Nicole graduated from Loyola University Chicago with a B.S. degree in Cognitive Behavioral Neuroscience and Psychology. As an undergraduate student, she worked in the lab of Dr. Stephen Steidl. There, she investigated the neural circuitry of reward using pharmacological interventions and optogenetics in rodents. She also worked in the Tsai lab at MIT where she explored the peripheral nervous system and microbiome in relation to the beneficial effects of gamma entrainment. As a research assistant in the Dystonia and Speech Motor Control Lab, Nicole helps conduct studies aimed at developing effective diagnostic tools and treatments for various dystonic disorders. In the future, she plans to pursue an MD or MD/PhD with a general goal of using translational research to improve the diagnosis and treatment of diseases.