the BAB Lab, Sarah is a student worker at UCLA TIES For Families, co-president and volunteer piano teacher for SLAM! at UCLA, and an educational coach at UCLA Pathway. In her free time, she likes to bake, read, and spend time with her cat. She hopes to pursue law school and further research experience upon graduating.

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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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Jaelin Lai-Yates
Research Assistant

Jaelin is a rising second year student at UCLA majoring in Psychology with the intention of double majoring in Business Economics. After graduation, Jaelin plans to pursue a Ph.D. in clinical psychology and ultimately, a career that combines both psychology and business. Jaelin is particularly interested in the interactions of the self, parent, and peer relationships and hopes to explore the parent and child dyad as an assistant in the BABLab. Outside of academics, Jaelin enjoys creating new mixes of matcha lattes (She recommends adding grass jelly or cinnamon), performing imaginary concerts to friends through dance and song, as well as discovering epiphanies and “aha” moments that challenge her. She is also a passionate boba lover and even worked at MeetFresh during her freshman year!

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AJ Estrella
Research Assistant

AJ is a 4th year Psychobiology major minoring in Applied Developmental Psychology. AJ loves working with children and is particularly interested in their language and cognitive development. After graduating AJ plan to go into nursing school or grad school to pursue a degree in Psychology. Some other things AJ is involved in are UniCamp, Association of Students for Child Development (ASCD) as Recruitment Director, Swipe Out Hunger, and dance!

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Andre Fabian (they/them)
Research Assistant

Andre is a rising senior majoring in Physiological Sciences and minoring in Science Education. Through their college curriculum, they aim to explore the intersection between education and healthcare, hoping to pursue an MD/MPH program post-undergraduate. With these degrees, they wish to work in Internal Medicine, specializing in Community Healthcare and Health Advocacy. Outside of academics, they love to play tennis and practice their ukelele, as well as cook and bake traditional Filipino food!

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Jonathan Liu
Social Media Coordinator

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Jonathan is a Social Media Coordinator in the Brain and Body Lab at UCLA. He is a third-year undergraduate student majoring in Sociology and Human Biology & Society and hopes to explore the intersection between marketing and STEM. He is interested in progressing science communication through social media efforts to improve health equity. Outside of BAB Lab, Jonathan likes to spend time exploring cafes, music festivals, and thrifting with friends!

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Alumni

James Lian, Visiting Scholar

Zhidi (Judy) Zhang, Visiting Graduate Researcher