Kelly Brice, Ph.D. (she/her/hers)
Kelly.Brice@rice.edu
Kelly Brice enjoys learning about how psychological and environmental stressors can impact physical health outcomes, including immune function and disease risk. With support from the Ruth L. Kirschstein NIH National Research Service Award fellowship (F32), she is investigating the relationships between emotion regulation, psychological and physiological indicators of stress, and cognitive performance. Kelly graduated with her BA in Psychology and minor in Business from Hendrix College in 2017. In 2023, she received her PhD in Psychology from Texas Christian University, where she studied the effects of chronic sleep loss, stress, and poor diet consumption on cognitive function, inflammation, and Alzheimer’s disease-like pathology in rodents. Outside of the lab, she enjoys going to concerts, painting, crafting, and taking dance classes.
Ivanova Veras de Jesús, B.A. (they/them/elle)
Graduate Student Researcher
iv8@rice.edu
Ivanova is a Fulbright guarantee from the Dominican Republic and a graduate student in the Department of Psychological Sciences at Rice University as part of the Health Psychology & Behavioral Medicine and Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience programs. They received their BA in Clinical Psychology from Universidad Iberoamericana (UNIBE), Dominican Republic. Their research interests are regarding the neurocognitive and psychophysiological effects of stress, discrimination, and negative life situations within marginalized communities. Specifically, in the way, these experiences impact health and wellbeing. They are also interested in possible actions that can be taken in order to prevent and/or mitigate these effects.
Vincent Lai, B.A. (he/him/his)
Graduate Student Researcher
vdl1@rice.edu
Vincent Lai is a third-year graduate student in the Department of Psychological Sciences at Rice University as part of the Health Psychology & Behavioral Medicine and Industrial-Organizational Psychology interest groups. He graduated from Rice in 2021, earning his B.A. in Psychology with a minor in Biochemistry and Cell Biology. Vincent worked on numerous projects since joining the BMED Lab as an undergraduate student, including his honors thesis project, before starting graduate school. His research interests include how stressful experiences in close relationships, such as “missing out” on others’ fun and exciting experiences or being in unsatisfying, conflict-laden marriages, impact physical and mental health across the lifespan. Outside of the lab, he serves as the President of the Psychological Sciences Graduate Student Association (PsycGSA) as well as the Marketing Director and a Staff Writer for the International Collegiate Journal of Science. In his free time, you can find Vincent at a workout class, spending time with loved ones, or relaxing with a good video game or show.
Daniel Argueta, B.A. (he/him/his)
Graduate Student Researcher
daniel.argueta@rice.edu
Daniel is a second-year graduate student in the Department of Psychological Sciences at Rice University studying health psychology and behavioral medicine. Daniel is an NIA Diversity Supplement Recipient and will investigate differences in discrimination-related inflammation between Latino and non-Hispanic white dementia spousal caregivers as part of this project. He graduated from Rice University in 2023 with a Bachelor’s degree in psychology and minor in neuroscience, completing his senior thesis examining the role of psychological needs in depressive symptom expression in dementia caregivers. He has been working as a research assistant for Project Heart since the Summer of 2021 and Project ACT since Fall of 2021. His work surrounds the immune and metabolic mechanisms that link extreme stress to psychopathology, including anxiety and depression. He aims to understand how trauma, uncertainty, perfectionism, and other individual differences contribute to differences in mental and physical health. Outside of Rice, Daniel enjoys figure skating and coaching, supplementing his passion for working with kids and young adults. He also enjoys photography, and is the current BMED Lab photographer.
Paula Lanternier, B.S. (she/her)
Graduate Student Researcher
pl60@rice.edu
Paula is a first year graduate student in the Health Psychology and Behavioral Medicine PhD program. She is also the recipient of a Research Supplement to Promote Diversity in Health-Related Research from the National Institute on Aging. She received a BA in Psychology and BS in Public Health from the University of Texas at Austin, where she also completed a minor in Spanish and Spanish for Medical Professions Certificate. Paula is interested in understanding the mechanisms through which adverse experiences, chronic stress, trauma, structural inequalities, and discrimination influence physical and mental health outcomes throughout the life course, with a particular focus on social and developmental influences on health. Her current research projects focus on investigating how childhood factors like socioeconomic status and traumatic experiences may continue to shape psychological and biological health outcomes in adulthood and older adulthood, with an additional interest in the effect of cumulative lifetime adversity on health. Outside of academics, she enjoys art and art history, music, and traveling.
Valentina Maza, B.A. (she/her)
Graduate Student Researcher
vim2@rice.edu