MEET OUR TEAM
Members at Hruska Lab are made up of talented scientists from a wide variety backgrounds. What unites us is an undying passion for learning and discovery.
MARTIN HRUSKA, PHD
Team leader
Martin is the devoted group leader who is passionate about synapses and imaging. He is enthusiastic about mentoring students and post-docs. Martin earned his PhD from the University of Vermont and did his post-doc at UPenn and Thomas Jefferson University in Philadelphia. Martin loves all things outdoors - skiing, hiking, camping and is currently thinking about getting into mountain biking. Being at WVU allows me to combine cutting edge neuroscience research with my love of outdoors. Join my group if this lifestyle appeals to you!
JAMES SCRIPTER, B.S.
Neuroscience Graduate Student
James is originally from West Springfield, MA. He received his bachelor’s degree in Biology and a minor in Chemistry from Westfield State University. After he graduated he was accepted into the NIH Post-baccalaureate program working in Dr. Susan Wray’s Lab looking at the development of the GnRH neurons in the olfactory system. James then came to West Virginia University to work towards his Ph.D. in neuroscience. He joined Dr. Martin Hruska’s lab looking at how synapses are affected in Alzheimer’s disease. He is currently determining the impact of A-beta on the nanoscale organization of dendritic spines. Outside of the lab, James enjoys outdoor activities like hiking, kayaking, and biking.
YEASMIN AKTER, M.S.
Neurosceince Graduate Student
Yeasmin is from Bangladesh, a beautifully green south-Asian country. She has completed her B.S. and M.S. in Biotechnology and Genetic Engineering from Noakhali Science and Technology University, Bangladesh. After completing her M.S., she was admitted to the Neuroscience Ph.D. program at the WVU and joined Dr. Martin Hruska's lab. She is keenly interested in studying the brain, how it changes in aging and Alzheimer's disease. Her Ph.D. research focuses on the role of synapse organizing molecules in Alzheimer's disease. Yeasmin loves spending time with family, cooking, visiting new places, and hiking outside the lab.
I enjoy being a part of a very diverse group of people here in Dr. Hruska's lab. We are all interested in learning about each other's cultures and embracing our differences. If you are interested in learning about the complex mechanisms of brain communication through synapses in health and disease using state-of-the-art approaches, come join us in the Hruska lab. Let's have some fun together with Brain Science!!!
WVU Neuroscience Master Student
Originally from Houston, Texas, Haley earned her B.S. in Psychology with a premedical emphasis from Oklahoma State University. There, she conducted research in Dr. Sweatt’s Psychopathology Lab, examining potential links between bipolar disorder and binge eating disorder through shared behavioral and neurobiological characteristics. She is currently completing a Master’s degree in Neuroscience at West Virginia University while conducting research in the Hruska Lab. Her research interests center on the mechanisms underlying neurodegeneration and synaptic-level plasticity. Haley is passionate about science education and enjoys sharing her knowledge through assistantships in the biology and psychology departments, as well as through community partnerships with STEM-focused organizations. Outside the lab, she enjoys hiking, playing the piano, and spending time with friends and family.
Trace Riley
WVU Undergraduate Student
(Neuroscience Major)
Lab alumni
Autumun Shields
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WVU Undergraduate (Neuroscience)
Grace Jones, MS
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Technician
Lindsay Morais, BS
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West Liberty University undergraduate
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Currently in the WVU PhD Neuroscience program
Yssabela Ma Mikh Cabuyao, BS
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WVU Neuroscience undergraduate​
Nathan Taylor
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WVU Undergraduate (Neuroscience)
Victoria Shifflett, BS
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WVU Neuroscience undergraduate
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Currently in the WVU PhD Neuroscience program
Heath Beam, BS
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WVU Neuroscience undergraduate​