NEUROSCIENTIST &
SCIENCE COMMUNICATOR
Hello! I'm Kay.
I am a neuroscientist with over 12 years of research experience in the fields of neuro-psychopharmacology and pharmaceutical development. I have presented my research nationally and internationally to a wide range of audiences, collaborated with experts to answer important research questions, and mentored junior researchers and academics. I am passionate about the neurobiology of social behavior, empathy, and mental health. I also enjoy discussing and teaching about science and public health.
EDUCATION
2024
PhD Neuroscience
University of Illinois Chicago (UIC)
Chicago, Illinois USA
in partnership with:
National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA)
Baltimore, Maryland, USA
2017
Wayne State University (WSU)
Detroit, Michigan USA
MSc Chemistry
BSc Chemistry
ASc Physics
2014
University of the Virgin Islands (UVI)
St Thomas, US Virgin Islands
CIVIC ENGAGEMENT & LEADERSHIP
Experience
Director
Mentor
Founder
Advisor
Certifications
Award
Multiple initiatives including Baltimore Brain Series Organizing Committee (Co-Director; 2023), NIDA Project Breathe (2021-2023), UIC Black Graduate Student Association Relationships to Inspire Success & Excellence (2019-2020), UVI American Chemical Society Student Chapter (2013 – 2014), Nevis Creatively Inspired Scientists (2010 – 2011)
Multiple programs including NIDA Postbaccalaureate Training Program (2021-2023), National Institutes of Health Summer Internship Program (2022), UIC Latin@s Gaining Access to Networks for Advancement in Science (2018), WSU Undergraduate Research Fellow program (2016-2017)
UIC Black Graduate Student Association Relationships to Inspire Success & Excellence (2019-2020), Nevis Creatively Inspired Scientists (2010 – 2011)
NIDA Predoctoral & Postdoctoral Advisory Board (2020 – Current), NIDA Mentor Award Selection Committee (2021), UIC Graduate Student Council (2018 –2020), UVI American Chemical Society Chapter (2015)
Leadership & Emotional Intelligence Microcertificate (2023)
Foundation for Advanced Education in the Sciences, National Institutes of Health
Leadership & Workplace Dynamics Certification (2023)
Office of Intramural Training & Education, National Institutes of Health
UIC Chancellor’s Student Service Award (2020)
RESEARCH
Experience
Visiting Research Fellow
2020-Present
Neurobiology of Addiction Section, National Institute on Drug Abuse
Research focus: Depression, Anxiety, Oxytocin, Endogenous Opioid System, Generic and Transgenic Animal Models, Extended Amygdala
Graduate Research Fellow
2017-2020
Graduate Research Fellow
2015-2017
Research Assistant
2014-2015
Research Assistant
2013-2014
Fellowships & Grants
Awards
Department of Psychology, University of Illinois Chicago
Research focus: Autism Spectrum Disorder, Stereotypical Behaviors, Depression, Anxiety. Glutamate Biosensors, Striatum, Generic & Genetic Animal Models, Cholinergic System, Oxytocin System
Department of Chemistry, Wayne State University
Research focus: Synthesis (inorganic and organic compounds), Ru (II) Complexes, Photo-caging, Cathepsin K & L, Bone Diseases
Eastern Caribbean Center Social Research Institute
Research focus: Population and Statistics
Department of Chemistry, University of the Virgin Islands
Research focus: Ciguatera toxins, Pterois Volitans (Lionfish), Cymbopogon Citratus (Lemongrass), Liquid-Liquid Extraction, Solid-Liquid Extraction, Synthesis (Organic compounds)
National Institutes of Health Intramural AIDS Research Fellowship (2022-2023)
Proposal Title: The Status of Anxiety, Drug Dependence & Anti-Stress Systems in a Humanized Mouse Model of HIV
NIDA Intramural Research Program Predoctoral Fellowship (2020-2024)
Proposal Title: Investigation of the Interaction Between Oxytocin and μ-Opioid Receptor Systems
UIC Provost Graduate Research Award (2018-2019)
Proposal Title: The role of central oxytocin in reward and anxiety
UIC Pipeline to an Inclusive Faculty Fellowship (2017-2023)
International Society for Biomedical Research on Alcoholism Travel Award (2024)
