Dr. Costa grew up in the Brazilian Amazon, in the city of Belém. He obtained his BSc in Biological Sciences from the Federal University of Pará, in his hometown. He later received a Masters degree in Physiology from the Ribeirão Preto Medical School, University of São Paulo, and a Doctoral degree from the Max Planck Institute for Brain Research and Goethe University, in Frankfurt am Main, Germany. Dr. Costa then joined the National Institute on Drug Abuse for his postdoc, where he worked on how dopamine signaling and orbitofrontal cortex activity shape latent learning and the construction of cognitive maps.

Dr. Costa has received several recognitions for his work, including a K99/R00 pathway to independence award from the NIDA/NIH, a BBRF NARSAD Young Investigator Award, and being selected as an Allen Institute Next Generation Leader. 

In 2024 Dr. Costa joined the University of Alabama at Birmingham as an Assistant Professor with a primary appointment in the Department of Psychology (College of Arts and Sciences), and secondary appointments at the Department of Neurobiology (Heersink School of Medicine) and the Department of Electrical & Computer Engineering (School of Engineering). 

Dr. McFerrin grew up in Pasadena, Maryland, before moving to Huntsville, Alabama as a teen with a life-long dedication to science. After high school he obtained a Bachelor of Science degree from UAH, studying biochemistry and protein crystallography. Seeking an advanced degree, Mike found his true passion in neuroscience, ultimately earning his PhD from UAB studying normal astrocytes and volume regulation in malignant glioblastomas. Following a brief post-doc at UBC in Vancouver, British Colombia, he returned to UAB to work on projects ranging from Parkinson’s disease to age-related macular degeneration. Mike has enjoyed two-week trips to Japan and France, but usually enjoys cooking, puzzles, crafts, and sharing the occasional cheesecake with friends.

Dr. Mona Abdelhamid is originally from Egypt. She earned her B.Sc. in Veterinary Medicine from Beni Suef University and later completed her M.Sc. and Ph.D. in Neurobiochemistry at Nagoya City University in Japan. Her graduate work contributed to a patent on the effect of Lactoferrin on ApoE secretion and demonstrated the benefits of Bifidobacterium breve MCC1274 in improving cognitive function and reducing Alzheimer’s pathology.

In 2023, Dr. Abdelhamid joined Michigan State University, where she studied the therapeutic potential of an engineered EcN4RL-DOPA in an Alzheimer’s disease rat model, revealing gut–brain mechanisms that enhance dopamine and norepinephrine levels. In 2025, she joined Dr. K. M. Costa’s lab at UAB to investigate dopamine signaling and behavioral outcomes in an alpha-synuclein–induced Parkinson’s disease model.

She has presented her work at international meetings, including the Japan Dementia Annual Meeting, the Intestinal Microbiology Society, the Society for Neuroscience, and the Van Andel Annual Summit. Outside the lab, she enjoys cooking, exploring new places, and traveling

Dr. Dudhabhate received his Bachelor of Pharmacy degree from SRTM University, Nanded, India, and went on to earn a Master’s degree in Pharmacology and a Ph.D. in Neuropharmacology from RTM Nagpur University, India. His doctoral research, conducted under the mentorship of Dr. D. M. Kokare, focused on elucidating the mechanisms underlying the antidepressant effects of deep brain stimulation. This work was supported by fellowships from RTMNU, MAHAJYOTI, SERB, and ICMR.

In 2025, Dr. Dudhabhate joined the laboratory of Dr. K. M. Costa. His current research investigates the circuit, cellular, and molecular mechanisms underlying different forms of learning. His research interests bridge neuropharmacology, neural circuitry, and behavioural neuroscience.

Dr. Dudhabhate has received several awards recognizing his research contributions from the SfN, IBRO, IAN, IPS and IPC. Outside the laboratory, he enjoys playing music, cooking, traveling, and connecting with new people.

Jeff grew up in a suburb of Detroit, Michigan where he attended Wayne State University and received his Bachelor of Science in Chemistry in 2022. He moved to the University of Alabama at Birmingham in 2024 to pursue his doctorate in Pharmacology. Jeff found his love of science while working for a biomedical engineering laboratory at Wayne State studying the neuroinflammatory cascades associated with hydrocephalus and looks forward to learning as many techniques associated with neuroscience.

 Hobbies: Cooking, 3D printing, and volunteering

Julia grew up in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. They recently graduated with their Bachelor of Science in Psychology and Criminal Justice from the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB). Currently, Julia is pursuing a Master's degree in Behavioral Neuroscience at UAB.

Hobbies: Photography, drawing, and model building. 

Brandon was born In Greensboro, North Carolina and moved around all his life. He has lived in several states in the U.S such as California, Georgia, and Michigan as well as cities in Mexico such as Irapuato, Guanajuato, and Monclova. He is currently pursuing a bachelor's degree in Psychology, and hopes to continue my studies in a graduate program in the future. 

Hobbies: photography, learning about video game development, reading, and cooking. 

Kody is originally from Alabama. He is pursing a bachelor's degree in Neuroscience with a minor in Chemistry. He is also an Accelerated Bachelor's/Master's student in Multidisciplinary BioMedical Science concentrating in Neuroscience.  

Hobbies: Olympic Weightlifting , board riding ( skateboarding and surfing), drawing/painting.

A lifelong resident of Birmingham, Alabama, Shahin has deep roots in the Iron City and an equally deep passion for science that began early. At 15, he already started working in an chemistry lab, an experience that ignited a love for scientific discovery that continues to drive him today. Now pursuing a bachelor's degree in psychology with a minor in music, Shahin is on a pre-med track with aspirations of working in emergency medicine, where he hopes to combine his scientific foundation with his desire to help others in critical moments. 

Eli is from Birmingham, Alabama. He is majoring in Neuroscience and pursuing a minor in bioinformatics. He is also a student in UAB's Early Medical School Acceptance Program (EMSAP).

Hobbies: playing the piano, solving math puzzles, and gardening.

Originally from Mississippi, Sina came to UAB to improve his education in the sciences. Throughout High School, he was exposed to many clinical settings and came to realize that his love for science could be applied to helping people at the primary level. Now pursuing a bachelor's degree in biomedical sciences, with a minor in Japanese, he is on the premed track where he hopes to help those in need.