Mitochondrial PsychoBiology Group (Picard Lab)

Anna completed her BSc in Biology at the University of Bonn in Germany and her MSc in Systems Biology at the University of Luxembourg. She received her PhD in Stem Cell Biology from the University of Luxembourg at the Luxembourg Centre for Systems Biomedicine. In her doctoral work she developed an iPSC-derived human midbrain organoid model, which she used to study the neurodegenerative disorder Parkinson’s disease. Her main scientific interest involves investigating the role of mitochondria in the development of neurological disorders. In particular, she is interested in understanding how health-relevant psychological and metabolic stressors influence mitochondrial behavior and predispose to late-life functional decline. Outside the lab, Anna enjoys cooking, baking, skating and spending time in nature.

Grace is the data manager in the Division of Behavioral Medicine. Grace provides comprehensive data services for our lab and the Division including data collection design, data quality checking, data reporting and data customization utilizing SAS, Excel/VBA, and other analytical packages. She maintains and updates the REDCap software/database for the MiSBIE study. Grace Liu holds a M.A. in Geographical Informational Systems and previous worked as analyst in nonprofit sector.

Jeremy earned his Bachelor’s Degree at Tulane University, where he studied the impact of stress and early life experiences on infant development with Dr. Stacy Drury. After graduation, he worked at UCSF Institute for Human Genetics, where he helped manage the Program in Prenatal and Pediatric Genome Sequencing (P3EGS) with PIs Pui-Yan Kwok, Mary Norton, Barbara Koenig, and Neil Risch. Jeremy matriculated to the Nutritional and Metabolic Biology PhD program at Columbia with the aim of integrating genetic, neuroscientific, and metabolic approaches. His work in the Picard lab focuses on the role of circulating mitochondrial DNA in psychological stress, health, and disease. ​Outside the lab, Jeremy enjoys cooking, Broadway shows, and evening walks in riverside park with his dog, Harley.

Natalia Bobba completed her BSc in Human Biology and her MSc in Cellular and Molecular Biology at the Universidad de la República (UdelaR) in Uruguay, carrying out her dissertation research at the Instituto de Investigaciones Biológicas Clemente Estable (IIBCE) and the Institut Pasteur Montevideo (IPMon), respectively. She was then awarded a Fulbright Foreign Scholarship for Graduate Students that brought her to the PhD program in Nutritional and Metabolic Biology at Columbia University. Her main scientific interest involves understanding how mitochondrial function influences gene expression regulation and its implications in human disease. Outside the lab, Natalia enjoys listening to music and playing the guitar, playing soccer and practicing yoga, as well as taking long walks around the city.

Catherine graduated from Kenyon College in 2019 with a BA in Psychology and Dance. After college, Catherine worked in Denver Public Schools as an AmeriCorps service member and as a teaching assistant in an inclusive classroom. Her professional interests include child development, the mind-body connection, and movement research. In the lab, Catherine coordinates the MiSBIE study, through which she works at the interface of the clinical team, our visiting participants, and the wet laboratory where MiSBIE samples are processed and analyzed. Outside the lab, Catherine is a volunteer at Dance for All Bodies, a non-profit that organizes dance classes designed for people with disabilities.

Hannah completed her BSc in Anatomy and Cell Biology at McGill University, where she studied biomarker for major depressive disorder and discovered her passion for neuroscience and mental illness. She is currently pursuing her MA in Clinical Psychology at Teachers College, Columbia University. Her long-term goal is to pursue a PhD in neuroscience to study the neurobiology of mental illness, brain-body connection, and psychoneuroimmunology. In the lab, Hannah performs analyses of molecular indices of mitochondrial and immune functioning, aiming to elucidate the association between maternal stress phenotypes and the risk for preterm birth. Outside of the lab, Hannah loves exploring restaurants, visiting museums, and biking along the Hudson River at sunset. 

Vanessa originally received formal training in the arts & sciences, and now combines several years of experience in finance and science administration at Columbia University and other institutions. As Project Coordinator, Vanessa assists with the administrative and organizational management of the Mitochondrial Psychobiology Laboratory. She works closely with Dr. Picard to support the training and career development of our diverse lab Members, foster a warm and productive environment, and achieve the ambitious long-term goals of the group. Vanessa passionately speaks Italian and relishes learning new things. Outside the lab, she enjoys making jewelry from found objects, reading, cooking, and being at the beach at her house in Italy.

Mangesh completed his BSc in Pharmaceutical Sciences from the University of Mumbai, and an MSc in Pharmacology and Toxicology at Long Island University in 2018. His thesis project involved developing animal asthma and pulmonary inflammation models and using novel Angiotensin Type 2 (AT2R) receptor-specific peptides. His previous research experience in the Ferrari Lab at CUIMC involved investigating degenerative mitral, aortic, and bioprosthetic heart valves and the molecular mechanisms that provoke their degradation. As the Mitochondrial Psychobiology Laboratory Manager, Mangesh oversees general lab operations, leads the laboratory processing of the precious MiSBIE study samples, manages the MiSBIE Biobank, and manages the completion of collaborative projects related to mitochondrial health. Outside of lab work, he likes a good game of tennis, long drives, cooking, and playing his guitar.