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Jovanovic lab
Tanja Jovanovic, PhD, is a Professor in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurosciences and the David and Patricia Barron Chair for PTSD Neurobiology at Wayne State University. She is a member of the Wayne State University Academy of Scholars, the highest honor that can be bestowed upon a colleague by the WSU faculty.
Dr. Jovanovic’s research program focuses on the interaction of traumatic experiences, neurophysiology, neuroendocrinology, and genetics in stress-related disorders in adults and children in high-risk populations. A large focus of her work is on urban trauma exposure and developmental as well as intergenerational risk factors. Her research employs psychophysiological (e.g., fear-potentiated startle, skin conductance response, heart-rate variability) and brain imaging methods to investigate biomarkers of risk for trauma-related psychopathology, such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Her laboratory developed novel human fear conditioning, fear inhibition, and extinction paradigms for PTSD patients.
Dr. Jovanovic is the lead investigator on several federally funded grants from the National Institutes of Health. She has published over 300 peer-reviewed papers and serves on national and international grant review panels.
Director, Principal Investigator
Tanja Jovanovic, PhD
Sophie George, PhD, is a translational neuroscientist whose research has focused on stress and trauma-related disorders. Her work has utilized both validated animal models of PTSD, as well as clinical populations recruited from specialist anxiety disorders clinics and veterans’ affairs hospitals.
Dr George’s academic path has taken her from a PhD (Experimental Psychology) at the University of Sussex in the UK, to a Postdoctoral Fellowship in Psychiatry at the University of Michigan, followed by three years teaching full-time as an Assistant Professor of Psychology at Utah Tech University. She then took a two-year career break to cycle from Alaska to Argentina before returning to Detroit to take up a Research Associate position in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at the Wayne State University, School of Medicine. She currently serves as Associate Director of the Detroit Trauma Project (DTP) where she assists Dr Jovanovic in managing all aspects of the functioning of the lab.
Associate Director
Sophie George, PhD
I graduated from Weber State University with a Bachelor’s of Science in Psychology minoring in Chemistry. I then worked as a workforce analyst and a procurement officer. For ten years I taught snowboarding on the weekends in Utah and a few weeks out of the year in Italy. I transitioned from the business world to the world of academia when I moved to Atlanta and joined the Grady Trauma Project at Emory University as a Clinical Research Coordinator. Finally, I moved to Detroit to act as the Program Manager for Tanja Jovanovic at Wayne State University, School of Medicine, department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Neurosciences.
Project Manager
Sterling Winters
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Sterling graduated from Weber State University with a Bachelor’s of Science in Psychology minoring in Chemistry. He then worked as a workforce analyst and a procurement officer. For ten years he taught snowboarding on the weekends in Utah and a few weeks out of the year in Italy. Sterling transitioned from the business world to the world of academia when he moved to Atlanta and joined the Grady Trauma Project at Emory University as a Clinical Research Coordinator. Finally moving to Detroit in 2018 to act as the Program Manager for Dr Tanja Jovanovic at Wayne State University, School of Medicine, Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Neurosciences.
Program Manager
Sterling Winters
Danielle is an Assistant Professor and Director of PTSD Behavioral Research in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurosciences at Wayne State University. She is also a licensed Clinical Psychologist. She received her Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology in 2020 from Oklahoma State University and completed her APA-accredited internship at the Charleston Consortium (Medical University of South Carolina & Ralph H. Johnson VAMC). She also completed a postdoctoral fellowship in the Southeast Mental Illness Research, Education, and Clinical Centers (MIRECC) at RHJ VAMC.
Dr. Taylor conducts research as a part of the Detroit Trauma Project and their collaborators. Her research focuses on evaluating cognitive-affective mechanisms and consequences of anxiety, trauma, and related disorders utilizing multi-modal psychophysiological (EEG, heart rate, skin conductance, etc.), behavioral, and clinical measures. She has also incorporated neuromodulation (e.g., transcutaneous auricular vagus nerve stimulation) to probe cognitive-affective mechanisms and plans to continue this line of work to evaluate effects in individuals who have experienced trauma.
