Laura Case PhD

Dr. Case is an Associate Professor in the Department of Anesthesiology at UC San Diego. She received her PhD in Psychology and Cognitive Science from UC San Diego and completed a postdoctoral fellowship at the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH). Dr. Case’s NIH-funded research uses brain imaging, pharmacologic manipulation, and sensory and behavioral testing to evaluate neural and psychological mechanisms involved in affective touch and pain perception. She is co-Investigator on the NIH Neurons_MATTR U24 grant to advance research on mechanisms of soft tissue mechanotherapies, and a mentor on the REACH grant at UC San Diego mentoring integrative clinicians in research methodology. She also founded the UC San Diego Faculty Peer Mentoring Program, run by the Women in Health Sciences Committee. Outside of the lab she enjoys hiking, swimming, painting, and playing with her spirited rescue dog.

Lindsey Crankshaw

Lindsey Crankshaw is a research assistant at the Case Lab. She graduated from UCSD with a bachelor’s in Neurobiology and plans to pursue a PhD in neuroscience, continuing her research on the mechanisms of pain and its modulation by psychosocial and cognitive-behavioral factors. In her free time, she likes to take care of her many house plants and explore the city.

Jacob Ross

Jacob is a Master's student in the Biological Sciences department, and graduated from UCSD with his bachelor's in neurobiology in 2023. His research interests include  the investigation of both novel pharmacological and non-pharmacological treatments for chronic pain and neuropsychiatric conditions including depression and post-traumatic stress disorder, and he plans to pursue a PhD in Clinical Psychology and continue working with veterans. When not working in either of two labs or in class, Jacob can be found striving to reach the top of the leaderboard in Peloton classes, making beer in his garage, or directing outreach services for a syringe service program (SSP) in downtown San Diego. 

Marisa Zimmerman

Marisa is originally from Santa Clarita, California and obtained her B.S. in Cognitive and Behavioral Neuroscience and a minor in Law and Society from UC San Diego. She is very interested in the neural mechanisms of neurological disorders and how they affect behavior and cognition. Marisa plans to pursue a PhD in Neuroscience in the future. In her free time, she likes to read, play music, and go to the beach.

Vincent Alasha

Vince comes to us from the East Coast, born and raised in Maryland. He obtained an A.A. in Psychology from Carroll Community College and a B.A. in Psychology from the University of Maryland. He has studied a range of topics including identity, social support, paranoia, and psychosis. Vince plans to pursue a PhD and is interested in working with novel technologies and methodologies in our lab to study the link between perception and sensation. In his free time, he enjoys fitness, music, and exploring San Diego.

Desiree Quintana

Desiree is a San Diego native who obtained her B.S. in Kinesiology from Cal State San Marcos. During her undergraduate career, she was always fascinated with the ways in which psychological measures could impact one's physiological state. She is a firm believer that your mental and emotional state have a direct influence on your physical being and is excited to explore similar concepts at UCSD. In her free time, she enjoys cooking, trying new restaurants, practicing yoga, and traveling.

Jennifer Baumgartner PhD

Dr. Jennifer (Jenny) N. Baumgartner hails from Chicago IL, where she earned her B.A. in Philosophy and Psychology from the University of Illinois at Chicago. She received her M.S. and Ph.D. in Social/Health Psychology from Wright State University in Dayton, Ohio, where she studied the cognitive, affective, and physiological mechanisms supporting stress resilience. She is a Health Scientist/America Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) Science and Technology Policy Fellow at the NIH Office of Disease Prevention (ODP). There, she supports the ODP-led Prevention Scientific Interests Groups, as well as assists with the implementation, integration, and coordination of collaborative projects to translate NIH-funded prevention research into practice to address health equity. In her free time, she likes to cook, listen to loud music, and immerse herself in nature with her pup, Galileo.

Linda Leija

Linda is originally from the beautiful town of Manhattan Beach, CA. She graduated from University of San Diego, where she is majored in Behavioral Neuroscience. Linda aspires to develop new, more potent treatments for individuals suffering with neurological disorders. She is interested in conducting research related to the mind-body-brain connection, compassion, and pain. In her spare time, Linda enjoys running, hiking, and baking.