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KU BEAN LAB

KU BEAN LABKU BEAN LABKU BEAN LAB
Home
Our Team
Our Research
Publications
Join the Lab
Facilities
Diversity-Inclusion
More
  • Home
  • Our Team
  • Our Research
  • Publications
  • Join the Lab
  • Facilities
  • Diversity-Inclusion
  • Home
  • Our Team
  • Our Research
  • Publications
  • Join the Lab
  • Facilities
  • Diversity-Inclusion

Meet Our Team & Collaborators

Fall 2022 BEAN Lab Team

Back Row (L to R): Katie, Michael, Brandon, and WIll

Front Row (L to R): Melissa, Kaia, Sarah, and Alyssa


Lab Director

Michael Amlung, Ph.D.

Director, KU Behavioral Economics & Addictions Neuroscience Laboratory
Associate Professor, Department of Applied Behavioral Science

Associate Director for Training, Cofrin Logan Center for Addiction Research and Treatment

University of Kansas

Email: mamlung@ku.edu

Twitter @MAmlung 


Pronouns: He/Him

You are encouraged to share your  pronouns in communications with Dr. Amlung


Curriculum Vitae


Dr. Amlung completed his PhD in psychology with a concentration in behavioral and brain sciences from the University of Georgia. He then completed a NIAAA-funded (T32) postdoctoral fellowship at the University of Missouri. In 2015, he began his academic career at as an Assistant Professor (promoted to Associate Professor in 2020) in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioural Neurosciences at McMaster University. He was Director of the Behavioural Sciences Core of the Peter Boris Centre for Addictions Research and a faculty scientist in the Michael G. DeGroote Centre for Medicinal Cannabis Research. In the summer of 2020, Dr. Amlung moved to the University of Kansas where he is an Associate Professor in the Department of Applied Behavioral Science and Associate Director for Training of the Cofrin Logan Center for Addiction Research and Treatment. 


Dr. Amlung's research program examines the behavioral and neurobiological basis of addictive disorders and related mental health disorders, with an emphasis on understanding pathological decision-making and motivation for addictive substances. His research uses a variety of techniques including testing studies in simulated bar laboratories, functional and structural brain imaging, and non-invasive brain stimulation. His work also uses behavioral economic methods to inform public policy around cannabis legalization. 


Visit Dr. Amlung's KU Applied Behavioral Science Faculty Profile to learn more about his research interests, mentorship/teaching activities, and service roles.

Postdoctoral Fellows

Sarah Weinsztok, Ph.D.

Sarah Weinsztok (she/her) completed her Ph.D. in psychology with a concentration in behavior analysis from the University of Florida in 2021. Following the completion of her doctoral degree, Dr. Weinsztok moved to Lawrence, KS where she began her appointment as a postdoctoral researcher with the Cofrin Logan Center for Addiction Research 

Sarah Weinsztok (she/her) completed her Ph.D. in psychology with a concentration in behavior analysis from the University of Florida in 2021. Following the completion of her doctoral degree, Dr. Weinsztok moved to Lawrence, KS where she began her appointment as a postdoctoral researcher with the Cofrin Logan Center for Addiction Research and Treatment and the KU Lifespan Institute. Dr. Weinsztok adopts a reinforcer pathology approach to understanding maladaptive behavior and utilizes behavioral economics as a framework to understand patterns of alcohol and substance use. Currently, Dr. Weinsztok’s work explores the effect of alternative commodity availability on substance use and its utility as a component of assessment and treatment of alcohol use disorder. 

Graduate Students

Brandon Miller, M.S.

Brandon is a graduate student in the Applied Behavioral Science doctoral program at the University of Kansas. He earned his Master's in Clinical Behavioral Psychology at Eastern Michigan University, where his research focused on non-medical prescription stimulant use among undergraduate students and contingency management for opioid use. 

Brandon is a graduate student in the Applied Behavioral Science doctoral program at the University of Kansas. He earned his Master's in Clinical Behavioral Psychology at Eastern Michigan University, where his research focused on non-medical prescription stimulant use among undergraduate students and contingency management for opioid use. After earning his M.S., he conducted neuropsychological assessments on individuals with cognitive loss at an outpatient clinic in Ann Arbor, Michigan.

Undergraduate Students

Alyssa Biles

Kaia Schwartz

Alyssa Biles

Alyssa Biles is a third-year undergraduate student at the University of Kansas. She is double majoring in Applied Behavioral Science and Psychology, with a minor in Human Sexuality. She plans to pursue a Master’s degree in Forensic Psychology to apply psychology principles to the criminal justice system.

Will Davis

Kaia Schwartz

Alyssa Biles

Will Davis is currently a senior year psychology student. He is preparing to apply for Clinical Psychology PhD programs where he hopes to further learn how to research and treat substance use disorders.

