Graduate Students
Reilly Hannapel
Before joining the Parent Lab in the Fall of 2013, I completed my undergrad studies in Psychology at Ursinus College (PA) in 2011 and went on to complete my MS in Cognitive Neuroscience at the University of Durham in the UK with Dr. Alexander Easton and Dr. Madeline Eacott. I am currently working to dissociate the roles of dorsal and ventral hippocampal neurons in energy regulation and meal patterning using state of the art optogenetic techniques in awake, behaving rats. We have shown that the hippocampus influences intake and generally inhibits meal onset, but are now trying to determine if the hippocampus is actually forming a memory of the meal or exerting inhibitory control over downstream brain regions. Outside the lab I am an avid rock climber, I coach lacrosse and love to work with animal-assisted therapy programs training hospital therapy dogs.
Undergraduate Students
Janavi Ramesh
Janavi Ramesh was born in Oakland, California and raised in Duluth, GA. Janavi is pursuing a major in Neuroscience with a pre-medical concentration. Her research interests include pediatric neurological disorders involving memory. She has two years of experience working in the laboratory of Dr. Parent, where she assists in studies exploring how memory affects eating behavior using optogenetic techniques. She aspires to pursue an M.D. Janavi has participated in the Brain and Behavior program, and is part of the GSU Honors College. She is also a recipient of the Georgia State Centennial Merit Scholarship and GSU S-STEM Scholarship. Some of her hobbies include dancing, playing tennis, reading, and traveling.
Nicolette Barnett
Nicolette Barnett was born in Edmonton, Alberta and raised in Kennesaw, GA. Nicolette is an undergraduate honors student at Georgia State University. She is pursuing a major in neuroscience with a concentration in pre-medicine. After an internship with an endovascular and cerebrovascular neurosurgeon, Nicolette became interested in neurological disorders associated with memory. She has spent the last two years working in the Parent Laboratory, studying the relationship between eating behavior and memory. Nicolette has had the opportunity to work as a University assistant, a B&B Scholar, and now an IMSD fellow. She is also the recipient of Centennial Merit Award and a reoccurring President’s List awardee. She plans on obtaining a BS degree in Neuroscience in 2018 and will pursue an MD/Ph.D. in Neuroscience. Outside of academia and research, Nicolette enjoys playing the piano for various community gatherings, traveling, and hiking.
Taylor Montgomery
Taylor Montgomery is in his fourth year of undergraduate studies in neuroscience and works as a volunteer in the Parent lab. His research interests include developmental neuroscience and the neuroscience of pair bonding. During the semester, Taylor works for the Office of Supplemental instruction as an SI leader for Chemistry 1211, and in his spare-time he is an assistant at a photography lab that develops film. Taylor loves to walk around the city in his spare time, exploring different places and taking photos. Needless to say, he is a photography enthusiast and has started to develop his own black and white film at home.
Hana Obeidat
Hana Obeidat is a 4th year Honors student from Kennesaw, Georgia working toward her B.S./M.S. in neuroscience at Georgia State University. Hana is a member of the Collegiate Neuroscience Society and GSU’s Nu Rho Psi chapter. She has had the opportunity to shadow a team of neurosurgeons at the Jordanian Royal Medical Center in Amman, Jordan. Hana has also participated in an internship with Piedmont Hospital’s neurological nursing unit in Atlanta. She is currently working in Dr. Parent’s lab to investigate the role of memory in eating behavior. Hana is a facility and fitness attendant at the Student Recreation Center and plays lacrosse for GSU’s women’s club. She enjoys cooking and traveling, and considers herself an avid Atlanta sports fan.
