From: Grand Rapids, MI
Education: Grayson is currently a fourth-year Honors student in the college of Literature, Science, and the Arts. He is majoring in Biopsychology, Cognition, and Neuroscience (BCN).
How he ended up here: When searching for a lab to join in the Psychology department before his freshman year, Grayson found the intersection of immune activation and memory that was being studied in the Tronson lab to be extremely interesting.
Research interests: Grayson is interested in anything related to memory and its intersection with neuroimmunology and stress. Additionally, Grayson is interested in the the potential for the therapeutic use of psychedelic substances for the treatment of conditions like PTSD and addiction.
What he’s studied in the past: In the beginning of his time in the Tronson lab, Grayson worked with Dr. Daria Tchessalova to examine memory deficits long after a subchronic immune challenge. Then, Grayson worked with Jabir Ahmed on his thesis project, aiming to create a mouse model of oral contraceptive exposure in order to gauge potential increases in susceptibilities to anxiety and depression-like behaviors.
What he’s studying now: Currently, Grayson is helping out with various projects going on in the lab. Soon, he’ll begin studying the contribution of histone methylation writer and eraser enzymes to neurodevelopmental disorders.
Involvements outside of the Tronson lab: Grayson works as a staff writer for the Michigan Daily, where he writes about all things related to Adaptive Sports at Michigan, and as a Contact Tracer for the School of Public Health. Additionally, he volunteers with the Hospital Elder Life Program, where he helps ensure that elderly patients maintain a sense of autonomy, with the Michigan Adaptive Sports and Fitness Program, where he helps run tennis practices, and with Opportunities to Educate Children, where he tutors the children of Michigan Medicine employees in math. He is also a Peer Advisor for the Psychology department here at Michigan. Grayson is Founder and President of the UM Armchair Science League.
Hobbies/Fun Facts: Grayson is an avid Arsenal FC fan. During breaks and in his spare time, Grayson loves to backpack, hike, and travel. He also loves to spend time with his cat, Chani.
Twitter: @graysonbuning
Email: gbuning at umich.edu