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Kalynn Schulz, Ph.D.
Kalynn Schulz, Ph.D.

Principle Investigator

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Arthur (AJ) Castaneda, M.A.
Arthur (AJ) Castaneda, M.A.

Ph.D. Candidate
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Arthur graduated with a Bachelor’s in Psychology, and a Master’s in Experimental Psychology from CSU San Marcos. His current projects focus on the role of reproductive brain regions and their interplay with social experience. Specifically, his aim is to explore the underlying neuroendocrine and experiential factors between the brain, development, and social-reproductive behaviors in rodents.

Jessica Tremblay, M.A.
Jessica Tremblay, M.A.

Ph.D. Candidate
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Jessica graduated with a Bachelor’s in Psychology with a Spanish minor from UNC Wilmington in 2020. Here at UTK, she is working to understand how hormones affect neuroplasticity during adolescence in the medial prefrontal cortex, and how this may contribute to the development of mental health disorders later in life.

Krystiana Rego
Krystiana Rego

Masters Candidate 

krego1@utk.edu 

Krystiana graduated with a Bachelor’s in Psychology and a minor in Public Health from the University of North Florida in May of 2023.


Aly Webb (She/Her)
Aly Webb (She/Her)

PhD Candidate

awebb71@vols.utk.edu

Aly graduated with an Associate’s in Psychology from Georgia Military College in 2021, then received a Bachelor’s in Psychology from Georgia College and State University in 2024. She is currently developing a project that will investigate the effects of dietary choline supplementation and chronic variable stress during prenatal development on ɑ7 or ɑ4β2 nAChR expression in the basolateral amygdala or mPFC. 

Cole Wheeler
Cole Wheeler

Undergraduate Research Assistant

twheel12@vols.utk.edu

Cole is a Neuroscience and Psychology major. He is expected to graduate in December 2026, and is currently working alongside PhD candidate AJ Castaneda to assess potential effects of stressors and hormonal changes on social and emotional behaviors. After graduating, Cole intends to further his studies after graduating, attending a graduate program with the hopes of specializing in cognition.

Isabella Rochford
Isabella Rochford

Undergraduate Research Assistant

irochfor@vols.utk.edu

Isabella is a double major in Neuroscience and Global Health Biology expected to graduate in May of 2026. She joined the lab in the fall of 2024, assisting Marcia Chavez to investigate how stress during development interacts with the immune system to affect physiology and behavior in adulthood. After graduation, Isabella plans to apply to graduate school and eventually become the head of her own research lab.


Olivia Swensen
Olivia Swensen

Undergraduate Research Assistant

oswensen@vols.utk.edu

Olivia is a pre-med neuroscience major with a minor in psychology. She is expected to graduate in the fall of 2026. She is working with Marcia, focusing on the effects of stress during brain development and whether it increases risk for neuropsychiatric disorders. After graduation Olivia plans to attend medical school.

Sara Grubbs
Sara Grubbs

Undergraduate Research Assistant

sgrubbs4@vols.utk.edu

Sara is a Neuroscience major, with biology and pre-health minors. She is expected to graduate in December of 2026, and is currently working with PhD candidate AJ Castaneda to investigate the neural mechanisms behind the effects of reproductive experience on social and emotional behaviors. Sara’s post-grad goal is to attend medical school and study neurology, with the objective of specializing in pediatric neurosurgery.

Dylan Smith
Dylan Smith

Undergraduate Research Assistant

dsmit306@vols.utk.edu

Dylan is a Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (BCMB) major with an anticipated graduation date of Summer 2026. He is currently working with PhD candidate AJ Castaneda to investigate how developmental stress influences neuroplasticity and social behavior. Following graduation, Dylan plans to attend medical school to pursue a career in neurosurgery.

Connor Kelly
Connor Kelly

Undergraduate Research Assistant

ckelly51@vols.utk.edu

Connor is a biochemistry major with a pre-med track, minoring in public health. He is expected to graduate in the spring of 2027. After graduation, Connor hopes to go to medical school with the goal of going into cardiology.

Josie Shepherd
Josie Shepherd

Undergraduate Research Assistant

csheph10@vols.utk.edu

Josie is a neuroscience major with a pre-health minor. She is expected to graduate in December of 2027. She is working alongside PhD candidate Jessica Tremblay to assess the effects of prenatal and adolescent stress on perineuronal nets in the medial prefrontal cortex. After graduation, Josie plans to attend PA school and pursue a career in pediatrics.

Lillian Shafer (She/Her)
Lillian Shafer (She/Her)

Undergraduate Research Assistant 

Shaferlillian@gmail.com

Lillian is majoring in neuroscience and is expected to graduate in 2029. After graduation she intends to pursue a PhD in neuroscience. Currently she is working with AJ Castaneda on investigating social learning between male and female hamsters with repeated exposure. Part of the research includes using keyence microscope to image brains and count PNNs.

Isabel Davis (She/Her)
Isabel Davis (She/Her)

Undergraduate Research Assistant

idavis12@vols.utk.edu

Isabel is a neuroscience major minoring in anthropology and pre-health professions. She is expected to graduate in the spring of 2027. After graduation, Isabel hopes to go to medical school with the goal of going into neurosurgery or pathology.

Emma Grady
Emma Grady

Undergraduate Research Assistant

mhx281@vols.utk.edu

Emma is a Psychology major with a Neuroscience minor. She is expected to graduate in December of 2026. She is working alongside PhD candidate Jessica Tremblay to assess the effects of prenatal and adolescent stress on perineuronal nets in the medial prefrontal cortex. After graduation, Emma plans to further her studies and obtain a PsyD in Clinical Psychology with a focus in Neuropsychology.