Calarge Lab Members

As a physician scientist with interest in child and adolescent psychiatry, I have focused my research on examining the long-term effects of psychiatric medications in youth on health, including weight and development, bone health, and iron regulation. I have also been interested in the intersection between psychiatric conditions and psychiatric medications with regard to how each might affect these outcomes and how genetic factors would influence them as well. This includes the role of the gut bacteria in health and illness. The hope is to better understand psychiatric disorders and be able to offer a safer way to treat them. 

I’ve been in the research field for 11+ years and have had the privilege of working with Dr. Chadi Calarge since 2016! The years speak to my passion for the important work we do here. With a Master’s in Counseling (M.Ed.), I’m dedicated to improving mental health, especially for kids and underserved populations. As the lab manager, I ensure our studies run smoothly by overseeing protocols, training staff, and managing our dataset. I’m also involved in creating new protocols and ensuring our research is carried out efficiently and effectively. When opportunities arise, I enjoy attending conferences to stay up to date on various topics like depression, anxiety, OCD, and suicide.

When I’m not in the lab, I’m all about photography! Capturing the shot that inspires a funny, witty, insightful, or mysterious title is my favorite part of this hobby. I hope all our research families enjoy participating in our studies as much as we enjoy working with them!

Hi, I'm Sasha! I’ve been with the lab for three years, starting as a student helper and now serving as a Research Coordinator II. I hold serval responsibilities from recruitment call to running research visits. I graduated with a Bachelors of Science in Psychology from the University of Houston in 2023 and am passionate about studying depression and mood disorders in adolescents and young adults. Outside of work, I enjoy reading thriller books, working out, and watching movies.

Hi! My name is Juhi Bhatt, and I am one of the assistant clinical research coordinators and have been with the Calarge lab for about three years! I graduated with a B.S. in Public Health from the University of Houston in 2021, Go Coogs! As part of the lab, I assist with sample collection, recruitment efforts, conducting research visits and have had the chance to work on multiple studies over my time here! Outside of the lab, I enjoy exploring the Houston food scene, photography, and doing volunteer work!

Hello! My name is Stephanie Dinh, and I am the Senior Data Analyst for the Calarge lab. I received both my M.S. in Statistics and Data Science and B.S. in Mathematical Biology from UH. I started with the lab in 2021 and take care of the back-end data matters for all the different studies we conduct here. In my free time I like to read, play games, and spend time with my family/friends!

I graduated from Texas A&M university with a dual degree in Neuroscience and Political Science. As a student, I was a member of a research team studying food insecurity and religiously affiliated food provision programs. A collaboration with the TAMU School of Public Health on a survey on folic acid intake among pantry recipients of childbearing age led to my interest in the intersection of nutrition and neurodevelopmental disorders. I started working with the Calarge Lab in the summer of 2023 as a research coordinator on our iron study, where we investigate iron deficiency and brain development in children and adolescents with internalizing disorders. Since then, I have had the opportunity to work on several studies where we look at the effects of psychiatric medications on pediatric populations.

Hello! My name is Alexis Bailey, and I am one of the assistant clinical research coordinators here at the Calarge Lab!  I have a BS in Psychology from University of Houston- Downtown and am currently in grad school for Clinical Psychology! As part of the lab, I assist with recruitment efforts and research visits for our studies by conducting neuropsychological battery tests, structured and unstructured clinical interviews and more! When I am not in the lab, I am either dancing in my kitchen while cooking or watching the latest who-done-it movie!

Hey! I am Samuel, and I am currently attending the University of Houston in pursuit of a B.S. in Psychology. I have had quite a few years of direct patient care from working as a Certified Nurse Assistant for Memorial Hermann. From this experience, it encouraged me to pursue a career within the medical field. After joining the Calarge lab in 2024 as an intern, my curiosity for psychopathology further developed. I assist the team by processing samples, entering data, and helping with recruitment. In the future, I hope to play a role in discovering new therapeutic interventions for treating internalizing disorders such as depression and anxiety. However, on my own time, I enjoy playing guitar, reading, and attending concerts!

I joined the lab as an intern over the summer of 2023 and have moved into an assistant research coordinator position since October 2023. I graduated as a Psychology major and women’s studies minor from University of Houston in December of 2024 and plan on moving onto graduate school next.

My name is Ana Romero, and I joined the lab at the beginning of December of 2024 as a student volunteer. I am set to graduate from the University of Houston in the Spring of 2025 with my bachelor's degree in Psychology with a minor in Biology. I love going to concerts and trying new food/boba places in the Houston area.

I am a research assistant at the Calarge Research Lab at Texas Children's Hospital and Baylor College of Medicine. Completing a Bachelor of Science in Psychology at the University of Houston allowed me to develop a strong foundation in psychological research and mental health. My experience in clinical and academic settings, including as an Emergency Department Scribe Manager and as a Campus Chairwoman for Global Brigades, has allowed me to hone leadership, research, and communication skills. I am passionate about advancing healthcare access and mental health understanding and am dedicated to contributing to meaningful research that addresses mental health disparities amongst diverse communities.

My name is Temesgen Bihonegn, and I am a postdoctoral associate researcher in Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences department. I earned an M.S. in Applied Mathematics from Addis Ababa University, Ethiopia, and a Ph.D. in Mathematics and Statistics, specializing in Geometric Analysis in Medical Imaging, from Masaryk University, Czech Republic. I recently joined the Calarge Lab to contribute to research on quantitative susceptibility mapping and further develop my expertise during my postdoctoral training.
In my free time, I enjoy swimming, traveling, watching science documentaries, and spending quality time with family and friends.