​FLAVIO FROHLICH, PH.D. – PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

Flavio’s goal is to revolutionize how we treat psychiatric illnesses. His vision is that understanding cortical state dynamics will enable the development of novel non-invasive brain stimulation paradigms that directly target pathological network dynamics. Flavio is convinced that such rational design of neurotherapeutics will open the door for individualized, highly effective brain stimulation in psychiatry. Flavio directs the Carolina Center for Neurostimulation that offers numerous clinical trials of novel experimental treatments for depression and other mental illnesses.

Postdoctoral & Associated Scholars

MAGDALENDA CAMENZIND, PH.D. - POSTDOCTORAL SCHOLAR

Magdalena earned her Ph.D. in Neuroscience from the University of Bern in Switzerland, where she delved into the intricate world of brain science. Her passion revolves around unravelling the intricate web of interactions that occur between different brain areas—a captivating field known as network neuroscience. She finds great fascination in the transformative power of neurostimulation, which holds the potential to untangle and define the relevant brain regions and networks responsible for specific cognitive functions, most notably cognitive control. By exploring this area, Magdalena is actively paving the way for identifying promising targets for therapeutic neurostimulation application to treat cognitive impairment.
Beyond her academic pursuits, Magdalena finds inspiration in the natural wonders of North Carolina. Whether on foot or bicycle, she avidly explores the diverse flora and fauna of the region. Additionally, she channels her creativity into the creation of photo books, capturing and preserving the beauty she encounters along her journeys.

ZACHARY FELDMAN, M.D. - SENIOR RESEARCH CLINICIAN

Dr. Zachary Feldman is a board-certified psychiatrist and an Associate Professor in the Department of Psychiatry at the University of North Carolina. He is a Fellow of the American Psychiatric Association and past-president of the North Carolina Psychiatric Association. Dr. Feldman graduated from the University of Virginia in biology before attending medical school at Duke University. He then completed residency in General Psychiatry and fellowship in Child and Adolescent Psychiatry at UNC. Dr. Feldman practiced psychiatry in private practice and community settings for 11 years before returning to UNC to join the faculty in 2021. He aims to utilize his experience in clinical psychiatry to help direct the study of novel treatments through his work with the Carolina Center for Neurostimulation.

JIMIN PARK, PH.D. - POSTDOCTORAL SCHOLAR

Jimin earned his Ph.D. in Electronic Engineering from Hanyang University in South Korea. He is focused on defining causal roles of neural oscillations during cognitive processing using brain stimulation and neuroimaging. He is also interested in the computational simulation of Transcranial Electrical Stimulation, using signal processing and artificial intelligence to analyze oscillatory signals. In his free time, he enjoys playing board/online games and watching/playing sports.

SUSANNE RADTKE-SCHULLER, PH.D. - ASSOCIATE RESEARCH SCIENTIST

Susanne focuses on the question how neuroanatomical structure is linked to neurophysiological function and especially what is the 'hardware' underlying behavior and cognitive processing in the brain. She is convinced that this is essential to understand brain processes in healthy and pathological states.

TOBIAS SCHWIPPEL, M.D. - POSTDOCTORAL SCHOLAR & STUDY DIRECTOR

Tobias received his medical doctor from the University of Tübingen, Germany. During his Psychiatry Residency in Tübingen, Tobias combined his clinical work with research and participated in brain stimulation studies in patients with alcohol use disorder, depression and schizophrenia. After board certification as psychiatrist and psychotherapist, Tobias moved to UNC to fully concentrate on neurophysiological research. He aims to investigate the relation between transdiagnostic symptoms and neural oscillations by means of non-invasive brain stimulation. His goal is the extension and combination of existing treatment tools for mental disorders. Tobias is the Director of Clinical Research at the Carolina Center for Neurostimulation. Outside of work, Tobias enjoys literature, political discussions and is joyfully struggling with yet another ball to juggle: his lack of rhythm in guitar playing and the perfect boardgame move.  

Graduate Students

CORINNE CARLTON-SMITH - CLINICAL INTERNSHIP GRADUATE STUDENT

Corinne is in the final year of her Clinical Science PhD program at Virginia Tech. Currently, she is on clinical internship at the UNC Chapel Hill School of Medicine in the Affective Neuroscience track. Corinne is interested in reward-related mechanisms as they relate to anhedonia within anxiety and depression. While on clinical internship, she conducts clinical assessments and interventions for the lab, and hopes to examine the effect of a single-day treatment for depression that combines psychotherapy and neurostimulation. In her free time, Corinne enjoys baking, reading, hiking, and hanging out with friends.

DEONTAE PHARR - GRADUATE STUDENT

Deontae is a PhD student in the Bioinformatics and Computational program, studying the functional dynamics of cognition and how disorders disrupt these processes. He has a B.S. and M.S. in Computer Science and will use his computational skills to advance our understanding of cognitive disorders in hopes of developing translational solutions. In his free time, he enjoys biking around town and playing new piano pieces.

