Graduate Student
Pronouns: She/Her/Hers
Email: girizarr@uci.edu
Gimarie Irizarry Martínez
About Me
Projects
Research Interests
Fun!
I obtained my B.S. in Biopsychology from the Interamerican University of Puerto Rico. My research experiences in the molecular mechanisms in Huntington’s Disease (HD) intrigued me to learn about the cognitive and behavioral aspects of neuropsychiatric illnesses. In the Yassa lab I am studying how brain circuits related to memory processes are affected in mood disorders. Contributing to the community has been one of my primary goals since it gives research a purpose. I am passionate for volunteering through the Fundación Huntington Puerto Rico (FHPR) in community outreach, advocacy, volunteer mentorship, and directing communications. In the future, as a professor, I hope to build strong partnerships between non-profit organizations and academia by integrating my knowledge to advance research in neuropsychiatric disorders in Puerto Rico.
Lab Research Projects
I contribute to the following research areas in the Translational Neuroscience Laboratory.
I am investigating the relationship between anhedonia and episodic memory. To assess how anhedonia affects emotional memory recognition and discrimination, I will use behavioral paradigms with functional neuroimaging approaches. Beyond contributing to our understanding of the behavioral and neurobiological basis of anhedonia, our research could impact the way that anhedonia is treated in different disorders and can also pave the path to reducing racial/ethnic disparities in research and treatment.
In my free time I like training my dog, reading motivation books, taking pictures, binge watching the Big-Bang Theory or listening to reggaeton, indie alternative, reggae, or salsa music!