Assistant Professor
Danielle Taylor, PhD
Manessa Riser
Graduate Student
Translational Neuroscience Program (TNP)
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Manessa Riser is a fourth-year doctoral student enrolled in the Translational Neuroscience Program. She received her Bachelor of Science in Psychology and Neuroscience from Wayne State University. Manessa is interested in the neurobiology of trauma, specifically in children and adolescents. Her current research investigates how trauma exposure during childhood impacts inhibitory control and the significance of caregiver behaviors in mitigating adverse mental health outcomes during adolescence. During her free time, she enjoys reading, photography, nature walks and learning new songs on the ukulele.
Tate Poplin
Graduate Student
Translational Neuroscience Program (TNP)
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Tate Poplin is a first-year doctoral student in the Translational Neuroscience Program. He earned his Bachelor of Arts in Neuroscience from Rice University before conducting research examining how brain stimulation influences threat responses in individuals with comorbid anxiety and depression. His current research interests focus on how trauma during development shapes physiological reactivity to threat—and how these patterns may serve as markers of risk or predictors of recovery. Outside the lab, Tate enjoys spending time outdoors, painting, and discovering new foods.
Shaurel Valbrun
Research Assistant
I am a Metro-Detroit native that graduated from Michigan State University with a Bachelor of arts in Psychology and Arabic in 2021. In 2023, I began my master's in public health at Wayne State University and after graduation, I plan to apply to medical school. My current research interests are perception, race, and trauma and its impact on the body. I am also interested in research In my free time I like to listen to music, explore new hobbies, and spend time with my family and friends.
Seyi Akintoroye
Research Assistant
Oluwaseyi Akintoroye is Wayne State University graduate with a BS in Psychology and a minor in Biochemistry and Chemical Biology. She joined the Detroit Trauma Project in June of 2023, and is heavily interested in molecular science and the mechanisms behind human behavior and psychological health. She plans to pursue a medical degree and conduct research focusing on the neurological and psychiatric well-being of her community in the metro Detroit area. In her free time, she enjoys baking, photography, painting, video games, and observing nature.
Aniketh Datta
Research Assistant (Part-time)
Aniketh was born in Royal Oak and raised in Novi, MI. For a combined four years, He lived overseas with my family in India and China, before returning home to finish high school. He completed a major in Neuroscience and minor in Psychology at Wayne State University in 2024. Aniketh joined the DTP team as an intern in May of 2023 and was fortunate enough to work on multiple studies ranging from childhood trauma exposure to clinical drug trials. In Fall 2024 he started medical school at Central Michigan University, where he will continue exploring his interest in psychiatry and neuroscience.
In his free time, Aniketh enjoys writing and producing music, riding his motorcycle, and gaming. He is also a huge motorsport and hockey fan (Go Wings!).
Cameron Bear
Intern
Cameron joined the Detroit Trauma Project as an intern in 2023. She is from New Orleans, Louisiana and grew up raised on crawfish boils, Mardi Gras, and cheering on the Saints football team! She spent time living in Texas, Puerto Rico, Southern California and Northern California as well. She received a bachelor’s degree from UCLA in neuroscience and made her way to Detroit where she is currently a medical student at Wayne State University School of Medicine. She is interested in pursuing a career in pediatric neurology. Whenever she has free time she enjoys hiking, playing boardgames, and trying new restaurants with friends and family!
Heather Wong
Intern
Heather is an undergraduate student at Wayne State University pursuing a Bachelor of Science in Neuroscience with minors in Psychology and Chemistry. She joined Detroit Trauma Project in October of 2024 and has a research interest in urban trauma and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). She plans to go into the medical field, where she hopes to advance health equity for marginalized and underserved communities. In her free time, she enjoys playing guitar or reading a good book.
Rachel Schornack
Intern
Rachel Schornack is an undergraduate student at Wayne State University pursuing a Bachelor of Science in Nutrition and Food Science, with a minor in Public Health. She joined the Detroit Trauma Project in November 2024 and is passionate about exploring the intersection of trauma, social support, and health disparities—particularly within marginalized communities. She plans to pursue a medical degree with a focus on emergency medicine, where she hopes to conduct research aimed at improving patient outcomes in high-stress clinical settings. Outside of her academic and research interests, she enjoys baking, playing basketball, hiking, scrapbooking, volunteering in the community, and listening to music.
