MLRisherLab

Louise Risher (Principle Investigator)

Dr. Risher began her undergraduate training at Nottingham Trent University, England where she majored in Physiology and Pharmacology. After accepting a full athletic scholarship for swimming she transferred to George Mason University and completed her B.Sc. in Applied Biology. She joined the laboratory of Dr. Alvin Terry at the University of Georgia (at the Medical College of Georgia, Augusta) as a research technician and fell in love with neuroscience. She went on to complete her Ph.D. in Clinical and Experimental Therapeutics in the laboratory of Dr. Terry with a focus on small animal behavioral neuropharmacology and toxicology. Dr. Risher conducted her postdoctoral training in the laboratory of Dr. Scott Swartzwelder in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at Duke University Medical Center. As part of the Neurobiology of Adolescent Drinking In Adulthood (NADIA), she used a rodent model to investigate the long-term effects of binge drinking on learning and memory processes. In 2016 she was promoted to Assistant Professor and began a new line of investigation into the role of glia in modulating neuronal function following adolescent ethanol exposure. In March of 2018 Dr. Risher and her husband Dr. Chris Risher (http://chrisrisherlab.com) joined the faculty at Marshall University.

Hannah Sexton, B.S.

Hannah is the lab manager and the ‘glue’ of the Risher Lab. She graduated from the University of North Carolina at Wilmington with a major of biological sciences. She began her career in research at Duke University over 16 years ago. She moved to Marshall with Dr. Risher in March 2018. When she began research it was just a job but over the years addiction research has become her passion. She enjoys learning new things and solving problems. Her favorite lab-related activity is conducting small animal surgery - of any kind. In her free time, she enjoys watching Liverpool FC and taking her dogs (babies) to the park.

Prior Graduate Students

TRISTAN (CARTER) MUCK, B.S.

Tristan is currently a lab technician in the Risher lab, she began as an undergraduate volunteer and moved to full-time once she graduated with a bachelor's in biological sciences from Marshall University. This was her first experience in research, but it has become her passion and inspired her to apply for Ph.D. programs. She enjoys organizing complex things and her favorite lab activity is image analysis and cellular reconstructions. In her free time, she likes to read and spend time with her family, especially her dog.

OliviA Coulter B.S.

My name is Olivia Coulter and I’m a 2nd year PhD student. I am from Fort Smith, Arkansas and obtained my bachelor’s degree in Biomedical Professions. I chose to be in this lab because I have recently found a great interest in neuroscience research and love to expand my skills on the growing technological advances in the field. I enjoy the atmosphere of the lab and all its members. In my free time, I love to watch scary movies, go hiking, and listen to music or audiobooks.

ISABELL ROOP
Isabell is an undergraduate in the lab. I’m waiting for her to send me her blurb. In the meantime, I will share that she did her first ever poster presentation at the Marshall Research Day earlier this month and won an award for the best undergraduate poster. She did an amazing job!! Well done Isabell!! The whole lab is proud!!

HANNAH TURNER

Undergraduate B.S./Ph.D. Program

Dr. Christopher Walker (Ph.D.)

Christopher graduated in the Spring 2023. He is currently a postdoc at MUSC, SC.

Dr. Christian Harris (Ph,D.)

Christian graduated in the Spring of 2022. She is currently a tenure track Assistant Professor at St. Augustine’s University, NC