Team
Nancy Padilla-Coreano, PhD
Principal Investigator
University of Florida
Contact
Nancy was born and raised in Puerto Rico. Her goal is to improve our understanding of the social brain. She is committed to high quality mentoring and training the next generation of neuroscientists. She is also passionate about promoting women in neuroscience through Stories of WiN . Outside of the lab, she enjoys running and ice cream tasting.
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Dr. Elizabeth Illescas-Huerta
Postdoctoral researcher
Elizabeth completed her Ph.D. in Biomedical Sciences at National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM) studying the brain mechanisms underlying choice behavior during emotional memories. Her research interests include decision-making, emotion, motivation, and social behavior. She is also involved in science communication in Mexico through Emisión Sináptica, a radio program that brings neuroscience to general audiences. During her free time, she likes reading books, watching movies, and biking.
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Christopher Marais
Collaborator, PhD student with Hulcr Lab
Christopher is a PhD student with degrees in Forestry, Data Science, Bioinformatics, and Molecular Biology. Although his responsibilities are often more orientated to data and software management, Christopher's true research interests include genomics, geometric deep learning, and synthetic biology. When he is not playing with computational models, he likes to play rugby or pick up heavy things and put them back down again.
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Meghan Cum
Lab manager
Meghan graduated from MIT in 2019 with a BS in Brain & Cognitive Sciences and Philosophy. She is passionate about the neuroscience behind mental health and social wellbeing and is excited to expand her knowledge of optogenetics and electrophysiology. When she is not poking at brains, she likes to meditate, practice yoga, and hit things (rugby, boxing, muay thai, etc.)!
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Christopher "Tyler" Short, MS
Lab research assistant
Tyler graduated with a BS in Neuroscience in 2021 and an MS in Applied Cognition & Neuroscience in 2023 from The University of Texas at Dallas, where they led two human research projects in an addiction lab. Passionate about studying complex/intrinsic motivation and non-physical reward in social contexts, Tyler plans to soon start their PhD. Outside the lab, Tyler enjoys podcasts, exploring nature, and watching low-budget movies with their wife.
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Ryo "Leo" Iwata
Master’s student
Leo has programmed and analyzed data for labs researching metagenomics for agriculture or neuroimaging for motor degenerative disease. His goal is to learn how machine learning and the neuroscience of decision making can offer insights to each other. He is a beginner at bouldering, meditating, and salsa dancing but nonetheless enjoys them outside the lab!
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Caroline De Paula Cunha Almeida
Undergraduate researcher
Caroline is a Behavioral and Cognitive Neuroscience undergraduate (class of 2024) from Brazil. She is passionate about neuroscience, teaching, and the power of empathy and compassion in improving care and well-being. Through her clinic volunteering, she has become especially interested in studying neurological and developmental disorders, mood disorders, and social behaviors. In her free time, Caroline loves gluten-free cooking and trying out different yoga styles.
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Aidan Higgs
Undergraduate researcher
Aidan is a third-year undergraduate expecting to graduate in May 2024 with a B.S. in Mathematics and Biochemistry. He hopes to then matriculate into an M.D./Ph.D. program focusing his graduate work in neuroscience and specializing in either psychiatry or neurology. In his free time Aidan enjoys reading, cooking, and playing sports.
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Albert Li
Undergraduate researcher
Albert is a second-year Biomedical Engineering major at the University of Florida. He plans to graduate in the Spring of 2025 and pursue graduate school. In his free time, he enjoys watching movies and playing music. Fun fact: Albert’s parents met at UF and named him after the UF mascot.
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Aarna Shah
Undergraduate researcher
Aarna is a first year Biomedical Engineering major on the pre-med track. She plans to graduate May 2027 and pursue medical school. She's especially interested in studying the intersection of neuroscience and AI in medical technology. In her free time she enjoys playing piano, reading, walking and baking.
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Charles Ye
Undergraduate researcher
Charles is a first-year medical physics student, but it may change in the coming semester. He is expected to graduate in the spring of 2027 and hopes to enroll in an M.D./Ph.D. program. In his free time, he enjoys drawing, playing chess, watching movies, and gaming. Fun fact: He has been interested in neuroscience since a young age because his mother has worked at UF studying neurodegenerative diseases.
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Albert
UF mascot
Alumni
Naeliz Lopez, Northwestern University
Erika Wangia, UF
Rachel Rock, UCSF
Javier Weddington, Stanford
Amelia Chambers, UF
Makenzie Patarino, University of Washington
Kanha Batra, UCSD
Isabel Castro, University of Puerto Rico
Jocelyn Santiago, University of Pittsburgh
Elizabeth Wright, UF
We are hiring at all levels!
Graduate Students:
Apply to UF’s Neuroscience PhD program
Postdocs:
Contact Nancy with a CV and cover letter
UF Undergrads:
Fill out this form
Fun Times
in the Padilla-Coreano Lab