Current Members
Principal Investigator
Julia C Lemos, Ph.d.
Principal Investigator
Associate Professor, Department of Neuroscience
B.A., Biological Basis of Behavior (BBB), University of Pennsylvania, 2004
Ph.D. Neurobiology & Behavior, University of Washington, 2012
Post-doctoral Fellow, National Institute on Alcohol Abuse & Alcoholism, 2017
Fun Fact: Julia lived in Mexico City for 3 years as a little girl.
Research Staff
Alyssa Romportl
(She/hers)
Research Tech
rompo014@umn.edu
B.A. in Mathematics and Psychology with minor(s) in Mathematical Biology and Neuroscience, St. Olaf College
Fun Fact: Alyssa plays Taiko which is Japanese drumming :)
Kasey Bertelsen
(he/him)
MINDS Program Post-Baccalaureate/Researcher 1
berte023@umn.edu
B.S. in Psychology, Bemidji State University
Fun Fact: Kasey makes miniature foods out of polymer clay!
Graduate Student(s)
Elizabeth Eckenwiler
(she/hers)
Entering Class - 2019, Graduate Program in Neuroscience at the University of Minnesota
soute082@umn.edu
B.A. in Cellular Neuroscience and English Literature, Colgate University, 2016
Fun Fact: Lizzie’s favourite lab memory is the Prince prayer candle saving the cryostat*
*Update (11/21/2022): Prince has now been replaced by Lizzo
**Update (09/15/2023): Lizzo has now been replaced by Taylor Swift
Undergraduate Research Assistant(s)
Jennifer Robeson
(she/her)
B.S. in Neuroscience with minor in Dance, University of Minnesota, Twin Cities
Spring 2026
robes010@umn.edu
Fun Fact: Jen is scuba certified!
Kameron Monson
(she/her)
B.S. in Neuroscience with minors in mathematics and statistics, University of St. Thomas
Spring 2026
monso577@umn.edu
Fun Fact: Kameron plays softball at St. Thomas!
Benjamin Wehling
(he/him)
B.S. in Neuroscience and Biochemistry with minor in Health Psychology, University of Minnesota, Twin Cities
Spring 2026
wehli013@umn.edu
Fun Fact: Ben plays rugby for the University of Minnesota!
Rose Dinh
(she/her)
B.S. in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology at Lewis & Clark College
Spring 2027
dinh0173@umn.edu
Fun Fact: Rose runs track & field for Lewis & Clark College!