Ryoma Hattori, PhD
Principal Investigator
Ryoma grew up in Osaka, Japan. After earning his bachelor’s degree in Biophysics and Biochemistry from the University of Tokyo, he moved to the United States. He received his A.M and Ph.D. degrees from Harvard University where he studied multisensory interactions and cross-modal plasticity in the mouse visual cortex. Following his graduation, he worked as a postdoctoral scholar at University of California San Diego, studying the neural mechanisms of reinforcement learning and decision-making. He traveled across the country and opened his lab at UF Scripps in late October, 2023.
Contact: rhattori@ufl.edu
Vaibhav Dhyani, PhD
Postdoctoral Associate
Vaibhav has roots in India and his heart in Australia. He has done a Bachelor’s and Master’s degree in Chemical Engineering, but found his true calling in the fascinating realm of Systems Biology. He has finished a joint PhD degree in “Quantitative microscopy and systems biology approaches to probing cellular heterogeneity in neuronal systems and T cell development.” This work was conducted at the Indian Institute of Technology, Hyderabad (India), and Swinburne University of Technology (Australia). He has expertise in computational modeling and image processing, which he is excited to apply in Systems Neuroscience research. In his free time, he likes to go on hikes and binge-watch shows on Netflix. His all time favorite animation is ‘Avatar: The Last Airbender.’
Contact: vdhyani@ufl.edu
Adriana Amrein Almira
Graduate Student
Adriana obtained her B.S. in neuroscience with a minor in chemistry from George Mason University in northern Virginia. Upon graduation, she joined the chemistry department at GMU to study the thermodynamics of small-molecule-protein interactions. She later joined the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine as a technician to study small-molecule activators of the brain proteasome in a neonatal pig model. Adriana joined the Hattori lab in 2024 as a first-year graduate student in the Scripps Research Skaggs Graduate School. Outside of the lab, Adriana enjoys weightlifting, painting, playing Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, and complaining about the Florida weather.
Contact: aamreinalmira@ufl.edu
Elizabeth Lekah
Graduate Student
Although born and raised in Illinois, Liz considers herself a native of Florida. She earned a double-major Bachelor’s degree in Molecular and Cellular Biology and Public Health from Vanderbilt University. During her undergraduate studies, she conducted research at UF-Scripps, focusing on bioinformatics for identifying optimal RNA targets. Liz joined the Hattori Lab in late 2024. Outside the lab, she enjoys birdwatching, playing video games, planespotting, and working out.
Contact: elekah@ufl.edu
Isabelle Solages
Undergraduate Research Intern
Isabelle is an undergraduate student at the Harriet L. Wilkes Honors College. She is currently completing a double major in Cellular Neuroscience and Medical Humanities and a minor in French. Isabelle joined the Hattori Lab in November 2024, driven by her passion for neuroscience and a desire to explore the intricate workings of the brain. Her curiosity was especially piqued by the lab’s focus on reinforcement learning, as she was fascinated by how this concept bridges neuroscience and artificial intelligence. The lab’s innovative use of neural recordings and data science to study brain dynamics made it the perfect place for her to deepen her knowledge and pursue her interests. Outside of academics, she has a deep passion for music, reading and dancing.
Contact: isabellesolages@ufl.edu
Abigail Wendland
Undergraduate Research Intern
Abigail is an undergraduate student at the Harriet L. Wilkes Honors College, pursuing a major in Cellular Neuroscience. She is deeply passionate about understanding the intricate workings of the brain, particularly in the context of cutting-edge neuroscience techniques. In November 2024, Abigail joined the Hattori Lab, where she is eager to expand her knowledge of optogenetics. This field fascinates her due to its potential to manipulate neural activity with light and its applications in studying brain function. Her curiosity about how optogenetics can be used to unravel complex neural circuits aligns perfectly with the lab’s innovative research. Abigail is excited to be part of the lab’s dynamic research environment, where she can develop her skills in experimental neuroscience and contribute to the exploration of brain dynamics at a molecular level. Outside of the lab, she has a passion for running, reading, and her cat Peanut.
Contact: awendland@ufl.edu
Angela Yu
Undergraduate Research Intern
Angela grew up in the coastal city of Naples, Florida. She is an undergraduate student at the Harriet L. Wilkes Honors College, where she is currently majoring in Cellular Neuroscience and minoring in Creative Writing. Moved by an avid interest in the neurological basis of behavior, Angela joined the Hattori Lab in January of 2025, where she is eager to partake in a hands-on and innovative approach to the study of how artificial intelligence can be used to model the effects of neurological variations on learning and cognition, particularly in relation to neurological disorders. In her free time, Angela enjoys reading, story writing, working out, and watching horror films.
Contact: angelayu1@ufl.edu
Beth A. Perconte
Lab Administration Coordinator III
Beth has been a senior lab admin coordinator and has provided support to researchers at Scripps Research since 2008 and UF Scripps since 2022. She has a wide range of experience with grants and lab administration to fully support Dr. Hattori and assist with the overall successful operation of his lab.
Contact: bethperconte@ufl.edu
Alumni
| Name | Position | Period |
|---|---|---|
| Simran Lamba | SURF undergrad intern (from University of Florida) | 06/2024 – 08/2024 |