Dr. Sara M. Freeman, Assistant Professor
Sara was born and raised in Atlanta, GA and is the only scientist and academic in her family. She is a first-generation college graduate and received a B.S. in Biology from the University of Virginia in 2006. She went on to earn a PhD in Neuroscience from Emory University in 2013. From 2013-2019, she worked as a postdoctoral researcher in the Psychology Department at the University of California Davis. In August of 2019, Sara joined the faculty in the Biology Department at Utah State University, where she was recruited to help expand the neuroscience training environment for undergraduate students and PhD students alike. In her free time, she likes to cook, bake bread, discover new music, swim, and spend time outdoors with her husband, toddler, and hound dog.
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Postdoc
Dr. Lexi Turano Lexi is working to systemically quantify monogamous behavior in captive coyotes via a longstanding partnership with the National Wildlife Research Center Predator Research Facility in Millville, UT. Lexi earned her PhD in Behavioral Neuroscience at the University of Delaware where she investigated the impact of neonatal immune activation on juvenile social behavior. Lexi loves exploring the countless trails in the Cache Valley; she occasionally dabbles in wildlife photography and often makes unexceptional attempts at gardening. |
PhD Student
Ariel Snowden Ariel is a doctoral student in the neuroscience program. Ariel’s research examines oxytocin receptor binding densities and oxytocin receptor mRNA expression in the postmortem brain tissue of individuals who had schizophrenia. Her work will help determine whether the oxytocin system is an appropriate target for treating psychotic symptoms and social cognitive impairments in schizophrenia. Before attending USU, Ariel obtained a BS in Psychology from Western Illinois University in 2015. As an undergraduate research assistant, Ariel worked on projects using EEG to investigate neural activation during social decision making in the Prisoner’s Dilemma. In her free time, she enjoys jamming, hiking with her dog Teemo, watching independent films, and traveling. |
PhD Student
Caroline Long Caroline is a Ph.D. student in Biology. She is studying coyote social communication at the National Wildlife Research Center Predator Research Facility in Millville, UT. Her research explores how coyotes respond to the scents of related and unrelated individuals and how these responses differ across the lifespan and between reproductive seasons. Caroline graduated with a BA in Neuroscience from Pomona College in 2016 and studied primates at Emory National Primate Research Center before moving to Utah for graduate school in 2021. In her free time, Caroline enjoys painting, listening to music, and boxing. |
Masters Student
Janna Hart Janna is a Master's student in the Biology program. Janna's area of research is centered around the gut-brain axis. She is investigating the effects of dietary fiber on mRNA expression of serotonin biosynthesis, free-fatty acid receptors, and microglia (immune cells) in the hippocampus and dorsal raphe in mice. Janna attended Utah State University for her BS in Biology and graduated in May of 2020. When she's not in the lab, Janna can be found reading, writing, drawing, and going for long walks with her dog Kingsley. |
Undergraduate Student Researchers
Freeman Lab Alumni
Masters Students: Sage Frehner M.S. ('21) Noa Reuveni M.S. ('21) Undergraduate Students: Hunter Stanger ('24) Blake Nielson ('22) Marianne Maughan ('22) Matthew Webb ('22) McKenna Rich ('22) Sophia Adamis ('22) Auria Staheli ('21) Hillary Ihrig ('21) Kip Dooley ('21) Maddie Measom ('21) Nate Johnson ('21) Riley Elmer ('21) Trevor Anderson ('21) |