Kaia Schwartz

Kaia Schwartz

Kaia Schwartz

Kaia Schwartz is a first year undergraduate student majoring in Behavioral Neuroscience. She is on the pre-med track, so after completing her undergraduate studies she’ll plan to attend medical school. She aspires to pursue a career in Psychiatry or Dermatology. This is her first semester getting into research and she is excited for the experience and ready to learn

Katie Hulla

Melissa Hamilton

Melissa Hamilton

Katie is a third-year undergraduate student at the University of Kansas. She is majoring in Applied Behavioral Science with plans to pursue a Juris Doctor degree following undergraduate studies. She looks forward to drawing connections between information learned in the Lab, human behaviors, and the law. 

Melissa Hamilton

Melissa Hamilton

Melissa Hamilton

 Melissa is a fifth year student at the University of Kansas. She is working towards a degree in Applied Behavioral Science with an emphasis in Early Childhood Intervention. She is an advocate for mental health awareness and expanding research on alternatives to physical prompting as an intervention method. As someone who has been seen th

 Melissa is a fifth year student at the University of Kansas. She is working towards a degree in Applied Behavioral Science with an emphasis in Early Childhood Intervention. She is an advocate for mental health awareness and expanding research on alternatives to physical prompting as an intervention method. As someone who has been seen the impact of addiction first-hand, she values educating others about moderation and looks forward to her experience in the lab. 

Research Staff

Emma Marsden, M.Sc.

Tegan Hargreaves, M.Sc.

Tegan Hargreaves, M.Sc.

Emma Marsden is a staff research assistant in the Peter Boris Centre for the Addictions Research at McMaster University. Emma is the project coordinator of the our lab's RES-CUE fMRI study being conducted at McMaster. Before starting graduate school, Emma was previously project coordinator of multiple studies (traumatic brain injury in co

Emma Marsden is a staff research assistant in the Peter Boris Centre for the Addictions Research at McMaster University. Emma is the project coordinator of the our lab's RES-CUE fMRI study being conducted at McMaster. Before starting graduate school, Emma was previously project coordinator of multiple studies (traumatic brain injury in concurrent disorders; contingency management for smoking cessation in schizophrenia).

Tegan Hargreaves, M.Sc.

Tegan Hargreaves, M.Sc.

Tegan Hargreaves, M.Sc.

Tegan is a graduate student in the Neuroscience Graduate Program at McMaster University (supervised by Dr. James MacKillop) in the Peter Boris Centre. Tegan is currently working on  the  RES-CUE study in the lab.  She completed her MSc in neuroscience from Queen’s University in 2019 studying the neural correlates of working memory in majo

Tegan is a graduate student in the Neuroscience Graduate Program at McMaster University (supervised by Dr. James MacKillop) in the Peter Boris Centre. Tegan is currently working on  the  RES-CUE study in the lab.  She completed her MSc in neuroscience from Queen’s University in 2019 studying the neural correlates of working memory in major depressive disorder. Tegan’s main role in the Peter Boris Centre is as a neuroimager, working on both structural and functional MRI.

Lab Alumni

Herry Patel, Ph.D.

Stefanie Stancato, Ph.D.

Stefanie Stancato, Ph.D.

Herry completed his Ph.D. from the Neuroscience Graduate Program at McMaster University in 2022 (supervised by Dr. Amlung and Dr. Margaret McKinnon). Herry's Master's Thesis in the lab  research focused on studying Episodic Future Thinking and its effects on delay discounting and alcohol demand among individuals with addictive disorders. 

Herry completed his Ph.D. from the Neuroscience Graduate Program at McMaster University in 2022 (supervised by Dr. Amlung and Dr. Margaret McKinnon). Herry's Master's Thesis in the lab  research focused on studying Episodic Future Thinking and its effects on delay discounting and alcohol demand among individuals with addictive disorders. For his dissertation research, he investigated the intersection between simple vs. complex trauma, dissociation, and substance use. Dr. Patel is now a postdoctoral fellow in the Department of Psychiatry at the University of California San Diego.

Stefanie Stancato, Ph.D.

Stefanie Stancato, Ph.D.

Stefanie Stancato, Ph.D.

  Dr. Stancato completed her Ph.D. in Behavioral Psychology from the University of Kansas in 2022. Stefanie's research mainly been studying delay and probability discounting with substance and alcohol use with college students. Currently, she has a research position with the U.S. Army at Fort Leavenworth, where she assists research psycho

  Dr. Stancato completed her Ph.D. in Behavioral Psychology from the University of Kansas in 2022. Stefanie's research mainly been studying delay and probability discounting with substance and alcohol use with college students. Currently, she has a research position with the U.S. Army at Fort Leavenworth, where she assists research psychologists with their research focusing on leader development in the Army. 

Vanessa Morris, Ph.D.

