Research Assistant
Washington D.C. Metro Area
Center for Functional and Molecular Imaging, Washington, DC• Screen participants for MRI safety• Operate Siemens MAGNETOM Prisma 3T MRI scanner for multiple users with subjects from various populations including pediatric, neurotypical adults, and clinical populations (including Autism Spectrum Disorder, ADHD, stroke/aphasia, Gulf War Illness, blindness, and cancer pre- and post-op)• Coordinate weekend MRI scanning schedule for users with pediatric populations• Reconcile monthly invoices with all users for MRI scanner usageAdolescent Development Study – PIs: John VanMeter, PhD; Diana Fishbein, PhD• Contact and schedule young adult participants for the fourth wave of data collection in the Adolescent Development Study (ADS), a longitudinal study investigating the precursors and effects of adolescent drug and alcohol use• Work with ADS team to run participant visits, including consenting adult participants and assenting youths, administering questionnaires, and distributing appropriate payment/reimbursement via Nimblify• Aid in preprocessing and analysis of behavioral and neuroimaging data using SPSS, SPM, and FreeSurfer• Pipette and centrifuge saliva samples, and ensure proper transport and storing of samples• Presented individual project investigating differences between OPRM1 genotypes in brain response to positive reward feedback during a Wheel of Fortune functional MRI task at Neuroscience 2018 (poster attached)Glutamate Neuro-Excitotoxicity in GWI – PI: Kathleen Holton, PhD• Independently collect imaging data (19+ participants, 2 visits each) including structural, functional, and spectroscopy, in veterans suffering from Gulf War Illness