Principal Investigator
Melissa D Bauman, PhD
Professor, Department of Physiology and Membrane Biology
Associate Dean for Research Infrastructure
UC Davis, School of Medicine
Melissa Bauman, Ph.D., is Professor in the Department of Physiology and Membrane Biology and faculty at the UC Davis MIND Institute. Her research program uses preclinical models to evaluate risk factors and develop novel therapeutic interventions for neurodevelopmental disorders. Her current research focuses on understanding how changes in the prenatal environment, in particular the maternal-fetal immune environment, may increase the risk for autism, schizophrenia and other neurodevelopmental conditions.
Dr. Bauman utilizes a collaborative, team-science approach to research as demonstrated through her roles of Associate Director of the MIND Institute IDDRC (Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities Research Center) and Director of the UC Davis Conte Center. In addition to her research interests, she also has a strong commitment to advancing women’s careers in science and medicine and served as the director of the UC Davis Women in Medicine and Health Sciences (WIMHS) program from 2018-2024. Outside of the lab, she enjoys spending time with her husband and two teenagers, traveling and joining local wine clubs.
Bauman Lab Manager
Casey Phi, B.S., LAT
Casey has over 25 years of experience conducting nonhuman primate developmental and neurobehavioral research projects. She has worked with infant through geriatric aged animals conducting a wide range of cognitive assessments, social development assays, and observational studies, and has extensive experience implementing and managing large scale, multi-investigator, longitudinal projects. Casey received her undergraduate degree in Animal Science from UC Davis and has been working at UC Davis ever since. In her spare time, she stays busy with two young children and enjoys spending time outdoors, trying new restaurants, and dreaming of beach vacations.
Postdoctoral Scholar
Josephine (Josie) Hubbard, PhD
Josephine has broad research interests in behavioral flexibility, inter-individual differences, cognitive performance and the role of resilience in the development of psychiatric disorders. Josie joined the Bauman lab in 2024 after receiving her PhD from UC Davis in Animal Behavior in 2023. She has over 15 years of experience working with non-human primates both in the wild and in captivity, ranging from lemurs, capuchins, and bonobos to several species of macaques. In the Bauman lab, Josie focuses on behavioral and cognitive differences in the non-human primate maternal immune activation (MIA) model. When not in the lab, she enjoys sewing and knitting as well as outdoor activities such as hiking, camping, and skiing. more
Graduate Student
Felisa J Carbajal, B.S., B.A.
Felisa (feh-lee-sah) is a 2nd-year Biological Psychology PhD student studying epigenetic differences in the non-human primate maternal immune activation (MIA) model. She earned her undergraduate degrees in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, and Psychology at UC Davis. She primarily focuses on how the prenatal environment can affect the offspring’s brain epigenome placing it on an adverse developmental trajectory. She is also interested in the potential for transgenerational effects linked to MIA which may help explain the heritability seen in neurodevelopmental disorders like Schizophrenia. Outside of the lab, she is trying different coffee shops, hiking, or taking care of her houseplants. more
Staff Research Associate
Sasha Montero-De La Torre, M.A.
Sasha has broad research interests in animal behavior, cognition, welfare, and the manifestation of developmental disorders. She received her undergraduate degree in Animal Biology with minors in Psychology and Music from UC Davis and her Master’s in Animal Behavior and Conservation from Hunter College, CUNY. Sasha has worked with an array of species from pigs to elephants and now macaques. In the lab, she runs the day-to-day data/sample collection, data management, and behavioral training to hopefully better understand the behavioral and cognitive differences in the non-human primate maternal immune activation (MIA) model. Outside of the lab, Sasha enjoys reading books, trying new coffee shops, and traveling to new places.
Staff Research Associate & Student Research Coordinator
Anurupa (Riki) Kar, B.S.
Riki has been working in the rodent behavior field for almost 10 years, and is specifically interested in neurodevelopmental differences in relation to changes in maternal environment. She splits her time between the MIND Institute in Sacramento, where most of her efforts go towards the diversity, equity, and inclusion space, and the rodent behavioral lab on the Davis campus. Riki is very invested in helping out students who are hoping to learn more about both preclinical and clinical behavioral fields, whether it be through the yearly Women in STEMM course taught by Dr. Bauman at Davis, summer programs at the MIND for underserved students in healthcare fields, or assisting Bauman lab students with their own research, posters, and presentations each year. In her spare time, Riki enjoys all things music, comedy, and Halloween!
Undergraduate Student Researchers
Doriana Le, Undergraduate Research Assistant 2021-present
Simren Binning, Undergraduate Research Assistant 2023-present
Zhenmo Yu, Undergraduate Research Assistant 2023-present