Stefanie Stancato, Ph.D.

Vanessa Morris, Ph.D.

Dr. Morris completed her Ph.D. in the Neuroscience Graduate Program at McMaster University in 2020, supervised by Dr. Amlung. Her dissertation examined  differences in intracortical myelin via MRI between those with substance use disorders and healthy controls. She is also conducting studies examining resting state functional connectivity

Dr. Morris completed her Ph.D. in the Neuroscience Graduate Program at McMaster University in 2020, supervised by Dr. Amlung. Her dissertation examined  differences in intracortical myelin via MRI between those with substance use disorders and healthy controls. She is also conducting studies examining resting state functional connectivity, cortical thickness, and other brain correlates in people who use alcohol and other substances. Dr. Morris completed a postdoctoral fellowship at York University and is now an Assistant Professor of Psychology at the University of New Brunswick.

Lana Vedelago, M.Sc.

Katherine Naish, Ph.D.

Vanessa Morris, Ph.D.

Lana completed a Masters degree in Neuroscience from McMaster University in 2020. Her thesis investigated deficits in affective decision-making on the Iowa Gambling Task in justice-involved adults in the Canadian federal prison system. She also served as the Project Coordinator of the Peter Boris Centre's collaborative project with the Co

Lana completed a Masters degree in Neuroscience from McMaster University in 2020. Her thesis investigated deficits in affective decision-making on the Iowa Gambling Task in justice-involved adults in the Canadian federal prison system. She also served as the Project Coordinator of the Peter Boris Centre's collaborative project with the Correctional Service of Canada. Lana is now a PhD student in the Clinical Neuropsychology Program at York University. 

Gideon Naudé, Ph.D.

Katherine Naish, Ph.D.

Katherine Naish, Ph.D.

Dr. Naudé completed a research practicum in the lab during the fall 2020 semester. During his time in the lab, he contributed to analyzing data for two manuscripts focusing on impulsive delay discounting in polysubstance users and a clinical sample of people with various anxiety disorders. Dr. Amlung was a member of Dr. Naudé's doctoral c

Dr. Naudé completed a research practicum in the lab during the fall 2020 semester. During his time in the lab, he contributed to analyzing data for two manuscripts focusing on impulsive delay discounting in polysubstance users and a clinical sample of people with various anxiety disorders. Dr. Amlung was a member of Dr. Naudé's doctoral committee (his primary mentor was Dr. Derek Reed). Dr. Naudé is now a Postdoctoral Fellow at with Dr. Matthew Johnson at Johns Hopkins School of Medicine

Katherine Naish, Ph.D.

Katherine Naish, Ph.D.

Katherine Naish, Ph.D.

Dr. Naish was a postdoctoral fellow in the laboratory when we were located at McMaster University and the Peter Boris Centre for Addictions Research. Dr. Naish conducted research on neuromodulation (including transcranial direct current stimulation) and delay discounting among people who use cannabis. After completing her postdoctoral fel

Dr. Naish was a postdoctoral fellow in the laboratory when we were located at McMaster University and the Peter Boris Centre for Addictions Research. Dr. Naish conducted research on neuromodulation (including transcranial direct current stimulation) and delay discounting among people who use cannabis. After completing her postdoctoral fellowship, Dr. Naish pursued additional Masters-level training in psychotherapy.

Collaborators

Derek D. Reed, Ph.D.

James MacKillop, Ph.D.

James MacKillop, Ph.D.

Department of Applied Behavioral Science

University of Kansas

Visit Website

James MacKillop, Ph.D.

James MacKillop, Ph.D.

James MacKillop, Ph.D.

Peter Boris Centre for Addictions Research, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioural Neurosciences, McMaster University

Visit Website

James G. Murphy, Ph.D.

James MacKillop, Ph.D.

Lawrence H. Sweet, Ph.D.

Department of Psychology

University of Memphis

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Lawrence H. Sweet, Ph.D.

Elizabeth A. Aston, Ph.D.

Lawrence H. Sweet, Ph.D.

Department of Psychology

University of Georgia

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Elizabeth A. Aston, Ph.D.

Elizabeth A. Aston, Ph.D.

Elizabeth A. Aston, Ph.D.

Center for Alcohol and Addiction Studies 

Brown University

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Laura E. Martin, Ph.D

Elizabeth A. Aston, Ph.D.

Elizabeth A. Aston, Ph.D.

Population Health, Hoglund Biomedical Imaging Center, KU Medical Center

Justin Strickland, Ph.D.

Justin Strickland, Ph.D.

Justin Strickland, Ph.D.

Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurosciences

Johns Hopkins University

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Denis M. McCarthy, Ph.D.

Justin Strickland, Ph.D.

Justin Strickland, Ph.D.

Department of Psychological Sciences University of Missouri 

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