Lily Vera-Luna
Intern
Lily Vera-Luna is an undergraduate student at Wayne State University pursuing a Bachelor of Science in Psychology with a minor in Neuroscience. She joined the Detroit Trauma Project in September of 2024 and is passionate about researching neurological disorders such as traumatic brain injury and Alzheimer's. Lily plans to pursue a Ph.D. in clinical neuropsychology, where she hopes to advocate for individuals with psychiatric and neurological disorders and serve underserved communities like Detroit.
Alexa Maruszewski
Intern
Alexa Maruszewski is a medical student at Wayne State University School of Medicine. She graduated from Michigan State University in 2023 with a Bachelor of Science in Neuroscience and a minor in Spanish. She joined the Detroit Trauma Project as an intern in April of 2025, and is very interested in researching the impact of childhood experiences on long-term health and child development. She is currently interested in pursuing a career in pediatric neurology and is deeply committed to serving and advocating for underserved communities, both locally and internationally. In her free time, she enjoys hiking, scrapbooking, spending time with friends and family, pilates, and traveling to new places!
Mohammad Turaani
Intern
Mohammad Turaani is an incoming Medical Student at Wayne State University School of Medicine with aspirations of becoming a surgeon. Turaani joined Detroit Trauma Project in October of 2024. Turaani earned his bachelor’s degree in Neuroscience with a minor in Psychology from Wayne State in 2024. His interests lie at the intersection of Neurobiology, neurophysiology, and psychology – particularly in how these systems interact and influence one another. In his free time, Turaani enjoys playing Football (soccer), chess, and the Middle Eastern drum.
​Seth D. Norrholm, PhD, is a translational neuroscientist with over 20 years of research experience in furthering the understanding of the neurobiological mechanisms underlying fear-, anxiety-, trauma-, and stressor-related disorders and the psychiatric conditions with which these disorders are co-morbid. Dr. Norrholm has trained in both the “classical” bench-based neurosciences as well as within clinical arenas dedicated to the treatment of mood and anxiety disorders. Together with a network of collaborators, Dr. Norrholm has employed objective, psychophysiological methods to study the underpinnings of mammalian fear processing as well as the mechanisms mediating effective treatments for fear and anxiety. Dr. Norrholm is a recognized world leader in posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and Fear and joined our faculty in September 2019.
Seth Norrholm, PhD
Dr. Marusak is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurosciences at Wayne State University (WSU) School of Medicine in Detroit Michigan. Dr. Marusak received her PhD in Translational Neuroscience from WSU and completed a postdoctoral fellowship in Dr. Christine Rabinak's Translational Neuropsychopharmacology lab in the WSU Department of Pharmacy Practice.
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Dr. Marusak directs the WSU THINK Lab, which focuses on pediatric anxiety, understanding the impact of childhood trauma/adversity on neural development, and using that knowledge to improve interventions that can enhance mental health in pediatric populations. Her predoctoral training was in pediatric neuroimaging, childhood adversity/trauma, and developmental neuroscience, and her postdoctoral training was focused on the neurobiology of fear, the endocannabinoid system, and anxiety disorders/posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
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Hilary Marusak, PhD
Anthony N. Reffi, PhD, is a clinical psychologist with expertise in traumatic stress research, first-line treatments for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and behavioral sleep medicine. He began his career working with World Trade Center responders at Stony Brook University before earning his PhD from Northern Illinois University with a focus in Trauma Psychology under the New Haven Trauma Competencies. While treating PTSD in U.S. veterans, he became interested in the role of sleep in trauma recovery and is currently studying this intersection at Henry Ford Health System’s Thomas Roth Sleep Disorders and Research Center. His ongoing projects include identifying sleep-related risk factors for PTSD among downtown Detroit residents.
Anthony N. Reffi, PhD
​John France was born and raised in Harper Woods, MI. He left home to attend Michigan State University where he received his Bachelor of Science in Human Physiology. His prior research experiences include clinical research in the hospital setting as well as research on cognitive development. John recently graduated the Translational Neuroscience Program within the Wayne State University School of Medicine and is going on to a post-doctoral position in the lab of Dr Bart Larsen, at the University of Minnesota. He is interested in researching the effects of childhood trauma on neurodevelopment using various imaging modalities.
