Helen Kamens, Ph.D.

 

Photo of Helen Kamens, Ph.D.Lab Director

Helen M. Kamens earned her Ph.D. in behavioral neuroscience from Oregon Health & Science University in 2007 where she focused on the genetics of initial drug sensitivity. She completed two postdoctoral fellowships at Yale University and the Institute for Behavioral Genetics before joining the Department of Biobehavioral Health at Penn State as assistant professor in the fall of 2013. Dr. Kamens has received numerous awards including the International Behavioral and Neural Genetics Society Outstanding Young Investigator Award, the Society for Research on Nicotine and Tobacco Young Investigator Award, and the Research Society on Alcoholism Enoch Gordis Research Recognition Award.

 

Constanza Paulina Silva Gallardo

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Photo of Constanza Paulina Silva GallardoGraduate Student

Constanza is a graduate student in Biobehavioral Health. She has a BS degree in Biological Anthropology from the University of Chile, with background in genetics, human evolution, laboratory work and bioinformatics tools. Constanza is interested in behavioral genetics and substance use. Her previous work examined ADH genotypes and alcohol intake patterns among college students in Santiago, Chile. In Dr. Kamens’ laboratory she is currently working on how nicotine exposure during adolescence alters ethanol consumption and gene expression using the Weighted Gene Co-expression Network Analysis (WGCNA). Constanza was awarded a Fund for Excellence in Graduate Recruitment from the Department of Biobehavioral Health and the Becas Chile, Chilean scholarship for international PH.D degrees (N° 72160326), funded by CONICYT, Ministry of Education.

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Jacob Thomas

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Photo of Jacob ThomasUndergraduate Research Assistant

Jacob is a senior majoring in Biology pursuing honors in Biobehavioral Health. He is a volunteer at Mt. Nittany Medical Center as well as a part-time EMT for Bellefonte EMS. For his honors thesis, he will examine the effect of stress during adolescence on adult alcohol consumption in mice. After receiving his degree, Jacob plans on attending medical school.

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