Research Staff

Anna Stauffer - Lab Manager

Anna Stauffer, a Pennsylvania native, joined the Blakely Lab in the summer of 2022. As lab manager, her goal is to ensure a safe, efficient and productive laboratory environment and to contribute to cutting-edge science. She provides orientation, training and lab administrative support for all lab members and serves as the liaison with the veterinary staff in the Division of Comparative Medicine for mouse colony management, cryopreservation and shipments. In addition to her administrative duties, she provides technical support to colleagues who use mouse models to investigate the neurological and behavioral consequences of altered neurotransmitter transporter expression and function.

Samantha (Sammy) Stoltz - Research Assistant

Sammy earned her bachelor’s degree in biology from the University of Central Florida Burnett Honors College with a research emphasis on nanobiotechnology for oxidative stress and inflammatory related diseases (namely cancer). In the Blakely Lab, her work explores neuronal vulnerability and Neuroprotective mechanisms, with a particular focus on the novel gene MBLAC1 and its role in Alzheimer's disease and peripheral co-morbidities. She applies techniques including immunohistochemistry, confocal imaging, and behavioral analysis in transgenic mouse models, including MBLAC1 knockouts and 5xFAD Alzheimer’s models. Samantha is deeply interested in psychoneuroimmunology and epigenetics: how lifestyle factors such as stress, nutrition, and movement influence brain and immune health. She envisions bridging molecular neuroscience with lifestyle medicine to develop interventions that not only advance scientific understanding but also empower individuals to take an active role in their own healing and prevention of disease.

Manuela Zapata

Manuela Zapata graduated from Washington and Lee University in May of 2024 with a bachelor's degree in neuroscience. Her undergraduate studies centered on diseases such as polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) and their connection to neurotransmitters, particularly dopamine, which sparked her passion for science. In the Blakely Lab, her research focuses on serotonin neurotransmission, exploring aspects such as transporter mutations and associations with inflammation, ultimately linking these factors to the pathogenesis of conditions like depression and anxiety.