Caitlin Taylor

Caitlin Taylor is a Research Fellow at the University of California, Santa Barbara (UCSB), affiliated with the College of Letters & Science. Her research focuses on hormonal contraceptives, sex hormones, and their effects on brain structure and function, particularly using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). She holds a B.S. in Psychology and B.A. in French from Indiana University-Bloomington, and a Ph.D. in Neuroscience from Georgetown University.

Her postdoctoral work in the Jacobs Lab investigates oral contraceptive impacts on the brain and sex hormone effects on the hippocampus. Notable awards include the 2018 SAGE Junior Fellowship, 2019 Harvey L. Karp Discovery Award, and 2018 Florence P. Haseltine Award. Beyond research, she advocates for science education and inclusive representation in neuroscience studies.

Her articles explore topics like dopamine modulation in contraceptive users, hormonal fluctuations across female lifespans, and menstrual cycle effects on brain networks. Caitlin emphasizes addressing gender biases in scientific research and applying women’s health perspectives to aging brain studies.