Brain & Behavior Laboratory
Lab Members
Edward (Ed) Justin Modestino, Ph.D., M.S., L.M.H.C., N.C.C., ADHD-PT, C.Ht.
Dr. Modestino is standing at the entrance to The Bruce Steinberg EEG Laboratory at Curry College in Milton, MA
Anatomical SPGR MRI of Dr. M.’s brain (2009 from University MRI/FAU) with partial skull stripping (2010 at UVA)
​B&B Lab Principal Investigator and Director
Neuroscientist
Licensed Mental Health Counselor (MA|RI)
Senior Lecturer of Psychology
Co-Director of The Bruce Steinberg EEG Laboratory
Dept. of Psychology, Curry College
•Education:
Harvard 1997
PENN 1999, 2001
FAU 2009
UMB 2021
•Postdoctoral Research Fellowships in Neuroimaging:
Psychiatry at UVA (2010-2012)
Neurology at BU (2013-2015)
Elizabeth (Liz) Carey, Ph.D.
B&B Lab Research Neuropsychologist
Neuropsychologist
Professor of Psychology and Co-Chair
Co-Director of The Bruce Steinberg EEG Laboratory
Dept. of Psychology, Curry College
•Education:
M.A. in Psychology (2004), Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology (specialization in Clinical Neuropsychology, 2010), Suffolk University
•Postdoctoral Fellowships in Neuropsychology:
in a private practice (2010), at South Country Behavioral Medicine (2011-2012)
Robert (Bob) J. Polewan, Ph.D.
B&B Lab Research Neuroscientist
Neuroscientist
Associate Professor of Psychology
Co-Director of The Bruce Steinberg EEG Laboratory
Dept. of Psychology, Curry College
•Education:
KSU 1996
UMA 2006
•Postdoctoral Research Fellowship in Behavioral Pharmacology:
UNL (2009-2011)
Handan Titiz-CeritoÄŸlu, Ed.M., M.S.
B&B Lab Data Analyst and Research Coordinator
Mental Health Counselor
•Education:
UMB 2005, 2021
Harvard 2007
•Postgraduate Training:
REBT training - Albert Ellis Institute
Trauma-focused CBT (TF-CBT-Web - Medical University of South Carolina)
Basel Zayed,
M.A.M.T., MT-BC, M.S., L.M.H.C.
B&B Lab Research Neuropsychologist
Music Therapist, Licensed Mental Health Counselor, and Neuropsychologist in training
•Education:
BZU 2002
GSMD 2012
UMB 2021
AUNE Psy.D. candidate in Clinical Psychology with a specialization in Neuropsychology
•Postgraduate Training:
The Anna Freud National Centre for Children and Families (AFNCCF), McLean's Gunderson Personality Disorders Institute, Trauma-focused CBT (TF-CBT-Web - Medical University of South Carolina)
Danielle Jean Kradin, B.A.
B&B Lab Research Assistant
•Education:
B.A. in Psychology, Curry College (2023)
M.B.A. candidate at Curry College
M.S. candidate in Clinical Mental Health Counseling at Merrimack College
Danielle is Dr. Modestino’s wife of nearly 30 years.
​ Brian Charles DeMille, B.A.
B&B Lab Research Assistant/Social Media Enagagement
•Education:
B.A. in Psychology, Curry College (2023)
Jakai Kelly
Rachael Sanford
B&B Lab Research Interns for Fall 2024
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•Education:
Undergraduates in Psychology at Curry College
Nicholas (Nick) J. Wojciechowski
B&B Lab Research Intern/Webmaster/Social Media Director
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•Education:
Undergraduate in Psychology and Criminal Justice at Dean College
Kenneth (Ken) Blum, Ph.D., D.H.L.
Stanford University's List of the World's Top 2% of Scientists (2023)
B&B Lab Principal Research Collaborator
Pharmacologist and Geneticist
Full Professor of Research at the Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Western University Health Sciences
•Education:
Columbia 1961
UMDNJ 1965
NYMC 1968
SMC Honorary DHL 1998
•Postdoctoral Research Fellowships:
Pharmacology at Texas Biomed 1972
Genetics at CU (SOP) 1978
•Dr. Blum discovered that a variant of the D2 dopamine receptor (Taq A1 allele) was associated with alcoholism in 1990. This has led to further research showing the connection between this variant and as well as multiple genetic variants with various addictions and addictive behaviors.
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Blum K, Noble EP, Sheridan PJ, Montgomery A, Ritchie T, Jagadeeswaran P, Nogami H, Briggs AH, Cohn JB. (1990). Allelic association of human dopamine D2 receptor gene in alcoholism. JAMA. 263(15):2055-60. doi:10.1001/jama.1990.03440150063027
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•Dr. Blum first coined the term Reward Deficiency Syndrome (RDS) in 1996, which includes many brain disorders, addictions, and addictive, impulsive, and compulsive behaviors.
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Blum, K., Cull, J. G., Braverman, E. R., & Comings, D. E. (1996). Reward Deficiency Syndrome. American Scientist, 84(2), 132–145. http://www.jstor.org/stable/29775633
William (Bill) W. Dodson, M.D., LF-APA
Named a Life Fellow of the American Psychiatric Association (2012) for his contributions to knowledge of adult ADHD
B&B Lab Principal Research Collaborator
Psychiatrist
Former Assistant Professor of Psychiatry at Georgetown University/Director of Student Health and Psychiatric Services (1979-1990)
Former Assistant Professor of Psychiatry at Colorado Health Sciences Center (1998-2000)
•Education:
Rhodes College 1972
LSU 1976
•Postdoctoral Training:
Residency in Psychiatry LSU (1976-1978)
GU (1978-1979)
•Dr. Dodson coined the term Rejection Sensitive Dysphoria as part of ADHD, which he has seen in his patients. We have changed this to Rejection Sensitivity Dysphoria (RSD) in our publications and research. RSD in ADHD is experienced in episodes beginning with the perception of rejection, which demonstrates rejection sensitivity, and this progresses into an instantaneous dysphoric mood, which causes significant distress and impairment.
Panayotis (Peter) Thanos, Ph.D.
B&B Lab Research Collaborator
Neuroscientist
Senior Research Scientist, Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Buffalo
•Education:
QU 1990
AU 1993
EVMS/ODU 1997
•Postdoctoral Research Fellowship in Neuroscience and Neuroimaging of Drug Addiction SBU/SUNY (2000)
Alireza (Ali) Sharafshah, Ph.D.
B&B Lab Principal Geneticist/Genetic Analyst
Geneticist (Pharmacogenetics & Medical Genetics)
Research Assistant, Cellular and Molecular Research Center, School of Medicine, Guilan University of Medical Sciences, Rasht, Iran.
•Education:
GU (Iran) 2013, 2016, 2024
B&B Lab AI Video Presenter
AI Avatar from Synthesia
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Francesca
Alumni
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Nichole (Cole) Pappas Class of 2024