BRaIN
Laboratory

Our Team
Graduate Students

Ketan Dhede
Spring 2024 - present
Ketan is a fourth-year graduate student in the Interdisciplinary Neuroscience PhD Program. With a B.S. and M.S. in Biotechnology from Savitribai Phule Pune University, India, and industry experience in next-generation sequencing and bioinformatics, Ketan aims to enhance astronaut safety through his research using rodent models for cognitive and sensorimotor assessments.
Awards: 1st Place Poster GPSA 2025; Patricia Sastaunik Scholarship 2025, 2026; Summer Doctoral Research Fellowship 2025, 2026; Rebel Doctoral Student of the Year Award
Research Interests: how spaceflight stressors, like radiation and microgravity, impact Alzheimer's disease
Hobbies: exploring international cuisines, traveling, and playing soccer

Susan Gleed
Fall 2024 - present
Susan is a second-year graduate student in the Interdisciplinary Neuroscience PhD Program at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. She recently graduated with her B.A. in Psychology. She aims to become an expert researcher in the fields of psychology and neuroscience.
Research Interests: Autism Spectrum Disorder, ADHD, and other similar disorders, drawing connections to spaceflight
Hobbies: parenting four children, singing, spending time outdoors

Kaela Omengan
Fall 2025 - present
Kaela graduated from UNLV in Fall 2023 with a B.A. in psychology. Upon graduation, she joined the BRaIN lab, where her passion for research flourished. Now as a first-year graduate student in the Interdisciplinary Neuroscience PhD Program, she is eager to use her findings to positively influence policy and foster innovation in the neuroscience field.
Awards: 1st Place Talk GPSA 2026
Research Interests: sensorimotor decline and how age, disease, and spaceflight exacerbate it
Hobbies: frequenting cafes, going to concerts, and completing random art projects

Teresa Garcia
Fall 2025 - present
Teresa is a recent graduate of UNLV with a B.A. in psychology and a minor in neuroscience. Her plans are to receive further research experience at UNLV, while striving to achieve her Ph.D. in neuroscience. She is currently a first-year graduate student in the Interdisciplinary Neuroscience PhD Program.
Research Interests: neurodegenerative diseases, such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease, attention and memory, behaviors following traumatic brain injuries, psychiatric disorders, and the behavioral and biological factors of developmental disorders
Hobbies: reading, finding new places in Vegas to experience, listening to music, and spending time with family
Research Assistants
Student Interns
Former Research Assistants & Student Interns
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Derek Nguyen, Summer '25 - Fall '25
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Diana Landazuri Nova, Spring '25 - Fall '25
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Aavash Adhikari, Summer '24, Summer '25
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Diana Lloyd, Summer '24 - Summer '25
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Nuhamine Moges, Summer '24, Summer '25
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Nicole Attallah, Summer '24, Summer '25
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Andre Hernandez-Lopez, Spring '25
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Sierra Ordonez, Summer '24 - Spring '25
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Doc-Haden Rodgers, Summer '24 - Fall '25