Former Graduate Student
Currently a Postdoc Fellow, University of Minnesota
John France, PhD
​Dr. Anna M. Rosenhauer is a post-doctoral fellow working with the Detroit Trauma Project at Wayne State University in Detroit, Michigan. Under the direction of Dr. Tanja Jovanovic, Anna oversees several projects focused on exploring physiological responses to trauma and the biological impact of adversity experienced during development. She received her PhD in neuroscience from Georgia State University studying the effects of social stress and further examined the impact of ovarian hormones on fear conditioning as a post-doctoral researcher with Dr. Ebony Glover. She broadly seeks to understand the biological basis of adaptations to trauma and the physiological interplay between trauma, development, and healing. Anna is passionate about explaining scientific research to survivors and the clinicians who work with them in an easy to understand and applicable format and advocates for the necessity of including lived experience and clinical wisdom in scientific research. In her free time, you can find her practicing yoga, drinking fancy coffee, writing in her journal, or playing with her dog.
Former Postdoc Fellow
Anna Rosenhauer, PhD
Mubeena Hanif
Former Research Associate
Mubeena worked as a research associate with Dr Tanja Jovanovic at Wayne State University from 2021 to 2025. She graduated from medical school from Karachi, Pakistan and plans to pursue her career as a neuropsychiatrist. Mubeena is ambitious in learning about the neural integration of brain and how pathologies of brain can result in behavioral changes and affects mental health. Her areas of particular interest are PTSD, trauma and addiction. She believes research is an integral skill that every physician should possess. As psychiatrists have immense responsibility of human life on their shoulders, it is vital for them to be knowledgeable and skillful in both, clinical practice and research.
Walker Barnes
Former Research Assistant
Walker has lived around the Detroit area for most of his life, attending the University of Michigan - Dearborn and receiving my bachelors in the Fall of 2022. He began working with DTP during the Summer of 2023, and worked on a study that examines biomarkers and their relation to acute and chronic pain. Along with this project, he also worked on phobia deconditioning and exercise research with the Stress, Trauma, and Anxiety Research Clinic (STARC) in the Wayne State University School of Medicine. Walker's specific areas of interest include social cognition and group identity, but he is also interested in psychology, sociology, and philosophy more broadly. In his free time he like to run, crochet, skate, read, and explore the outdoors!
Lana Grasser
Former Graduate Student
Currently an Assistant Professor of Psychology at Wayne State University
Dr. Grasser is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Psychology and the Ben L. Silberstein Institute for Brain Health at Wayne State University. The goals of her research are twofold: 1) to identify biomarkers of risk and resilience for transdiagnostic psychiatric phenotypes in youth and 2) translate mechanistic discoveries to the development, implementation, and assessment of scalable interventions for youth. Dr. Grasser recently completed her postdoctoral training with the Neuroscience and Novel Therapeutics Unit (NNT) within the Emotion and Development Branch at the National Institute of Mental Health. She received her BS from Michigan State University and her Ph.D. from Wayne State University, where her NIMH-funded dissertation project, “Biomarkers of Risk and Resilience to Trauma in Syrian Refugee Youth”, identified skin conductance response to trauma interview and fear potentiated startle as candidate biomarkers of trauma-related psychopathology in youth exposed to civilian war trauma and forced migration.
Logan Smith
Former Research Assistant
Currently a PhD Canditate at Wayne State University
I was born and raised in Detroit, Michigan, and from a young age I was interested in science. In 2022 I graduated with a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor where I double majored in Cognitive Science and Psychology. In that same year I joined the Detroit Trauma Project. I have a diverse set of research interests, mostly centering around developmental psychopathology and the role that cognition plays in psychiatric disorders. Eventually, I plan to pursue a doctoral degree in either school psychology or child clinical psychology. In my free time, I like to make music, play tabletop games, ride my bike, and go sailing.
Charis Wiltshire
Former Community Outreach Coordinator
Currently a PhD Candidate at Emory University
Charis is a third year PhD student in the Department of Epidemiology at Rollins School of Public Health in Atlanta, GA. She received her MPH from Wayne State University in 2022 while working as a research assistant and community outreach coordinator for the Detroit Trauma Project. She received her B.S. in Neuroscience and Behavioral Biology from Emory University in 2018 where she first began working under Dr. Tanja Jovanovic as a research intern at the Grady Trauma Project. During her time at DTP her research focused on psychophysiological responses to trauma in children and adolescence. Currently, her research interests include exploring stress and trauma through social epidemiologic methods and their impact on cardiovascular diseases and epigenetic ageing. When she’s not writing code or papers, Charis enjoys hiking, arts and crafts from the Target dollar section, and pestering her cats.
