Roberts Lab

Michael Roberts, PhD

Principal Investigator | microb@umich.edu | (he/him)

Associate Professor - Department of Otolaryngology-Head & Neck Surgery and Department of Molecular & Integrative Physiology

PhD Cell and Molecular Biology - The University of Texas at Austin

B.A. Biology - The University of Chicago

Fun Fact: I used to play trombone, and I love jazz and fishing.

Yoani Herrera

PhD Candidate | yoanih@umich.edu | (she/her)

B.S.E Biomedical Engineering - University of Michigan

Research Focus: Understanding T-stellate neuron contributions to sound processing in the inferior colliculus

Fun Fact: I have a one-eared cat named Van Gogh.

Elie Huez

PhD Candidate | eliehuez@umich.edu | (he/him)

B.S. Behavioral Neuroscience - Michigan State University

Research Focus: Determining the presence and potential role of somatostatin cells in the inferior colliculus

Fun Fact: I like reading science fiction books. The Three-Body Problem by Cixin Liu is my all-time favorite.

Courtney Myers

PhD Candidate | cmellios@umich.edu | (she/her)

M.S. Chemical Biology - University of Michigan

B.S. Neuroscience - University of Michigan

Research Focus: Cholinergic signaling in the inferior colliculus

Fun Fact: I’m a pickleball novice and I have a Shiba Inu/Husky named Kya.

Sarah Wajdi

Undergraduate Research Assistant | swajdi@umich.edu | (she/her/hers)

Research Focus: Identifying in vivo sound responses of molecularly identifiable IC neurons

Fun Fact: I have been playing the violin for 10 years.

Lila Urogdy

Undergraduate Research Assistant | lurogdy@umich.edu | (she/her)

Fun Fact: I love music and have been playing the oboe since I was ten. I’ve performed in France and Germany with my orchestra.

Amal Kachour

Undergraduate Research Assistant | akachour@umich.edu | ()

Fun Fact:

Mariam Safirta

Undergraduate Research Assistant | msafirta@umich.edu | (she/her)

Fun Fact: I love to read mystery books, traveling, and exploring new places.

Nurayda Albeez

Research Assistant | (she/her/hers)

Fun Fact: I play point guard in basketball and you can always find me cheering for Lebron and the Lakers. I love playing instruments ranging from the guitar to drums. I’m also an avid chess player and have been competing since I was 6!

Lab Alumni:

Postdoctoral Fellows:

Graduate Students:

  • Luis Rivera-Perez, PhD (2017-2023)

    • Dissertation title: “Neuromodulatory Mechanisms in the Auditory Tectothalamic Pathway”

  • Audrey Drotos, PhD (2019-2024)

    • Dissertation title: “Mechanisms Underlying Complex Sound Processing in the Inferior Colliculus”

Technicians:

  • Amanda Bock

  • Peter Malinski

Undergraduates:

  • Ananda Lewis (2022-2024)

  • Rachel Zarb (2022-2023)

  • Jina Patel (2021-2022) - current position: Undergraduate at the University of Michigan

  • Trevor Versalle (2021-2022)

  • Alexandra Digennaro (2021-2022)

  • Lindsay Miles (2019-2020)

  • Julia Kwapiszewski (2018-2022) - current position: Medical student at Central Michigan University

  • Justin Anair (2017-2021) - current position: Graduate student in Neuroscience PhD Program at Northwestern

  • Alexander George (2016-2019) - current position: Medical student at Oakland University

Summer students through the NURO and SIREN programs:

  • Kennetra Smith - current position: undergraduate at Virginia Tech

  • Trinity Pirrone - current position: graduate student in the Institut de l'Audition, Institut Pasteur, Paris

  • Benjamin Filio - current position: graduate student in the Brown/NIH Graduate Partnership Program

  • Kevin Cruz-Colon - current position: graduate student in Neuroscience Graduate Program at University of Michigan

  • Hiywot Tulu - current position: Field Support Technician at Roche

  • Britney Aguirre - current position: undergraduate at California State University, San Bernardino