PETRULIS - DE VRIES LAB
CURRENT LAB MEMBERS
CAITLIN FRIESEN, PHD
Post-doctoral research associate
I was born and raised in Lethbridge, Alberta where I completed my B.S. in Biology. I moved to Montreal, Quebec to complete my M.S. and developed an interest in the hormonal basis of social behavior. When I moved to Austin, Texas to complete my Ph.D. in Integrative Biology, I became more interested in how neural mechanisms, hormones, and social context contribute to variation in social behavior. This interest brought me to GSU to work as a postdoctoral researcher in the Petrulis – de Vries lab where I will be examining how the vasopressin system modulates social behavior and the impact of sex differences on this neural control. At a broader level, this work contributes to our understanding of how sexually dimorphic neurobiology can translate to a diversity of social behaviors and responses. When I’m not working on research, I enjoy biking outdoors, painting, reading, and listening to music. https://caitlinfriesen.com/
DELENN HARTSWICK (THEY/THEM/THEIRS)
PhD student
I am from Akron, Ohio, and I completed my B.S. in Neuroscience and Psychology at Baldwin Wallace University near Cleveland, Ohio. During my undergraduate studies, I found an interest in sex differences, behavior, and the interaction between structure and function. My work in the Petrulis-de Vries lab is mostly focused on tracing V1aR cell inputs and outputs and studying their impact on social behavior in male and female mice. Overall, I wish to improve a broader understanding of biological sciences with a special interest in improving the lives and medical care of transgender and intersex people. I am passionate about teaching, outreach, and facilitating diversity in STEM. In my free time, I like to sing, travel, watch horror movies, play video games, and talk about my guinea pigs and niece.
PHILIP KINDLER
PhD student
After a childhood in New England, undergrad in Iowa, and a postbaccalaureate at the NIH, I was thrilled to find a grad-school home in the Petrulis - De Vries Lab. As a Neuroscience PhD student, I am interested in the neuropeptide vasopressin and its role in aggression, dominance behavior, and sex differences. In my free time, I enjoy bird watching, playing card games, and rescuing houseplants.
NICHOLAS SCHAPPAUGH
PhD student
I am a Georgia local and a 2016 graduate of Georgia Tech, where I researched genetic effects on behavior in a variety of model organisms, after which I spent several years as a technician in the field of neuroscience before beginning my PhD here at GSU. My primary interest at the moment is in understanding the functional connectivity behind sex differences in behavior. My work focuses on anatomical expression of vasopressin 1a receptor (V1aR) in various targets of sex-different vasopressin, as well as an examination of V1aR+ cell activity during social behavior, specifically in the lateral septum, using fiber photometry and optogenetic tools. When I’m not in the lab, I typically enjoy social dancing with various groups in Atlanta, as well as running my PhD cohort’s regular Dungeons and Dragons game.
LOIS IDDRISU
Masters student
I am currently a master's student, originally from Ghana but relocated to Georgia in 2012. I attended Georgia State University for my bachelor's in Neuroscience with a minor in Religious Studies. Initially, I was pursuing a career purely in medicine, but I found a love for research in my undergraduate coursework. I then joined the Petrulis-de Vries lab to explore this newfound love and interest. I am currently investigating the projections of neuronal cells expressing vasopressin 1A receptors in the ventral pallidum and horizontal diagonal band. I have a broad interest in social behavior, cognition, and the effects of sexual differentiation on these main topics. Outside of research, I love cozy video games like Stardew Valley, biking in pretty parks, reading books on magical surrealism, or studying in pretty cafes!
SARA GUEDEZ SUAREZ
Undergraduate student
I was born and raised in Georgia and after graduating high school in 2016 I worked in the medical field for five years as a medical and surgical technician. After the COVID pandemic, I decided to begin my academic journey as a first-generation college student, here at Georgia State University. I am working towards earning my BS in neuroscience while working in the Petrulis/ de Vries lab. I have been an undergraduate student researcher for almost two years and have been working independently on the effects of overexpressing vasopressin from galanin cells in the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis (BNST) and examining its effects on social behavior in both sexes. With the help of my mentors, Dr. Petrulis and Dr. Friesen, this work has helped me to receive both the NIH-funded Maximizing to Access in Research Careers (MARC) scholarship and the Barry Goldwater scholarship here at GSU. At a broader level, I seek to advance our understanding of how vasopressin modulates aspects of social behavior and communication in a sexually differentiated fashion. In my free time, I enjoy spending time with my family, going on walks, reading, and getting tattoos.
TOBENNA OBI
Post-baccalaureate student
While I spent my childhood in Nigeria, I later moved to Georgia where I attended Agnes Scott College and completed my B.S in Neuroscience. As an undergraduate, I gained an interest in the functions of the nervous system, especially in regard to its dysfunctions in neuropsychological disorders. As a research assistant at Petrulis-de Vries lab, I currently study the effects of vasopressin receptors on mice's social behavior, specifically analyzing their recorded behavior through computational means such as the software SLEAP and SimBA. When I'm free, I enjoy listening to music, drawing, cooking, and casually wandering around until something else sparks my attention.
HARRISON TURNER
Undergraduate student
I was born in Griffin, GA. I received a B.S in Psychology from GSU in 2022 and am now pursuing a B.S. in Neuroscience. I am interested in learning more about the brain and pursuing a career in research! My hobbies include guitar, video games, and playing soccer.
