Marieke Gilmartin

Marieke Gilmartin is an Associate Professor and Associate Chair for Research in the Department of Biomedical Sciences at Marquette University. She leads a research team investigating fear memory formation and its neurobiological underpinnings, with a focus on understanding mechanisms contributing to disorders like PTSD and sex differences in psychiatric vulnerability.

Education:

• Ph.D. in Neuroscience, Penn State College of Medicine (2007)
• Postdoctoral Training, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee (with Dr. Fred Helmstetter)

Research Interests:

• Neural circuits supporting fear memory encoding and retrieval
• Sex differences in fear-related neural circuits
• Role of stress and sex hormones in memory persistence
• Optogenetic and electrophysiological approaches in rodent models

Current Projects:

• Hippocampal contributions to aversive learning
• Sex differences in fear circuitry across aging and Alzheimer's
• Neural encoding modulation by circulating sex hormones

Advising & Team:

• Doctoral Students: Grace Schamber, Lila Metko
• Master's Student: Charlotte Siu
• Undergraduate Researchers: Emma Eshoo, Julie Schultz, Adam Warda, Collin Schlut, Raya Broeren, Isabella Vasser, Alessio Valsecchi

Labs & Resources:

• Laboratory focuses on preclinical rodent models
• Utilizes optogenetics, electrophysiology, and molecular techniques
• Lab website: [link not provided]