Affiliates

Dr. Spencer Huggett started in the BGA Lab on September 1, 2019 and left his full-time work with the lab on June 1, 2021. He graduated with his Ph.D. in Psychology and Neuroscience from the University of Colorado Boulder, and has an empirical specialty in behavioral genetics and statistics. His focus is genomic, neurobiological, and pharmacological links with substance use. Currently, he is working in Cambridge at a biotech start-up in neuroscience.

Dr. Whitney Barfield received her PhD in Microbiology from Howard University. Before joining the lab, she worked at the National Institutes of Health in implementation research, supporting strategies to accelerate the integration of evidence-based genomic discoveries into clinical and public health settings. As a memer of the lab, Dr. Barfield was a postdoctoral fellow and coordinator for the Mapme Program. During her time in the lab, she combined her interests in behavioral and genetic research, and expanded her knowledge-base in mental health and substance abuse research to improve precision prevention for diverse populations. Currently, she is working at the National Cancer Institute.

Jenipher Ober has obtained multiple advanced degrees in both dentistry and public health. She was a member of the lab from 2020 to January 2022. During this time, she was largely involved overseeing the MAPme project with Dr. Barfield and provided additional clinical insights to other studies being conducted within the lab. She is very passionate about ensuring equitable access to quality and affordable health care services especially for marginalized individuals and communities such as those with special healthcare needs.