GRACE ROSS - GRADUATE STUDENT

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​​Grace graduated from Oregon State University with an Honors B.S in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, where she was apart of a healthy aging research lab. Grace left Oregon for North Carolina, to pursue a PhD in Neuroscience from UNC-Chapel Hill. Grace came to Chapel Hill interested in understanding how neural circuitry and brain organization can explain human behavior in the context of human disease. She is now thrilled for the opportunity to study the brain through the lens of neural oscillations with the ultimate goal of developing effective therapeutics for neuropsychiatric disorders.

JOSH TANNER - MEDICAL STUDENT

Josh is a fourth-year medical student at UNC. He received his B.S. in Biomedical Engineering from NC State University. Before entering medical school, he worked on multiple projects focused on implementing biomedical devices into clinical practice. Josh’s other endeavors have included pilot programs to address health disparities in vulnerable populations through community engagement and advocacy. He hopes to further his understanding of interventional treatment options for mental illness and be a part of upcoming innovations in psychiatry. He enjoys building LEGO, brewing coffee, and browsing record stores in his spare time.

Research Staff

HADDEN LAGARDE - STUDY COORDINATOR

Hadden LaGarde received dual degrees at UNC-Chapel Hill: a B.S. in Neuroscience, a B.A. in Political Science and a minor in Chemistry. As a research coordinator, she is interested in the role of neural oscillations in neurological psychiatric disorders, and how the influence of brain stimulation on neural oscillations may aid in the treatment of these disorders. In her free time, Hadden enjoys tennis, boxing, and is learning how to play the saxophone.

FRANCESCA PUPILLO - STUDY COORDINATOR

Francesca Pupillo graduated from UNC Chapel Hill with a B.S. in Neuroscience with minors in Chemistry and Biology. As a research coordinator, she is interested in the role of regional neural oscillations and their relationship to emotional and cognitive functioning. Mainly, she is interested in modulating neural oscillations via non-invasive brain stimulation to improve clinical outcomes for patients with neuropsychiatric disorders. In her free time, Francesca enjoys running, reading, climbing, and spending time with friends and family.

ZACHARY STEWART - LAB COORDINATOR

Zach received his BA in Psychology graduating summa cum laude from UNC Asheville and is the lab coordinator for Frohlich Lab. His research interests include substance use disorder, behavioral activation, the intersection of substance use disorder and PTSD and the exciting new possibilities of noninvasive brain stimulation for SUD. He also studies the role infection and inflammation play in neuropsychiatric illness. In his free time he enjoys film and digital photography, cooking, spending time with his spouse Christine and crushing Netflix.

Undergraduate Research Assistants

MINA BAYRAKTAR - UNDERGRADUATE RESEARCH ASSISTANT

Mina is a first-year student at UNC Chapel Hill.  She is majoring in Neuroscience and is on the pre-med track. As a research assistant, Mina is part of the ABBA project which combines transcranial alternating current stimulation with behavioral activation therapy. In her free time, she enjoys cross-stitching, going for nature walks, and learning new languages.

CHARLIE EVERHARD - UNDERGRADUATE RESEARCH ASSISTANT

Charlie Everhard a third year student at UNC majoring in Neuroscience with a minor in chemistry on a pre-med track. As a research assistant, he is interested in learning about the correlation between neural networks and behavior. Outside of the lab, Charlie enjoys weightlifting, playing on the UNC club baseball team, and spending time with friends.

ABBY GAUCH - UNDERGRADUATE RESEARCH ASSISTANT

Abby is a third year undergrad student at UNC studying Human Development and Family science and Psychology on the Pre-Med track. As a research assistant, Abby is interested in new treatment techniques in the field of psychiatry, especially neurostimulation, the biological causes of neurological disorders, connections between pathogen exposure and neuropsychiatric symptomology. In her free time, she likes to swim, read fiction books, embroider, and explore new places and towns.

VERINA GUIRGUIS - UNDERGRADUATE RESEARCH ASSISTANT

Verina Guirguis is a second-year undergraduate at UNC Chapel Hill pursuing majors in Neuroscience and Linguistics with a minor in Chemistry. As a research assistant, she is interested in exploring the biological causes of various neurological disorders, as well as the connection between neural oscillations and cognitive functions. In her free time, she loves to read, play chess, and spend time with friends and family.

PRIMA GURJAR - UNDERGRADUATE RESEARCH ASSISTANT

Prima Gurjar is a second-year undergraduate at UNC Chapel Hill. She is pursuing a B.S. in Neuroscience with minors in Medical Anthropology and Chemistry. As a research assistant, she is interested in studying new treatments for mental illnesses such as severe depression. Outside of the lab, she likes to dance and cook new recipes.

