Stephanie Groman

PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

Dr. Stephanie Groman grew up in Lancaster, CA. She completed her Associates Degree at Antelope Valley College and transferred to UCLA where she earned her Bachelors in Science in Psychobiology. She then conducted two years of research with Dr. David Jentsch as a research technician and began graduate school in the Department of Psychology at UCLA in 2007. She received her Ph.D. in 2013 from the Department of Psychology at the UCLA where she trained under Dr. J. David Jentsch and Dr. Edythe London. Her work integrated neuroimaging, behavioral, pharmacological and ex vivo approaches to understand the neural and behavioral alterations that occur following chronic exposure to methamphetamine. She accepted a post-doctoral position in the Department of Psychiatry at Yale University where she trained under Dr. Jane Taylor in studies investigating the biobehavioral mechanisms of addiction. In 2016 Stephanie was promoted to Associate Research Scientist at Yale University where her work focused on understanding the neural circuits and developmental mechanisms of decision-making and addiction. She joined faculty in the Department of Neuroscience at the University of Minnesota Twin Cities in 2021 as an Assistant Professor and part of the Medical Discovery Team on Addiction. In 2023 she relocated her lab to the Department of Anesthesia and Critical Care at the University of Chicago where she is investigating the neurodevelopmental mechanisms of addiction susceptibility.

She loves concerts, hiking, biking, wine, and cheese.

sgroman@uchicago.edu

CV // Google scholar // Pubmed

  • Taysha Martinez

    Taysha Martinez

    RESEARCHER

    Taysha graduated from the University of Chicago in 2024 with a B.S in Neuroscience and minor in Visual Arts. She worked under Dr. Rosenberg’s Cognition Attention and Brain lab investigating the relationship between sustained attention fluctuations and memory formation. Her research continued with studying the effects of caffeine use on adolescent cognitive behavior. Seeking to get more experience with animal labs and a general deeper look into the field of behavioral neuroscience she joined the Groman lab in June of 2024. Her research interests include the neurological pathways underlying decision making and related behavior during adolescence, and potential implications for rehabilitation programs. Outside of the lab she enjoys spending time with friends, baking, and making art!

  • Ian Daly

    RESEARCHER

    Ian graduated from the University of British Columbia in 2022 with a B.Sc. in Behavioural Neuroscience and minor in Pharmacology. In Dr. Rebecca Todd’s lab, they studied active/inhibitory reward seeking and avoidance strategies in humans, and they continued investigating these behaviors in rats under the supervision of Dr. Stan Floresco. After moving to Minnesota, Ian worked in patient care at the Hazelden Betty Ford Foundation and as a mental health case manager for severe and persistent mental illnesses. Ian joined the Groman Lab in May of 2025 to resume their path in neuroscience and pursue their main research interest – the neurobiology of addiction. Aside from research, they enjoy anything related to music, snowboarding, and trying new foods.

    idaly@uchicago.edu

  • Stirling Sakashita

    UNDERGRADUATE RESEARCHER

    Stirling is a second year undergraduate at the University of Chicago majoring in neuroscience while being on the pre med track. He was born and raised in Hawaii. His research interests are neurological diseases andI he is a part of the football team at UChicago.

    ssakashita@uchicago.edu

  • Olly Clarke

    UNDERGRADUATE RESEARCHER

    Olly is an undergraduate at the University of Chicago, studying Neuroscience and Economics. In his spare time, he loves music / concerts, running, Aston Villa and traveling! He is from Birmingham, UK, but loving life out here in the US!

    oliverclarke@uchicago.edu

  • Mariella Schilling

    UNDERGRADUATE RESEARCHER

    Mariella is a first year undergraduate at the University of Chicago, studying Neuroscience on the pre-med track, with an interest in decision-making. She was born and raised in San Francisco, California. In her spare time she loves reading, running, and doing yoga. 

