Principal Investigator

Giovanniello Lab was started by Dr. Jacqueline Giovanniello in January of 2025 at Temple University’s Lewis Katz School of Medicine. She is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Neural Sciences and the Center for Substance Abuse Research. She began her neuroscience career at Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory under Dr. Bo Li as a PhD student focusing on deepening the understanding of disrupted neural circuits involved in Autism Spectrum Disorder. She then worked as a Postdoctoral Researcher in the Wassum Lab with Dr. Kate Wassum using techniques such as optogenetics, chemogenetics, fiber photometry, and slice electrophysiology to understand which neural circuits promote maladaptive habit formation as a result of stress. Currently, her research expands on how stress, drugs, and genetic alterations affect decision making, specifically in the context of premature maladaptive habit formation. 

Curriculum Vitae‍ ‍Google Scholar‍ ‍✉ jackiegio@temple.edu

Postdoctoral Fellow

Erica began her science career at Virginia Tech, graduating with a BS in Cognitive and Behavioral Neuroscience and a BS in Psychology. She then pursued a PhD at Dartmouth College with Dr. Kyle Smith, where she uncovered dopamine and acetylcholine transmission underlying maladaptive Pavlovian cue motivation using fiber photometry, optogenetics, pharmacology, and in-depth behavioral analyses. Her work earned her department's dissertation award for promise in neuroscience research. Erica's current research investigates the neural circuitry of premature habit formation under chronic stress conditions. She is also interested in exploring fine behavioral structures and phenotypes that may emerge.

Curriculum Vitae Google Scholar ✉ ericatownsend@temple.edu

Postdoctoral Fellow

Lisa earned her PhD in neuroscience at the University of Pennsylvania, where she studied the sensitivity of the central nucleus of the amgydala to opioid dependence and withdrawal with Dr. Gregory Corder. Prior to graduate school, she worked with Dr. Brian Kangas at McLean Hospital/Harvard Medical School, where she reverse-translated and optimized an operant task to capture the anhedonic symptoms of mood disorders in animal models. She also holds a BA in neuroscience from Middlebury College. In the Giovanniello Lab, Lisa is examining the susceptibility of striatal-amgydala circuits to drug use-induced reliance on habit using in vivo techniques such as chemogenetics and calcium imaging.

Google Scholar

Laboratory Technician I

Andrew obtained his bachelor's degree in Psychology with a Biopsychology specialization from The College of New Jersey in 2023. He worked on his thesis titled The Effects of Environmental Enrichment on Ethanol Consumption in Male-Long Evans Rats Using a Sipper-tube Model under Dr. Margaret Martinetti during his 4th year. Currently, he is hoping to gain further experience in neuroscience and behavioral science to pursue a career in academia. 

✉ andrew.velasquez0001@temple.edu

Master’s Student

Claire is a master’s student in neuroscience at Temple University. She earned her bachelor’s degree in Health Science with a minor in Behavioral Neuroscience from Stockton University in 2025. As an undergraduate, she conducted research on successful aging in older adults, identifying how growth mindset can support cognitive and emotional well-being later in life. She also contributed to projects examining substance use trends in adolescents. Her current research interests focus on the mechanisms underlying cognitive decline and the biological and behavioral factors that influence vulnerability and resilience to age-related disorders such as Alzheimer’s disease.

LinkedIn ✉ claire.jacobus@temple.edu

Undergraduate Research Assistant

Afruza is a junior majoring in Neuroscience at Temple University and a BRIDGE Scholar in the Giovanniello Lab. She is interested in behavioral neuroscience, particularly in how stress influences long-term behavior. Through her work in the lab, she hopes to gain hands-on experience with neuroscience techniques while investigating mechanisms underlying habit formation and addiction-related behaviors. After graduation, Afruza plans to attend medical school and pursue a career integrating neuroscience research with patient care.

Undergraduate Research Assistant

Katie is a junior Biology major in Temple University's accelerated Pre-Pharmacy Program and a participant in the CST-SURE program in the Giovanniello Lab. She is particularly interested in studying stress and its effects on the brain through hands-on research using mouse models. As a pre-pharmacy student, she is wants to study how drugs, stress, and behavior influence neural circuits, brain function, and mood. Through her research experience, she hopes to gain practical laboratory skills while developing a deeper understanding of the biological mechanisms underlying stress-related disorders and potential therapeutic interventions.