SHREYA HARIKRISHNAN - UNDERGRADUATE RESEARCH ASSISTANT

Shreya Harikrishnan is a second-year undergraduate at UNC Chapel Hill pursuing a B.S. in Neuroscience and a B.A. in Medical Anthropology with a minor in Chemistry. As a research assistant, she is interested in the role neural networks play in relation to behavior and learning. She hopes to apply this knowledge to her additional research interest in neurodegenerative disorders. In her free time, Shreya likes to learn new musical instruments, travel, cook, and spend time with friends and family.

SANVI KORSAPATHY - UNDERGRADUATE RESEARCH ASSISTANT

Sanvi is a second-year undergrad at UNC and is pursuing a B.S. in Neuroscience and a B.A. in Advertising and Public Relations with a minor in Chemistry. As a research assistant, she is interested in studying neural oscillations and how it relates to cognitive function. She is also interested in applying that research to psychiatric illnesses. She also works on researching behavioral activation as a treatment for substance abuse disorders. Outside of lab, Sanvi works on the graphic design and publicity teams for her clubs at UNC and plays guitar in her free time!

WU LI - UNDERGRADUATE RESEARCH ASSISTANT

Wu is a third-year undergraduate at UNC Chapel Hill, pursuing a B.S. in Neuroscience and a B.A. in Advertising and Public Relations with a minor in Chemistry. As a research assistant, she is interested in the neural basis of psychiatric disorders, specifically major depressive disorder and bipolar disorder. In addition, she is interested in studying how non-invasive methods can help with the treatments for psychiatric disorders. In her free time, she enjoys graphic design and photography!

DAVID MAHAN - UNDERGRADUATE RESEARCH ASSISTANT

David Mahan is a third-year undergraduate student at UNC Chapel Hill. He is majoring in Biology with minors in Chemistry and Marine Science on a Pre-med track. As a research assistant, David is interested in further understanding and treating depression/anhedonia, especially through the use of tACS. Outside of the lab, he is a member of the UNC Club Ice Hockey team and enjoys spending time with friends and family.

ABDULAZIZ NORBEKOV - UNDERGRADUATE RESEARCH ASSISTANT​

Abdulaziz Norbekov is a third-year undergraduate student at UNC Chapel Hill. He is pursuing a B.S. in Neuroscience and Biology along with a minor in Chemistry. As a research assistant, he is interested in neural networks and their oscillations, specifically with their relation to behavior. In his free time, Abdulaziz like to spend time with friends and family, go to the gym, and eat food.

VINEETA PASALA - UNDERGRADUATE RESEARCH ASSISTANT

Vineeta is a second-year undergraduate student at UNC Chapel Hill, pursuing a Neuroscience major with a minor in Chemistry on the pre-med track. As a research assistant, she is interested in studying psychiatric disorders and understanding how non-invasive methods such as tACS can revolutionize treatment for depression. Outside of the lab, she enjoys painting, exploring different cuisines, and thrifting.

KERI RHODES - UNDERGRADUATE RESEARCH ASSISTANT

​Keri is a second-year undergraduate at UNC Chapel Hill majoring in Psychology with a minor in Spanish for the Medical Professions. As a research assistant, she is interested in understanding the neural basis of psychiatric disorders and how this understanding can transform the way we treat and view mental illness. Outside of the lab, she enjoys writing, painting, and spending time with friends and family.

SIENA RODRIGUES - UNDERGRADUATE RESEARCH ASSISTANT

Siena Rodrigues is a second-year undergraduate student at UNC Chapel Hill majoring in psychology. As a research assistant, she is interested in the role neural oscillations play in relation to psychiatric disorders. Outside of the lab, Siena enjoys perfecting her Chai recipe and writing letters. 

KIRINA SHAH - UNDERGRADUATE RESEARCH ASSISTANT

Kirina Shah is a second-year undergraduate at UNC Chapel Hill. She is pursuing a B.S. in Neuroscience with minors in Medical Anthropology and Public Policy. Her research interests include degenerative neurological disease and exploring novel treatments for mental illnesses. In her free time, she likes to read and spend time with friends and family.

CHRISTIAN SODANO - UNDERGRADUATE RESEARCH ASSISTANT

Christian is a second-year undergraduate at UNC pursuing a B.S. in Neuroscience and a minor in Physics. In the future, he aims to do research that will contribute to an increase in the number and efficacy of non-pharmacological treatments used in psychiatry. Christian believes these options will offer more personalized treatment plans and greater agency to psychiatric patients. To that end, he is interested in using neuroimaging and neurostimulation to explore the mechanisms behind effective behavioral therapies. In his free time, Christian enjoys coaching high school wrestlers, restoring thrifted shoes, and reading on his kindle.