Kwapis Lab Members

Janine L. Kwapis, Ph.D. (she/her)

principal investigator; The Paul Berg Early Career Professor in the Biological Sciences

Janine earned her Ph.D. in behavioral neuroscience from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee in 2013 where she studied the circuit-level mechanisms underlying trace and delay fear conditioning under Dr. Fred Helmstetter. She then trained as a postdoc under Dr. Marcelo Wood at the University of California, Irvine where she investigated the role of epigenetic mechanisms in long-term memory formation.

She is currently an Associate Professor in the Department of Biology at Penn State where her lab studies the role of epigenetic and molecular mechanisms in long-term memory formation, storage, and updating with an emphasis on understanding how these mechanisms change in the aging brain. Learn more about Janine here.

Contact: jlk855@psu.edu
Twitter: @j9kwapis

Shoko Murakami, Ph.D. (she/her)

research scientist

Shoko earned her Ph.D. at Penn State in 2008 and studied the function of two palmitoyl acyl-transferases GODZ and SERZbeta in postsynaptic trafficking of GABAA receptors under the guidance of Professor Bernhard Lüscher. She then worked in the structural biology lab of Professor Katsuhiko Murakami where she established a new protein mapping technique using XL-MS. She is interested in understanding the molecular mechanisms that underlie memory formation and has been optimizing the use of CRISPR systems for in vivo use. She is the mom of three boys and enjoys spending time with them at home.

Jiyeon (Joan) Baek, Ph.D. (she/her)

Postdoctoral Scholar

Joan received her Ph.D. in cell biology from Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey - Newark in 2024. She received the Gerontological Society of America Diversity Mentoring and Career Development Technical Assistance Workshop Diversity Fellow Award in 2023 and currently serves on the Early Career Development Committee of the American Society for Neurochemistry (2024-2026). Now, as a Postdoctoral Scholar in the Center for Healthy Aging at Penn State in the Kwapis lab, she is developing a project examining the molecular mechanisms underlying brain aging. In her free time, Joan loves to cuddle with her cats, Kippu and Kinna, and sing karaoke. She is always on the hunt for her new favorite food. 

Contact: jkb6803@psu.edu
Twitter: @JiyeonBaek3

Chad Smies, B.S. (he/him)

Graduate student; NIH Pathways to Healthy Aging T32 Fellow and Robb Family Graduate fellow

Chad S. received his B.S. from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee in 2016, where he studied psychology. Following graduation, he worked as a research technician in the lab of Dr. Jim Moyer at UWM before starting graduate school in the Biology program at Penn State. Chad S., a recipient of both the Homer F. Braddock Scholarship and the Verne M. Willaman Distinguished Graduate Fellowship, is working on understanding the molecular mechanisms that support memory updating in the young and old brain. Chad S. loves animals and spending time outdoors hiking and camping.

Contact: cws5896@psu.edu

Gretchen Pifer, B.A. (she/her)

Graduate student; Verne M Willaman Fellow

Gretchen received her B.A. from West Virginia University in 2021 where she studied psychology and anthropology. After graduation, she worked as a lab technician under Dr. Kathleen Morrison at WVU before starting graduate school in the biology program at Penn State. Now, Gretchen is interested in examining the relationship between sex differences in memory and Per1 expression. In her free time, she enjoys running, cooking, reading, and hiking.

Contact: gcp4@psu.edu

Trinity Wood (she/her)

Undergraduate Researcher

Trinity is a fourth-year undergraduate majoring in biology on the neuroscience path, and minoring in kinesiology. She joined the Kwapis Lab due to her passion for the brain and understanding how it is the centerpiece of the human body, and yet very little is understood about the process of memory updating. Following Penn State, her plan is to attend PA school, and work as a physician's assistant in either neurology or sports medicine. In her free time, she likes to hike, read, or hang out with friends. 

Evan Cameron (he/him)

Undergraduate Researcher

Evan is a fourth-year undergraduate majoring in the BS/MBA program with an intended minor in neuroscience. He joined the Kwapis Lab due to his fascination with brain systems, specifically those associated with learning and memory consolidation. After graduation, he intends to do a master’s program and potentially pursue an M.D. In his free time, Evan enjoys going on long hikes, golfing with friends, playing electric guitar, and training Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu.

