Lauren Kim is a Clinical Psychology Ph.D. candidate from Seoul, South Korea, working with Dr. Annelise Madison in the Psychoneuroimmunology Lab. She is driven by a core research question: while stress and adversity are universal, how might we reimagine our responses to them? Her research centers on the role of psychological flexibility in shaping physiological flexibility and inflammatory responses, with the broader goal of identifying mechanisms that contribute to depression and disease risk. She is particularly interested in exploring promotive factors and resilience within models that often emphasize deficits in psychopathology. Outside the lab, she enjoys spending time with her family, getting lost in a good book, and occasionally indulging in the guilty pleasure of binge-watching. In the long term, she hopes to bring the top-notch training she’s received back home and help mentor the next generation of psychologists in South Korea.
Lauren Kim
PhD Candidate
Andi Levenson is a Joint Social Work and Clinical Psychology PhD Student. She obtained her joint MSW/MPH from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) and spent time at the Bass Center for Childhood Cancer and Blood Diseases at Stanford Children’s Health, working within the Cancer Cellular Therapy program as a palliative oncology social worker.
Her research centers on the psychosocial impact of serious and life-limiting illness on adolescents and young adults (AYA), with a particular focus on oncology. She is passionate about the intersections between psychosocial factors and psychosomatic experiences. Andi draws on her clinical experience to inform her research, with the goal of highlighting the importance of mental health support in improving health outcomes. Ultimately, she hopes to empower individuals to engage in preventive strategies before reaching a crisis point, with the goal of improving both mental and physical health outcomes.
Outside of the lab, Andi enjoys reading, spending time in nature, and playing on a recreational soccer team!
Andi Levenson
PhD Candidate
Steph Gottwals, MS is a Clinical Psychology PhD student from Maryland. She earned her MS in Neuroscience and Behavior from UMass Amherst, studying how time of day influences microglia — neuroimmune cells implicated in psychiatric and neurological disorders. Before graduate school, she completed research in neuroimmune psychiatry, investigating immune biomarkers in psychiatric illness.
Steph is interested in how immune and environmental factors shape vulnerability to psychiatric disorders, with a focus on identifying biological and psychological subtypes within heterogeneous conditions to better understand risk, resilience, and treatment response. Her long-term goal is to become a clinician-scientist, using this work to inform more targeted approaches to prevention and treatment.
Outside the lab, Steph played Division I field hockey and remains involved in the field hockey community. She enjoys crafting, reading, and spending time outdoors.
Stephanie Gottwals
PhD Candidate
Maryam is currently in the accelerated master’s degree program in Psychology (clinical science). She is from Saudi Arabia and completed her B.A. in Psychology and International Studies at the University of Michigan. She is interested in exploring naturalistic stressors and comorbid physical and mental health conditions in the context of displacement. She also hopes to work on healthcare accessibility within refugee and vulnerable populations. Eventually, through a PHD in clinical psychology, she hopes to advance evidence-based practices and interventions for Arab communities impacted by war. In her free time, she enjoys going to the beach and making flower arrangements.
Maryam Altayeb
Master’s Student