Laura Case PhD is an Assistant Professor in the Dept. of Anesthesiology at UC San Diego. She received her PhD in Psychology and Cognitive Science from UC San Diego in 2013 and completed a postdoctoral fellowship studying affective touch and pain with Dr. Catherine Bushnell at the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH), NIH. Laura’s research uses brain imaging, noninvasive brain stimulation, and pharmacologic manipulation to test brain mechanisms involved in painful and pleasant touch perception in healthy individuals and individuals with chronic pain. Other research interests include psychological and neural mechanisms of mind-body therapies and placebo.

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. 

Lindsey Crankshaw

Lindsey Crankshaw is a 4th year UCSD undergraduate majoring in Neurobiology. Interested in studying chronic pain using techniques like fMRI and EEG, she intends to pursue a neuroscience PhD program after graduation. In her free time, she likes to take care of her many house plants and explore the city. 

Alex Jinich-Diamant

Alex Jinich-Diamant is a PhD student in the departments of Cognitive Science and Anesthesiology at UC San Diego where he studies the neuroscience of mind-body approaches to pain and affect. His work combines insights from complex systems science with brain imaging. Alex holds an honors bachelors degree in Anthropology from Columbia University.

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.

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.

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.