    Mariella@uchicago.edu

  • Hugh Rolls

    UNDERGRADUATE RESEARCHER

    Hugh is a first-year student-athlete at the University of Chicago on the pre-med track where he plays on the varsity football team. He was born and raised in Houston, Texas and In his free time enjoys fishing, watching movies, listening to music, working out and spending time with family and friends. Hugh has always had a deep love for science, especially exploring how the brain and body work together in both health and injury. His long-term goal is to become a sports orthopedic surgeon, where he can combine his passion for athletics with his interest in medicine.

    hughrolls@uchicago.edu

  • Hannah Love

    UNDERGRADUATE RESEARCHER

    Hannah is a third-year undergraduate student at the University of Chicago studying Biology on the pre-med track. Her research interests include animal models and the neurobiological basis of behavior. She is from Washington, D.C. and enjoys playing pickleball, watching films, and cooking for her friends in her spare time.

    hjlove@uchicago.edu

  • Adamina Serratos

    UNDERGRADUATE RESEARCHER

    Adamina is a third-year undergraduate at the University of Chicago, studying Comparative Human Development on the pre-med track. She was born and raised in Chicago. Her main research interest is the neurobiology of addiction, especially as it can be applied to rehabilitation and mental health care. In her free time, she enjoys reading, thrifting, and hanging out with her two cats. 

    adaserratos@uchicago.edu

  • Audrey Zhang

    UNDERGRADUATE RESEARCHER

    Audrey is a first year student-athlete studying neuroscience on the pre-med track. She is from Newton, Massachusetts and is interested in working memory and youth brain development. She enjoys collecting legos, playing pickleball, and cooking.

    azhang13@uchicago.edu

Former trainees

Stefanie Simpson (research technician) - Clinical coordinator
Marcini Bakis (research technician) 
Shawn Lam (research technician) - Research technician at University of Illinois, Chicago
Noelle Robert (rotation student) - Committee on Neurobiology at The University of Chicago
Tracey Nassuna (rotation student) - Committee on Neurobiology at The University of Chicago
Justin Hill (research technician at UChicago and UMN) - Graduate Program in Neuroscience at Wake Forest University
Alex Thomson (undergraduate researcher at UChicago)
Peroushini Villiamma (research technician at UMN) - MPaT, University of Minnesota, Twin Cities
Mara Russell (research technician at UMN) - University of Minnesota, Twin Cities
Kaitlyn LaRocco (research technician at UMN) 
Mary Jack (undergraduate student at UMN)
Vikas Prasad (undergraduate student at UMN)
Sahitha Takkella (undergraduate student at UMN)
Louisa Kuper (Rotation student, Graduate Program in Neuroscience)
Izzabella Green (Rotation student, Graduate Program in Neuroscience)
Zuhayr Alam (Rotation student, Graduate Program in Pharmacology)
Ross Armant (Rotation student, Graduate Program in Neuroscience)
Filip Hanak (Rotation student, Graduate Program in Neuroscience)
Jordan Casby (Rotation student, Graduate Program in Pharmacology)
Caleb Hamby (undergraduate student)
Neema Moin Afshar (post-graduate assistant at Yale University) - School of Medicine, University of Maryland
Alex Keip (post-graduate assistant at Yale University) - University of California, San Francisco
Katherine Rich, M.P.H. (undergraduate researcher at Yale University) - Harvard Medical School 
Li Hui Chen, M.D. (post-graduate assistant at Yale University) - Columbia University
Taylor Clark, Ph.D. (undergraduate researcher at UCLA) - Amuza, Inc.
Kyra Philips, Ph.D. (undergraduate researcher at UCLA) - Exponent, Inc.
Sandra Harpster, O.D. (undergraduate researcher at UCLA) - Berkeley Outpatient Clinic
Maverick Crawford, B.A. (undergraduate researcher at UCLA) - Clark Seif Clark, Inc.
Joanna Burtner, Ph.D. (undergraduate researcher at UCLA) - Edwards Life Sciences