OUR TEAM
Our primary expertise is combining immunocytochemistry and microscopy.
We've never met a neuron we didn't love.
We've never met a neuron we didn't love.
Meet our amazing lab members.
Deborah Hegarty, Ph.D.B.A. in Biology, Holy Cross College
Ph.D., Weill-Cornell Graduate School I am a Senior Research Associate, and I support all of the research projects in the Aicher Lab, including studying the mechanisms of ocular pain and photophobia after corneal injury, measuring changes in tear proteins after refractive surgery, and looking at changes to prefrontal cortex neurons during addiction. I am also responsible for maintaining the lab and training lab personnel on techniques and instrumentation.
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Steve Everist
B.S. in Biology, Portland State University
MPH, University of South Florida (Dec, 2025) I am the Clinical Research Assistant and Coordinator supporting our clinical project in collaboration with the Casey Eye Institute. My role includes participant recruitment, data collection and analysis, and managing tear sample acquisition. I'm passionate about contributing to research that bridges clinical practice and public health and am currently completing my Master of Public Health (MPH) at the University of South Florida, with graduation in December 2025. Outside work, I enjoy spending time with friends, outdoors hiking or camping, cooking, and board games.
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Destinee SemideyB.A. in Biochemistry, CUNY Hunter CollegeI am a graduate student under the ocular pain project interested in understanding the mechanisms of pain and photophobia response in injury. In the summer of 2020, I graduated from the City University of New York - Hunter College with a degree in Biochemistry. Outside of the lab I enjoy trying new recipes and reading fantasy or horror novels.
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Cody L. JiangB.S. in Human Physiology
University of Oregon I am a Research Assistant II for the ocular pain research project studying mechanisms of pain. I graduated from the University of Oregon in spring of 2022. In my free time, I enjoy snowboarding, skiing, volunteering, and weightlifting. Starting medical school in Summer 2026!
Ana Jenike, Ph.D.B.S., Portland State University
Ph.D., John Hopkins University I have a postdoc position where I am working on the project on pain and photophobia, looking at opsin in the iris. I am also working on a project looking at parvalbumin cells inputs during addiction. In my free time, I walk my dog, and take care of my geckos, lizards, and snakes.
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Corneal afferentsThe nerves at the front of your eye mediate pain, but they also stimulate tear production and support ocular homeostasis.
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Parvalbumin neuronsThese fast-spiking interneurons are critical components in modulating learning circuits in the medial prefrontal cortex. Their activity is modulated by extracellular matrix structures called perineuronal nets.
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