COMMUNICATION
Experience
Course Director
Teaching Assistant
Conference Presentation
Panelist
Moderator
Manuscript reviewer
Training
Awards
National Institute on Drug Abuse Neurobiology of Addiction Course (2021), University of Illinois Chicago General Physics Laboratory (2015), University of the Virgin Islands General Chemistry Laboratory Course (2015)
Behavioral Neuroscience Course (2020), Cognitive Neuroscience Course (2019), Organic Chemistry Theory (2017), Organic Chemistry Laboratory (2016)
Numerous international and nation conferences including invited talks at 9th Biennial International Drug Abuse Research Society Annual Conference (Rio de Janiero, Brazil),
Kings College London Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience (London, United Kingdom), Stanford University Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences (California, USA), Winter Conference on Brain Research (Colorado, USA), Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai Friedman Brain Institute (New York, USA), Hamilton Lavity Stoutt Community College (Tortola, British Virgin Islands), Psykiatrisk Center Frederiksberg (Copenhagen, Denmark)
Recent developments in targeting the oxytocin system to regulate alcohol related behaviors (September 2024), Sex Differences in Pain and Negative Affect: Implications for Substance Use Disorder Risk (January 2024)
NIDA Conversations with a Principal Investigator (May 2024), NIDA Fellows Award for Research Excellence (FARE) Symposium (November 2020 & 2021)
Neuroscience and Biobehavioral Reviews (2024), Alcohol (2024), eNeuro (2022, 2024), Journal of Clinical Medicine (Ad hoc, 2021), British Journal of Pharmacology (Ad hoc, 2020), eLIFE Scientific Journal (Ad hoc, 2019), Cell Communication Scientific Journal (Ad hoc, 2018)
Association of Science Communicators Science Talk Conference (2024)
Portland, Oregon USA
ComSciCom Communicating Science Workshop (2018)
Chicago, Illinois USA
First Place Winner (2022)
Society for Neuroscience – DC Metro Area Chapter Lightning Talk Competition
Outstanding Presentation Award (2022)
NIH NIDA Annual Research Day
First Place Winner (2019)
Chicago Chapter Society for Neuroscience Poster Competition
Citation for Excellence in Teaching (2017)
WSU Graduate School
Award for Outstanding Presentation (2014)
Annual Biomedical Research Conference for Minoritized Scientists
First Place Winner (2010)
10th Annual Organization of the Eastern Caribbean States Essay Competition
PUBLICATIONS
Scientific peer-reviewed manuscripts
Nisbett, K.E. Moxie begets MOXI: The journey to a novel hypothesis about Mu-opioid and OXytocin system Interactions. Comprehensive Psychoneuroendocrinology. 2024. 100244; DOI: 10.1016/j.cpnec.2024.100244
Nisbett, K.E.; Vendruscolo, L. F.; Koob, G.F. Indulging curiosity: preliminary evidence of an anxiolytic-like effect of castor oil and ricinoleic acid. Nutrients. 2024. 16, 1527.; DOI: 10.3390/nu16101527
Nisbett, K.E.; Vendruscolo, L. F.; Koob, G.F. μ-Opioid receptor antagonism facilitates the anxiolytic-like effect of oxytocin in mice. Translational Psychiatry. 2024. 14 (125).; DOI: 10.1038/s41398-024-02830-1
Nisbett, K. E.; Gonzalez, L. A.; Teruel, M.; Carter, C. S.; Vendruscolo, L. F.; Ragozzino, M. E.; Koob, G. F. Sex and hormonal status influence the anxiolytic-like effect of oxytocin in mice. Neurobiology of Stress. 2023. 26, 100567.; DIO: 10.1016/j.ynstr.2ns023.100567
Teneqexhi, P.; Khalid, A.; Nisbett, K. E.; Job, G. A.; Messer Jr, W. S.; Ragozzino, M. E. The partial M1 muscarinic cholinergic receptor agonist, CDD-0102A, differentially modulates glutamate efflux in striatal subregions during stereotyped motor behavior in the BTBR mouse model of autism. ACS Chemical Neuroscience. 2023. 14 (15), 2699–2709.; DIO: 10.1021/acschemneuro.3c00260
Richardson, R.; Sulima, A.; Rice, K. C.; Kucharczk, J. A.; Janda, K. D.; Nisbett, K. E.; Koob, G. F.; Vendruscolo, L. F; Leggio, L. Pharmacological GHSR (Ghrelin Receptor) Blockade Reduces Alcohol Binge-Like Drinking in Male and Female Mice. Neuropharmacology. 2023. 238, 109643.
DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropharm.2023.109643
Nisbett, K. E.; Pinna, G. Emerging therapeutic role of PPAR-alpha in cognition and emotions. Frontiers in Pharmacology. 2018. 9, 925.; DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2018.00998
Nisbett, K.; Tu, Y.; Turro, C.; Kodanko, J.; Schlegel, H. B. DFT Investigation of Ligand Photodissociation in [RuII(tpy)(bpy)(py)]2+ and [RuII(tpy)(Me2bpy)(py)]2+ Complexes. Inorganic Chemistry. 2018. 57 (1) 231 – 240.; DOI: 10.1021/acs.inorgchem.7b02398
Doctoral Dissertation & Master's Thesis
Nisbett, K.E. (September 19, 2024) Interaction of the Opioid & Oxytocin Systems in the Context of Anxiety-Like Behavior. University of Illinois Chicago Doctoral Dissertation. In progress.
Nisbett, K. E. (April 13, 2017) Design, Synthesis and Analysis of Potential Photo-activatable Cathepsin K Inhibitors. Wayne State University Theses. 2017; 581. https://digitalcommons.wayne.edu/oa_theses/581
SKILLS
Neuroscience
Generic, Genetic, and Transgenic Rodent Models, Animal (Rodent) Care, Handling & Surgery, Drug Administration (Intracerebral, Intraperitoneal, Subcutaneous), Dissection & Tissue Isolation (Brain, Spinal Cord, Cardiac Blood, Cerebrospinal Fluid), Behavior Assays, in situ Hybridization, Microscopy (Brightfield and Fluorescent), in vitro Cell Culture & Assays, High Throughput Screening, Enzyme Assays
Organic & Inorganic Chemical Synthesis, Extraction, Purification, Chemical Characterization (Nuclear Magnetic Resonance, Mass Spectrometry, Infrared Spectroscopy, Chromatography)
Chemistry
Communication
Public Speaking, Microsoft Powerpoint, Presentations, Panel Discussion (Organizing, Chairing, Participating), Scientific Writing, Peer-review Publication, Interviewing, Popular Science Journalism
Statistical Analysis & Computer Programming
Statistical Data Analysis using R Programming and Graphpad PRISM, ImageJ, Java Script Programming, Guassian9 Programming & Super Computer Calculations
EXPERTISE
Civic Engagement
Leadership &
My passion for civic engagement and leadership began in elementary school when I was elected president of my school's student council. I am passionate about effecting positive change in my communities and the world.
Research
My research career began over 12 years ago with an invited summer internship. I've found that through scientific research I can indulge my curiosity and help advance public health and our knowledge of psychiatric disorders.
Communication
I have contributed to numerous courses in chemistry, physics, and psychology, and have given over 30 public lectures on neuroscience and research. I enjoy educating others and discussing meaningful and impactful ideas.