CURRENT LAB MEMBERS
DAYNA LOYD AVERITT, MSCI, PH.D.
Principal Investigator
Dr. Averitt received her bachelors in Biological Psychology from the University of Texas at Austin in 2001. She completed her doctorate in Neuroscience from Georgia State University in 2009 under the mentorship of Anne Z. Murphy, Ph.D. studying sex differences in opioid analgesia. She then completed a post-doctoral fellowship in the laboratory of Ken Hargreaves, DDS, Ph.D. studying peripheral pain mechanisms underlying craniofacial pain. Dr. Averitt worked as a Principle Investigator for the U.S. Army Institute for Surgical Research studying burn pain before joining the faculty at Texas Woman's University in 2014. Dr. Averitt is currently an Associate Professor of Biology at Texas Woman's University where she is leading a research team of undergraduate and graduate students in neuroscience research.
TEMILOLUWA PEACE OLAOLUWA, M.S.
Doctoral Student
My name is Peace Olaoluwa. In 2017, I graduated with my BSc in Physical and Biological Sciences from Cottey College, in Nevada, MO. I worked in the food and medical industry as a part of the Quality Department for 3 years before joining Texas Woman’s University’s Molecular Biology PhD program. I am currently a graduate student in the Averitt lab working on developing the phytochemicals in the native Texas plant Euphorbia bicolor as a non-opioid therapeutic for burn pain.
BITALI ISLAM
Masters Student
I am Bitali Islam from Bangladesh. I earned a Bachelor of Science in Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology from East West University, Bangladesh, in 2018. After graduation, I was involved in the implementation of a UNICEF-funded program where I contributed to improving public health outcomes for refugee communities in Bangladesh. In Fall 2023, I joined the Master of Science in Biology program at Texas Woman’s University. My current research in the Averitt Pain Lab focuses on understanding the molecular and neuronal mechanisms of sex differences in pain sensitivity. Specifically, I am investigating the effects of stress on orofacial pain mechanisms in sensory neurons.
AMIT BASNET
Masters Student
My name is Amit Basnet, and I am originally from Dolakha, Nepal. I completed my undergraduate degree in Biotechnology at Kathmandu University in 2020. I then spent two years working in the production department of a poultry vaccine manufacturing company in Nepal. In the fall of 2023, I came to the United States to pursue graduate studies at Texas Woman’s University. I initially joined as a master’s student and am now continuing as a Ph.D. student in the Averitt Pain Lab. My current research focuses on the potential neuroimmune mechanisms that may contribute to the higher prevalence of orofacial pain conditions observed in women. Specifically, I study how peripheral sensory neurons, immune cells, and estrogen interact to modulate pain signaling within the peripheral nervous system. Understanding these mechanisms is crucial for developing effective, sex-specific pain therapeutics.
UNDERGRADUATE RESEACHERS
Biology, Chemistry, or Psychology Bachelors Students
Guadalupe Perez Posada
Aleah Mendoza
Ashley Canales
Kalina Logan
Bethany Boyle
LAB ALUMNI
TAYLOR HICKMAN, PH.D.
Postdoctoral Fellow
Department of Defense
DAISY CANTU, PH.D.
Associate Clinical Trials Manager
Medpace
SUKHBIR KAUR, PH.D.
Field Application Scientist
Advanced Cell Diagnostics
REBECCA HORNUNG, PH.D.
Post-Doctoral Fellow
University of Utah School of Medicine
PARAMITA BASU, PH.D.
Research Assistant Professor
University of Pittsburgh Department of Anesthesiology
UNDERGRADUATES
Recent Lab Alum
Lianna Jacob, Damonika Polk, Daniela Leyva Zaldivar, Emily Keene, Kyla Podge, Sonia Adhikari, Laura Lugo, Lauren Lockhart, Michael Paul Hunter, Angela Lopez-Ramirez, Anusha Adhikari, Natalia Santos, Erica Rodriguez, Emily Simmons, Estefany Montelongo, Hanna McDonald, Taylor Harris, Sushmitha Ananth, Sirima Tongkhuya, Cierra Lopez, Rowda Besher, Will Benton