Leslie Sombers, Principal Investigator
Dr. Sombers heads our interdisciplinary lab researching the intersection of neuroscience and neurochemistry. After acquiring her Bachelor’s and Masters from the College of William and Mary, she completed her PhD at Pennsylvania State University with a post-doctoral position at University of North Carolina.
GRegory McCarty, PhD
Dr. McCarty received his BS, MS, and PhD from Penn State University to complete the full trifecta of degrees. He’s a research associate professor at the University of Florida conducting research on neurochemical detection using FSCV.
Email: gmccarty@ufl.edu
Chathuri de Alwis (she/her), 5th year graduate student
Chathuri received her B.Sc. (Hons) in Chemistry from University of Kelaniya, Sri Lanka. She joined the Sombers Lab in Fall 2019 and is currently working on exploiting different carbon-fiber microelectrode geometries in order to achieve comprehensive capture of exocytosis events at single cells, while characterizing vesicular release of neurochemicals. Outside the lab, she enjoys reading, watching movies, TV shows, traveling, nature-walking and swimming.
Email: asdealwi@ncsu.edu
Jovica Todorov (he/him), Post Doctoral Scholar
Jovica comes from the Republic of North Macedonia. He joined the Sombers lab in 2019. His main interests are physical and analytical electrochemistry and design of electrodes that can provide improved sensing for biomolecules. He is involved in several projects for advancing electroanalytical detection of opioid-neuropeptides. One project is focused on investigating the electrochemistry of tyrosine as part of peptides related to the enkephalins. The findings have big implication in understating the electrochemical signal of these peptides in vivo and improving the selectivity and sensitivity for their measurement. In another project he works with fast-scan cyclic voltammetry for real-time monitoring of catecholamines and neuropeptides in brain and adrenal gland slices from rats. He has also done work in theoretical modeling in COMSOL. In his free time, he loves watching YouTube.
Email: jtodorov@ufl.edu
Jenna Berger (she/her), 4th year graduate student
Jenna is from northern Ohio, and she graduated from Ohio University with a BS in Forensic Chemistry in 2020. She joined the Sombers lab in Fall 2020, and her research focuses on characterizing how the signaling molecules hydrogen peroxide and methionine-enkephalin work in synchrony with dopamine to modulate striatal function. Outside of research, Jenna enjoys kayaking, reading, crafts, and cooking!
Email: jmberge2@ncsu.edu
Kalynn Turner (she/her), 2nd year graduate student
Kalynn is from a small town in rural North Carolina called Marion. She received her B.S. in Chemistry from NC State University in 2022. In the lab, Kalynn is working on several projects that include characterizing the modulation of dopamine by other neurochemicals as well as simultaneously detecting serotonin and glucose in vivo. Outside of the lab, Kalynn likes hiking, reading and playing with her cats!
Email: kmturne6@ncu.edu
Kayleigh Linder (she/her), 1st Year graduate researcher
Kayleigh is from Fayetteville, North Carolina, and she graduated from East Carolina University with a BS in Science Education and Chemistry in 2023. She joined the Sombers lab in the Fall of 2023 and is working on research that includes using FSCV to evaluate the impact of fire retardants on dopamine, oxytocin, and vasopressin signaling and electrical function in vivo. Outside of the lab, she loves to spend time reading, writing, and fostering kittens.
Email: kalinder@ncsu.edu
gracie Mcnair (she/her), undergraDuate researcher
Gracie is from Charlotte, NC and a sophomore studying Chemistry. Gracie works with Jenna and Kalynn studying neuromodulators in striatum. Outside of lab she enjoys listening to music, playing pokemon, and going to cute little coffee shops.
Email: gfmcnair@ncsu.edu
Emily Phillips (she/her), undergraDuate researcher
Emily is from Clemmons, North Carolina, and is a sophomore majoring in Neurobiology. She works with Chathuri on chromaffin and mass-cell projects. Outside of the lab, she loves spending time with friends and family, binging TV shows, and traveling!
Email: enphill3@ncsu.edu
Kaffie Kirby (she/her), undergraDuate researcher
Kaffie is a sophomore undergraduate student majoring in Chemistry with a minor in Biology. She loves all things science, the beach, fantasy novels, documentaries, and crochet. She will be working with Chathuri and Emily on single cell work in chrommafin cells and mast cells.
Email: kgkirby@ncsu.edu