Our Team

Antonieta Lavin, PhD

Associate Professor
Departments of Neuroscience
173 Ashley Avenue, BSB 410B Charleston, SC 29425
843-792-6799

Biography: Dr.  Lavin is an Associate Professor in the Department of Neuroscience at the Medical University of South Carolina. Dr.Lavin earned his Bachelor of Science degree from the Universidad Veracruzana in Veracruz, Mexico (CT) and his Ph.D. from the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM). She completed his postdoctoral training at University of Pittsburg in the area of Neuroscience. 

Monserrat-Armenta-Resendiz, PhD


Postdoctoral Fellow
Department of Neuroscience
173 Ashley Avenue, BSB 408 Charleston, SC 29425

Degree(s): B.S in Psychology from the Metropolitan University in Mexico, PhD in Neurosciences from the Centro de Investigations Avanzadas del IPN (CINVESTAV) Mexico in 2018.

Monserrat received her Ph.D degree at the Center of Research and Advanced Studies,  National Polytechnic Institute in Mexico City. She was working in understanding the relation between neuroinflammation and addiction. Currently at MUSC, her work focuses in understand the mechanism that underlying the effects of metamphetamine in the physiology of the mPFC and the relation between cognitive deficits and abuse of substances. She is using electrophysiology techniques, behavioral assessment and biomolecular approaching. Outside the lab Monserrat enjoy playing chess and martial arts and riding her bicycle close to the ocean.

 

Waskar Egidio Villareal


PhD, Moscow State University

Waskar has been working in biophysics and electrophysiology of central nervous system and Xenoupus for over 20 years. Currently his work at my lab focuses in investigating the role of parvalbumin positive interneurons located in the prefrontal cortex and its role in the cognitive deficits and hypofrontality elicited by methamphetamine and other drugs of abuse. He uses voltage clamp recordings, two photon microscopy and behavioral assessments. He enjoys reading and the outdoors.

Zachary Hunter

BS, Clemson University

Zach joined the lab soon after graduation with a degree in Biochemistry. He is the top surgeon in the lab, performing intracerebral virus injections and implanting jugular catheters. Furthermore, he is the   lab molecular biology expert. He creates shRNAs, runs qPCRs and is in charge of the behavioral assessments. He loves sports and Clemson football team.