Alexxai (Lex) Kravitz
Alexxai (Lex) Kravitz
Alexxai (Lex) Kravitz
Associate Professor
Lex is interested in how the brain controls feeding and body weight and how unhealthy diets can impact the brain to change behavior. He is also a proponent of open-source hardware for neuroscience research, developing FED3 and other open-source devices.
Meaghan Creed
Alexxai (Lex) Kravitz
Alexxai (Lex) Kravitz
Scientific Collaborator
Dr. Meaghan Creed is an Associate Professor in the Department of Anesthesiology, and her lab investigates synaptic plasticity in the basal ganglia. She is interested in understanding mechanisms underlying synaptic plasticity, and leveraging these mechanisms to treat psychiatric disease.
Gargi Chatterjee Basu
Gargi Chatterjee Basu
Gargi Chatterjee Basu
Staff Scientist
Gargi did her Ph.D in Biochemistry from India and joined Washington University in St Louis to pursue her postdoctoral research. During postdoc, her research focused on studying the role of obesity in behavior and neurogenesis. After finishing her postdoc in February 2024 she joined Kravitz lab as a Staff Scientist. She wil
Staff Scientist
Gargi did her Ph.D in Biochemistry from India and joined Washington University in St Louis to pursue her postdoctoral research. During postdoc, her research focused on studying the role of obesity in behavior and neurogenesis. After finishing her postdoc in February 2024 she joined Kravitz lab as a Staff Scientist. She will carry on her research on obesity and neuroinflammation and spend time managing the lab. During her spare time, she loves spending time with her family and puppy Stella.
Florian Schoukroun
Gargi Chatterjee Basu
Gargi Chatterjee Basu
Postdoctoral Research Associate
Florian is from the south of France, near Montpellier. He completed his PhD at the University of Strasbourg under the supervision of Katia Befort and Romain Bourdy. His research focused on investigating the role of the rostromedial tegmental nucleus in food intake. Florian joined the Kravitz lab in April 20
Postdoctoral Research Associate
Florian is from the south of France, near Montpellier. He completed his PhD at the University of Strasbourg under the supervision of Katia Befort and Romain Bourdy. His research focused on investigating the role of the rostromedial tegmental nucleus in food intake. Florian joined the Kravitz lab in April 2024 to continue his research on the neuronal networks involved in the overconsumption of food in obesity. In his spare time, Florian enjoys playing video games or going for a run in the park.
Chantelle Murrell
Gargi Chatterjee Basu
Chantelle Murrell
Postdoctoral Research Associate
Chantelle Murrell is from Wellington, New Zealand. She completed her PhD at the University of Otago with a focus on ghrelin action in pregnancy and lactation. She joined the Kravitz lab in July 2024 as a postdoctoral research fellow bringing her expertise in AgRP neuron fibre photometry. Chantelle has an in
Postdoctoral Research Associate
Chantelle Murrell is from Wellington, New Zealand. She completed her PhD at the University of Otago with a focus on ghrelin action in pregnancy and lactation. She joined the Kravitz lab in July 2024 as a postdoctoral research fellow bringing her expertise in AgRP neuron fibre photometry. Chantelle has an interest in the control of food reinforcement and obesity. In her spare time Chantelle loves being active playing and coaching field hockey and running with her dog Harry.
Eric Winzenried
Eric Winzenried
Eric Winzenried
Postdoctoral Research Associate
Eric is from southern Nevada, near Las Vegas. He completed his PhD in Neuroscience at Washington State University under the supervision of Suzy Appleyard. His dissertation research focused on gut-brain signaling and how diet and obesity can alter vagal feedback. Eric joined the Kravitz lab in January 2026 a
Postdoctoral Research Associate
Eric is from southern Nevada, near Las Vegas. He completed his PhD in Neuroscience at Washington State University under the supervision of Suzy Appleyard. His dissertation research focused on gut-brain signaling and how diet and obesity can alter vagal feedback. Eric joined the Kravitz lab in January 2026 and is interested in how reward circuitry drives eating beyond caloric need. In his spare time, Eric enjoys spending time with his dogs and cats, gaming with friends, and baking.
Justin Wang
Eric Winzenried
Eric Winzenried
Neuroscience Graduate Student
After earning a BA in Neuroscience from New York University and gaining research experience as a lab technician at the Salk Institute, Justin joined the Kravitz lab in 2020. His research focuses on understanding the neural circuits that drive motivated behaviors. Using a combination of behavioral assays, opto
Neuroscience Graduate Student
After earning a BA in Neuroscience from New York University and gaining research experience as a lab technician at the Salk Institute, Justin joined the Kravitz lab in 2020. His research focuses on understanding the neural circuits that drive motivated behaviors. Using a combination of behavioral assays, optogenetics, and calcium imaging, he investigates how striatopallidal circuits regulate feeding behavior and how their activation can stimulate feeding even in the absence of physiological hunger. Ultimately, his work aims to contribute to the development of novel therapies for treating diet-induced obesity.
Yiru Chen
Jordyn Czarny
Jordyn Czarny
Neuroscience Graduate Student
Yiru is interested in social motivation and how diet impacts social behaviors. She likes building social doors for mice to play with.
Jordyn Czarny
Jordyn Czarny
Jordyn Czarny
Neuroscience Graduate Student
After earning a B.S. in Neuroscience from the University of Illinois at Chicago and gaining research experience at the University of Michigan, Jordyn joined the Kravitz lab in 2023. Her research interests lie in the modulatory effects of GLP-1 on the mesolimbic dopamine system.
Mason Barrett
Research Specialist
He graduated from the University of Kansas with a B.S. in Behavioral Neuroscience in 2023 and joined the Kravitz lab to gain research experience. He is interested in decision-making and feeding behaviors in mice.
Lab Photos