William Davie
Former Clinical Research Coordinator
Currently a Medical Student at Wayne State University
I am a Detroit native and graduated from Michigan State University (East Lansing, MI) in 2019 with a Bachelor’s of Science in Physiology, and a research focus in cancer cell biology. I joined the Detroit Trauma Project at Wayne State University School of Medicine, Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Neurosciences in September 2019. I am interested in practicing primary care medicine in the metro-Detroit area due to my desire to serve my hometown with knowledge and evidence alongside empowering underserved populations through medicine, continued research and service, promoting health and wellness. My personal hobbies of interest include spoiling my pet schnauzer, cycling, gardening, traveling, running clubs and anything outdoors.
Sattvik Basarkod
Former Research Assistant
Currently a Medical Student at Central Michigan University
Sattvik is a Michigan native and Wayne State alumni with a bachelors of science in Neuroscience and minor in Health Psychology. He joined the DTP lab in the summer of 2021 and worked on collecting data for the Critical Periods Study and analyzing skin conductance and structural neuroimaging data for his honors thesis. He is also the lead writer of the DTP blog page. His future plan is to apply to MDPhD program and work in the field of child psychiatry with a special focus in affective neuroscience. He is interested in investigating neural basis of attentional control and looking at biomarkers of resiliency in trauma exposed population. In his free time, he likes to meditate, read, and play basketball He also enjoys longboarding the Detroit River and the Dequindre cut.
Tas Rahman
Former Intern
Currently an undergraduate at Brown University
I am a Michigan native, a recent International Academy alum, and an incoming undergraduate direct med student at Brown University. Currently, I intend to double concentrate in statistics and international and public affair in the hopes of one day working to create scientifically informed policies. Though my academic career is just beginning, I am interested in a broad range of research areas including development psychology, cellular biology, virology, and epidemiology. I believe healthcare coupled with research can have a profound impact on people’s lives and I hope to work in both of these fields someday in the future.
In my free time, I enjoy rowing, skiing, biking, writing, and cooking. I also love exploring new cities and trying new foods!
Mariam Reda
Former Research Assistant
Currently a Medical Student at University of Michigan
I am a rising Medical Student at the University of Michigan Medical School. I am a New York native and graduated from the University of Michigan with dual degrees in Biopsychology, Cognition and Neuroscience (BCN) and Poetry. As a first generation student researcher, I am interested in pursuing Psychiatry and working with minority women in Southeast Michigan to promote trauma-informed care. I also hope to bring culturally competent interventions to the Middle Eastern/North African community.
My research interests include intergenerational trauma, neural threat circuitry and PTSD therapies. I also co-mentor our functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) analysis team to lead Resting State neuroimaging projects. My goals are to understand how trauma and adversity affect neural circuitry in regions important to emotion regulation, fear response and posttraumatic symptoms.
In my free time I enjoy writing baking, poetry, and advising Heal-Move-Shift, a 501(c)(3), a nonprofit dedicated to facilitating disease prevention and wellness seminars throughout grade schools in Michigan
Anais Stenson, Phd
Former Assistant Professor
Currently a Program Officer, National Institute of Mental Health
Anaïs Stenson, PhD was an Assistant Professor in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at the Wayne State University School of Medicine. She received her Ph.D. in Psychology in 2017 from Emory University. After completing her doctorate, she was a postdoctoral fellow with Dr. Tanja Jovanovic, first as part of the Grady Trauma Project at Emory University School of Medicine, and then with the Detroit Trauma Project at Wayne State University School of Medicine, before taking up her current postion as a Program Officer in the Clinical Neuroscience of HIV and Human Mobility and HIV Division of AIDS Research at the NIMH. ​
Cassandra Wanna
Former Outreach Representative
Although I am fortunate to call many places home, I was raised in Macon, GA. I graduated from Middlebury College with a B.A. in Psychology and a minor in Arabic. During my studies, I worked with refugee populations domestically as a research assistant at Connecting Cultures, a clinic dedicated to providing psychosocial support to refugees and asylum seekers who have survived torture and trauma, and abroad in Jordan with CARE Jordan at Azraq Camp. I have worked for the Detroit Trauma Project since July 2018.
When not working, I can usually be found teaching ESL classes, writing in pretentious wine bars, or snuggling with my foster pups.