People

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Stacey B. Daughters, Ph.D.

Stacey B. Daughters, Ph.D. is a Professor in the Department of Psychology and Neuroscience at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill and a licensed clinical psychologist in the state of North Carolina. Dr. Daughters expertise is in the identification of neurobiological and behavioral determinants of substance use treatment response, with a focus on reward sensitivity and distress tolerance, as well as the translation of experimental findings into targeted and effective interventions, most notably behavioral activation and transcranial alternating current stimulation. You can access a list of her publications here.

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Catherine Paquette, MPS
Contact: catherine.paquette@unc.edu
I received my bachelor’s degree in Communication and Urban Studies from Wheaton College, and my master’s in Clinical Psychological Science from the University of Maryland, College Park. Prior to coming to UNC, I managed harm reduction programs at a community-based non-profit in Washington, D.C. and worked as a Research Associate on NIDA-funded studies examining the health impacts of injection drug use. Currently, my research focuses on developing and testing behavioral interventions for non-treatment-seeking individuals who inject drugs using a harm reduction lens.

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Louisa Kane
Contact: louisak@live.unc.edu
Louisa received her B.A. in Biopsychology, Cognition, and Neuroscience at the University of Michigan in 2017. Following graduation, she worked as a post-baccalaureate research fellow at the National Institute on Drug Abuse exploring reward learning in animal models of addiction. Louisa’s interest in reward in addiction has expanded to focus on social relationships as a crucial source of reward. Currently, she is interested in studying substance use behaviors in the context of close relationships, and how substance use can be understood and treated through a couples-based psychopathology framework. In her free time, Louisa enjoys rock climbing, dancing, and digging into the local food scene.

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Flavio Frohlich
Flavio is an electrical engineer (MSc, 2003) and neuroscientist (PhD, 2007) by training. His research interest focuses on developing new treatments for mental illnesses. Flavio is passionate about synergies and enjoys building metaphorical bridges of all kinds to advance humanity. He is the proud father of four very loud kids, a neurotechnology entrepreneur at night, and a true embarrassment at the electric cello.

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Kat Benson
I received my Bachelors of Science in Biology and Psychology from Butler University in 2019. During my bachelors, I conducted research on the behavioral and neuroendocrine underpinnings of addiction to nicotine and alcohol using a mouse model. Following my graduation, I swapped mice for people and conducted imaging research at the Indiana University School of Medicine on the neural mechanisms of alcohol use disorder in young adults. My current research interests are how positive emotions impact addiction recovery outcomes and resilience in the face of relapse. In my free time I love to play with my kitty, paint, and go hiking!

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Paulina Linares
I received my B.S. in Psychology from the University of Houston in 2020. In my undergraduate career, I worked on numerous scientific projects within four different labs involved in cognition and neuroscience. In my junior year, I obtained a two-year fellowship with UHAND that focused on health disparities and tobacco cessation research, which inspired my current research interests in individualizing treatment in substance abuse with a neurobiological angle. In my free time, I like reading, going to the movies, and dancing.

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Melissa Puopolo
I received my B.S. in Psychology from Virginia Commonwealth University in 2019. During my undergraduate studies, I participated in psychoendocrinology and psychoimmunology research focused on the effects of chronic adolescent stress on the adult brain in rats. Following my VCU graduation, I received my Master of Professional Studies (MPS) in Clinical Psychology at the University of Maryland where I was involved in research on brain mechanisms underlying cognitive and affective processing including individuals with Substance Use Disorder (SUD). Most recently I worked as the Clinical Research Coordinator at the Institute for Drug and Alcohol studies (IDAS) in Richmond, VA helping with clinical trial research focused on various treatments for SUD. I hope to continue pursuing my passion for understanding underlying mechanisms of SUD. In my free time, I love to read, exercise, travel, and enjoy time with friends and family!

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Zander Vierling
I am a third year Neuroscience Major. I am fascinated by Substance Use Disorder and the systems that regulate drug use in the United States. At the BRANE lab, I am looking forward to expanding my knowledge base regarding Substance Use Disorder and psychological research. I love mountain biking, exploring the outdoors, watching UNC Sports, and my two dogs.

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Maya Arora
I am a second year Neuroscience and Health Policy and Management major. I hope to use the intersectionality of these two interests as an avenue for understanding substance use disorders. I look forward to using this perspective to advance both research and policy regarding these disorders. In my free time, I enjoy reading, playing tennis, and cooking new dishes.