Chad Brunswick, Ph.D. (he/him)

Graduate student; NRSA F31 Fellow and Robb Family Graduate Fellow

Chad B. received his B.S. in neuroscience and biology from the University of Cincinnati in 2020. While an undergraduate, Chad B. worked with Cincinnati Children’s physician Dr. Nicole Weaver in investigating molecular mechanisms of craniofacial malformation disorders. He is a student in the Neuroscience program at Penn State and is interested in understanding the cell ensemble-specific changes that accompany memory formation and memory updating. Chad B. enjoys reading fiction and is an avid fan of experimental music and progressive rock. He is a Kate Bush apologist.

Chad B. defended his dissertation in February 2026.

Contact: cab923@psu.edu

Shannon Jordan, B.S. (she/her)

Graduate student

Shannon received her B.S. from Rowan University in 2025 where she studied Translational Biomedical Sciences, with a focus in neuroscience. While an undergraduate, she worked with Dr. Thomas Keck, developing in vitro discovery studies for experimental drugs for a range of neurological disorders, including Alzheimer’s, Parkinson's, ADHD and SUDs, with a specific focus on targeting the dopamine D4 receptor. Now, as a graduate student, Shannon is interested in investigating the effects of aging on memory performance, with a specific interest in women’s health. In her free time, she enjoys hiking, skiing, taking care of her plants, football and baseball season (Go Birds!), and being with family and friends.

Contact: smj6306@psu.edu

Cara Schmitt (she/her)

Undergraduate Researcher

Cara is a fourth-year undergraduate in the Schreyer Honors College majoring in biochemistry and molecular biology and minoring in biology and psychology. She joined the Kwapis Lab because of her desire to learn more about how sex differences impact learning and memory. Cara is planning on pursuing a dual M.D./Ph.D. degree with a focus in the pathophysiology of either neurodegenerative diseases or infectious diseases. She eventually plans to return to academia after finishing her residency and fellowship to teach M.D. and Ph.D. students about pathology. In her free time, Cara likes to cook, listen to music, and read books about epidemics of infectious disease.

Hannah Boyd, B.S. (she/her)

Graduate Student; NIH EGR T32 Fellow

Hannah received her B.S. from the University of Massachusetts - Amherst in 2019, where she studied psychology with a focus in neuroscience. After graduation, she worked as a research technician and lab manager for Dr. Luke Remage-Healey at UMass studying neuroendocrine control of learning in songbirds. Hannah also worked as a graduate student for Dr. Jaeda Coutinho-Budd at the University of Vermont studying developmental glial cell biology in fruit flies. Now, as a graduate student in neuroscience at Penn State in the Kwapis lab, she is investigating sex differences and neuroendocrine control of memory updating. In her free time, Hannah loves board games, cooking, and bird watching.

Contact: hmb5681@psu.edu

Annie Defina, B.S. (she/her)

Graduate student

Annie earned her B.S. from West Chester University of Pennsylvania in 2023. There she worked in Dr. Eric Sweet’s lab studying how parthenolide affects cocaine‑induced anxiety in mice, and later joined Dr. Patrese Robinson‑Drummer’s lab at Haverford College to explore how early life stress shapes learning and memory in rats. Now a neuroscience graduate student at Penn State, Annie is interested in how epigenetic changes influence memory as we age. Outside the lab, she loves playing video games or Dungeons & Dragons with friends, reading, and spending time with her family.

Contact: akd5674@psu.edu

Landyn Magyar (he/him)

Undergraduate Researcher

Landyn is a fourth-year undergraduate pursuing dual degrees in Biobehavioral Health (B.S.) and Systems Neuroscience (B.S.), with minors in Biology and Psychology. He is driven by an interest in how subjective human experiences (e.g., memory, personality, and behavior) can be understood through objective, data-driven neuroscience. Drawn to the brain’s seemingly endless potential and the field’s multidisciplinary nature, Landyn joined the Kwapis Lab to begin his research journey and further explore the neural mechanisms that shape age-associated memory impairment. 

With an aspiration to be a physician-scientist (MD-PhD), Landyn is particularly interested in specializing in Forensic & Emergency Psychiatry while actively engaging in psychedelic research. As a passionate mental health advocate, he is committed to fostering awareness and promoting individuals to express their most authentic self. Outside of academics, Landyn enjoys skiing, fashion styling, DJing, EDM events, and festivals as ways of embracing creativity.