Molly O'Brien

Molly O'Brien, Kampmann lab

[email protected]
she/her/hers
Staff Research Associate

Education

  • M.S. Integrative Neuroscience, 2024 — Georgetown University, DC.
  • B.A. Neuroscience, 2022 — Macalester College, MN.

 

Research Experience

Dr. Mark Burns Laboratory for Brain Injury and Dementia - Georgetown University- 2023-2024

  • Studied neurodegeneration, neuroinflammation, synaptic modification, and behavioral changes after traumatic brain injury, including cortical controlled impact injuries and high-frequency head impacts in mouse models.

  • Masters Project: Context generalization during optogenetic stimulation of the engram.

    • Studied behavioral outcomes, including context generalization, over the course of multiple exposures to optogenetic stimulation of the hippocampus in a mouse model using a contextual fear conditioning paradigm. Developed a protocol for use in high-frequency head impact models.

Dr. Nicholas Davenport Lab - Minneapolis Veterans Affairs Healthcare System/University of Minnesota Department of Psychiatry - 2021-2023

  • Clinical interviewer for Minneapolis Site of LIMBIC-CENC, studying the long-term cognitive, psychiatric, and neurodegenerative effects of combat exposure, including post-traumatic stress disorder and mild traumatic brain injury. 

  • Research assistant for CONNECT-TBI Project, studying the effect of neuromodulation on improving cognitive function for veterans who experienced mild traumatic brain injury.

Dr. Seth Disner Lab - Minneapolis Veterans Affairs Healthcare System/University of Minnesota Department of Psychiatry - 2020-2022

  • Volunteer research assistant studying the association between genetics and rehabilitation outcomes for veterans who experienced mild traumatic brain injury. 

Research Interests

I am interested in the synaptic modification and plasticity that occurs in response to neurodegeneration, particularly after mild traumatic brain injury, and the processes by which we can reinstate lost synaptic connections and regain functionality of circuits.  

Publications

O’Brien, M. C., Disner, S. D., Davenport, N. D., & Sponheim, S. R., “The relationship between blast-related mild traumatic brain injury and executive function is moderated by white matter integrity,” (2024) Brain Imaging and Behavior. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11682-024-00864-z 

Other Interests

I enjoy playing ultimate frisbee and tabletop role-playing games, watching and participating in theater, and reading!