Alexander Palmer
Neuroscience · Biomedical Engineering
Education
PhD, Biomedical Engineering
University of Cincinnati
2026 – present
B.S. Biochemistry & Psychology
Roanoke College
2021 – 2023
- GPA: 3.986 / 4.000
Research Experience
Life Science Research Professional
Heifets Lab · Stanford School of Medicine · PI: Boris Heifets MD/PhD
Sept 2023 – Present
- Led the preclinical arm of a translational project investigating the safety and efficacy of psilocin under anesthesia
- Pioneered novel dual EEG–fiber photometry surgical preparation in mice
- Designed custom Python pipelines for mouse and human EEG and fiber photometry data processing
- Trained on optic fiber and EEG skull screw implantation surgery
Summer Research Intern
National Institute of Mental Health · Section on Synapse Development & Plasticity · PIs: Zheng Li PhD, James Johnson PhD
June – Aug 2022
- Investigated valence processing in the mouse auditory cortex using two-photon in vivo calcium imaging
- Optimized DeepLabCut machine learning protocol for automated behavioral quantification
- Trained in cranial window and head bar implantation surgery, brain clearing, and immunohistochemistry
Lab Technician
Morozov Lab · Fralin Biomedical Research Institute at Virginia Tech · PI: Alexei Morozov PhD
Dec 2021 – July 2023
- Contributed to a published study on the neural mechanism of synchronized fear in mice
- Designed and implemented social behavioral paradigms; trained in cannula implantation surgery and Python data analysis
Publications
Palmer, A. J.*, Hietamies, T. M.*, Sikka, P., Casey, A. B., Zhao, W. J., Rijsketic, D., Rastegar, Z., Deverett, B., & Heifets, B. D. “EEG signatures of the psychedelic experience remain under anesthesia.” In preparation (2026). *equal contribution
Ito, W., Palmer, J. A., Morozov, A. “Social synchronization of conditioned fear in mice requires ventral hippocampus input to amygdala.” Biological Psychiatry (2022). DOI
Invited Talks
Neurophysiological correlates of psychedelic experience are retained during general anesthesia
Consciousness, Anesthesia & Evolutionary Biology GRS · Barga, Italy
Jan 2025
Neurophysiological correlates of psychedelic experience are retained during general anesthesia
International Society for Research on Psychedelics: Trainee Series · Virtual
Sept 2024, Dec 2025
Neural Dynamics Encode Valence in the Mouse Auditory Cortex
Summer Research Showcase · Roanoke College
Sept 2022
Selected Poster Presentations
Outstanding Poster Award ($150) · 5th Annual Precision Mental Health Symposium: Bridging Psychiatry, Neuroscience, and AI
Stanford · Palo Alto, CA
Sept 2025
Consciousness, Anesthesia & Evolutionary Biology GRC
Barga, Italy
Jan 2025
National Conference on Undergraduate Research
University of Wisconsin – Eau Claire
Apr 2023
NIH Summer Research Poster Session
National Institute of Mental Health
Aug 2022
Teaching & Instruction
Instructor · Stanford Neurobehavior and Neuroscience Methods Workshop
Stanford University · Palo Alto, CA
June 2025
- Instructed PhD students, postdocs, and faculty in mouse EEG and fiber photometry — covering surgery, recording, and data analysis
Skills & Methods
Surgery
Optic fiber & EEG skull screw implantation, cranial window, head bar, cannula
Recording
Fiber photometry, mouse & human EEG, two-photon in vivo calcium imaging
Programming
Python (signal processing, data pipelines), MATLAB
Analysis
DeepLabCut, behavioral paradigm design, brain clearing, immunohistochemistry