Alison Pischedda

Assistant Professor
Department of Biology
​Barnard College, Columbia University
she/her/hers
I am a first-generation college student who earned my BSc in Mathematics, my BSc (Honours) in Biology and my MSc in Biology from Queen's University in Canada. I then completed my PhD and postdoctoral work in Evolutionary Biology at the University of California, Santa Barbara. I joined the Barnard faculty as an Assistant Professor in the Department of Biology in 2017. I am also an affiliate faculty member in the Department of Neuroscience and Behavior at Barnard and the E3B Department at Columbia University.
Ali Lab News

Current Lab Members

Vertical Divider

Abigail Gutierrez
Biology Associate Lab Director
BA Barnard College '20

Abby is a Pischedda Lab alum who worked in the lab from January 2018-May 2020 when she graduated with a BA in Biology. She is now an Associate Laboratory Director in the Barnard Biology Department, where she teaches the introductory biology labs and assists with the introductory biology lecture series. Because she does not teach in the summer, Abby is able to help with our summer research! 
Abby Lab News
Vertical Divider

Jesslyn Chen 
Barnard College '27
​Major: Psychology; 4+1 BA/MA

Jesslyn joined the lab as a sophomore in the Spring of 2025. She helps maintain our fly populations and with experimental setups. Jesslyn is currently enrolled in the 4+1 BA/MA in Quantitative Methods in the Social Sciences program at Columbia. She is also the Coordinator of Research Opportunities for the Columbia Public Health Club, a member of Columbia Students for Global Health Equity and Medicine Club, and an editor for the Columbia Undergraduate Medical Review. 

Emma Barker
Barnard College '28
​Major: Physiological & Organismal Bio

Emma joined the lab as a sophomore in the Spring of 2026. She conducted research in the lab as part of SRI 2026 and also helps maintain our fly populations.
Vertical Divider

Sophie Drechsler
Barnard College '28
​Majors: Biology; Women's, Gender & Sexuality Studies

Sophie joined the lab as a sophomore in the Spring of 2026. She conducted research in the lab as part of SRI 2026 and also helps maintain our fly populations. Sophie works as a College Ambassador through the Endometriosis Foundation of America, is the Founder and Co-President of FLOW @ Barnard, and an active member of Columbia Women in Medicine Society.
Vertical Divider

Johanna Elton
Barnard College '28
​Major: Neuroscience & Behavior

Johanna joined the lab as a rising junior in the Summer of 2026. She conducted research in the lab as part of SRI 2026 and also helps maintain our fly populations. Johanna has worked as an Introductory Biology Lab TA and is Co-President of Columbia Eco-Reps. She previously conducted research with Dr. Ann Iturra-Mena at Columbia University studying cognitive behavioral therapy responses in pediatric population with anxiety disorders.

​Lab Alums

Vertical Divider
Lauren Edwards
(BC '26)
Major: Environmental Biology
In lab: May 2025-May 2026
Lauren Lab News
​Post-grad: Teach for America, NYC
Vertical Divider
Dahlia Reynolds
(BC '26)
Major: Neuroscience & Behavior
In lab: May 2025-May 2026
Dahlia Lab News
​Post-grad: ​Research Assistant, Rockefeller University
Vertical Divider
Avigayil Lev ​(BC '22)
Lab Technician
Major: Environmental Science
In lab: May 2021-July 2025
Avigayil Lab News
​Post-lab: ​PhD Student + NSF Graduate Research Fellow, City University of NY
Vertical Divider
Harini Shankar
(BC '25)
Major: Physiological & Organismal Biology
In lab: Jan 2024-May 2025
Harini Lab News
Post-lab: Laboratory Specialist, Barnard Biology Department
Aanya Srinivasan
​(BC '26)
Majors: Statistics + Environmental Science
In lab: Jan 2024-Dec 2024
Aanya Lab News
Vertical Divider
Isabella Martinez
(BC '24)
Majors: Biology + Gender Studies
In lab: Sept 2021-May 2024
Izzie Lab News
​Post-grad: ​MD/MPH Student, SUNY Downstate
Vertical Divider
Ananya Lahiri (BC '24)
Major: Cellular & Molecular Biology
In lab: Sept 2021-May 2024
Ananya Lab News
​Post-grad: ​MPH Student, Columbia University
Vertical Divider
Eliza Tagle (BC '24)
Major: Physiological & Organismal Biology
In lab: May 2023-May 2024
Eliza Lab News
​Post-grad: ​Fulbright Scholar, Philippines
Vertical Divider
Grace Freed (BC '23)
Major: Cellular & Molecular Biology
In lab: Sept 2020-May 2023
Grace Lab News
​Post-grad: ​MRes Student, Imperial College London
Ashley Canizares
(BC '23)
Major: Physiological & Organismal Biology
In lab: Sept 2021-May 2023
Ashley Lab News
​Post-grad: ​MA Biology Student, University of Buffalo
Vertical Divider
Olivia Anastasio
MS, BA Clark University
​Lab Technician
In lab: Nov 2020-Aug 2022
Olivia Lab News
​Post-Lab: Laboratory Specialist, Barnard Biology Department; MPH Student, CUNY
Vertical Divider
Mariel Correa-Maynard (BC '22)
Major: Physiological & Organismal Biology
In lab: Jan 2020-May 2022
Mariel Lab News
Post-grad:  MS Student, Northeastern University
Vertical Divider
Olivia Eliopoulos
(BC '22)
Major: Cellular & Molecular Biology
In lab: Jan 2020-May 2022
Olivia Lab News
​Post-grad: ​PhD Student, Caltech
Vertical Divider
Chelsea Sinclair
​(BC '21)
Major: Neuroscience & Behavior
In lab: Jan 2019-May 2021
Chelsea Lab News
​Post-grad: ​Master's in User Experience Psychology, Polytechnico di Milano
Holly Doig (BC '23)
Major: Physiological and Organismal Biology
In lab: Jan 2020-May 2020
Holly Lab News
​Post-grad: Nursing Student, Columbia University
Vertical Divider
Abigail Gutierrez
​(BC '20)
Major: Biology
In lab: Jan 2018-May 2020
Abby Lab News
​Post-grad: Laboratory Specialist, Barnard Biology Dept
Vertical Divider
Ana-Maria Rodriguez Cuadrado (BC '20)
Major: Biology
In lab: Sept 2018-May 2020
Ana-Maria Lab News
​Post-grad: Medical Team Coordinator, Delta Airlines
Vertical Divider
Karolina Szenkiel
​(BC '22)
Major: Biology
In lab: Sept 2019-May 2020
Lina Lab News
​Post-grad: MD-PhD Student, University of Rochester
Vertical Divider
Aneeza Asif (BC '21)
Major: Cellular and Molecular Biology
In lab: Sept-Dec 2019
​Post-grad: ​MS Student, Columbia University 
Suriya Lisa (BC '19)
Major: Neuroscience & Behavior​
In lab: Feb 2018-May 2019
​Lisa Lab News
​Post-grad: MD Student, Georgetown University School of Medicine
Vertical Divider
Taylor Leong (BC '19)
Major: Biology​
In lab: Feb 2018-May 2019
​Taylor Lab News
Vertical Divider
Stacy Kanellopoulos (BC '20)
Major: Spanish and Latin American Culture​
In lab: Feb-Dec 2018
​Stacy Lab News
Post-grad: MBA Student, Columbia University
Vertical Divider
Nushrat Chowdhury (BC '19)
Major: Biology
In lab: Feb-Dec 2018
​Nushrat Lab News
​Post-grad: Physician Assistant Student, Stony Brook University