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

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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
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Lauren Edwards
Barnard College '26
​Major: Environmental Biology

Lauren joined the lab as a rising senior in the Summer of 2025. She conducted research in the lab as part of SRI 2025 studying reproductive isolation in Drosophila, work that she will continue for her Biology Senior Thesis. Lauren previously worked with Dr. Emlyn Resetarits at Barnard studying the influence of environmental variables on parasite diversity and prevalence in NYC. 
​Lauren Lab News

Dahlia Reynolds
Barnard College '26
​Major: Neuroscience & Behavior

Dahlia joined the lab as a rising senior in the Summer of 2025. She conducted research in the lab as part of SRI 2025 studying the sensory basis of male mate choice, work that she will continue for her Neuroscience & Behavior Senior Thesis. Dahlia previously worked in the Fernández Lab at Barnard, where she studied the role of DN1a in the sleep/wake cycles of Drosophila.
Dahlia Lab News
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Jesslyn Chen 
Barnard College '27
​Major: Psychology

Jesslyn joined the lab as a sophomore in the Spring of 2025. She helps maintain our fly populations and with experimental setups. Jesslyn is 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. 

​Lab Alums

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Avigayil Lev ​(BC '22)
Lab Technician
Major: Environmental Science
In lab: May 2021-July 2025
Avigayil Lab News
​Post-lab: ​PhD Student, CUNY Graduate Center
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Harini Shankar
(BC '25)
Major: Physiological & Organismal Biology
In lab: Jan 2024-May 2025
Harini Lab News
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Aanya Srinivasan
​(BC '26)
Majors: Statistics + Environmental Science
In lab: Jan 2024-Dec 2024
Aanya Lab News
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Isabella Martinez
(BC '24)
Majors: Biology + Gender Studies
In lab: Sept 2021-May 2024
Izzie Lab News
​Post-grad: ​Research Technician, Mount Sinai
Ananya Lahiri (BC '24)
Major: Cellular & Molecular Biology
In lab: Sept 2021-May 2024
Ananya Lab News
​Post-grad: ​MPH Student, Columbia University
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Eliza Tagle (BC '24)
Major: Physiological & Organismal Biology
In lab: May 2023-May 2024
Eliza Lab News
​Post-grad: ​Fulbright Scholar, Philippines
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Grace Freed (BC '23)
Major: Cellular & Molecular Biology
In lab: Sept 2020-May 2023
Grace Lab News
​Post-grad: ​MRes Student, Imperial College London
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Ashley Canizares
(BC '23)
Major: Physiological & Organismal Biology
In lab: Sept 2021-May 2023
Ashley Lab News
​Post-grad: ​Research Assistant, Columbia University
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Olivia Anastasio
MS, BA Clark University
​Lab Technician
In lab: Nov 2020-Aug 2022
Olivia Lab News
​Post-Lab: Laboratory Specialist, Barnard College Biology Department
Mariel Correa-Maynard (BC '22)
Major: Physiological & Organismal Biology
In lab: Jan 2020-May 2022
Mariel Lab News
Post-grad:  Neurobiology Researcher, University of Minnesota 
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Olivia Eliopoulos
(BC '22)
Major: Cellular & Molecular Biology
In lab: Jan 2020-May 2022
Olivia Lab News
​Post-grad: ​PhD Student, Caltech
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Chelsea Sinclair
​(BC '21)
Major: Neuroscience & Behavior
In lab: Jan 2019-May 2021
Chelsea Lab News
​Post-grad: ​Clinical Data Analyst, Bronxcare Health Systems
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Holly Doig (BC '23)
Major: Physiological and Organismal Biology
In lab: Jan 2020-May 2020
Holly Lab News
​Post-grad: Nursing Student, Columbia University
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Abigail Gutierrez
​(BC '20)
Major: Biology
In lab: Jan 2018-May 2020
Abby Lab News
​Post-grad: Laboratory Specialist, Barnard College Biology Dept
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
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Karolina Szenkiel
​(BC '22)
Major: Biology
In lab: Sept 2019-May 2020
Lina Lab News
​Post-grad: MD-PhD Student, University of Rochester
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Aneeza Asif (BC '21)
Major: Cellular and Molecular Biology
In lab: Sept-Dec 2019
​Post-grad: ​MS Student, Columbia University 
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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
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Taylor Leong (BC '19)
Major: Biology​
In lab: Feb 2018-May 2019
​Taylor Lab News
Stacy Kanellopoulos (BC '20)
Major: Spanish and Latin American Culture​
In lab: Feb-Dec 2018
​Stacy Lab News
Post-grad: Debt Capital Markets Analyst, MUFG
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Nushrat Chowdhury (BC '19)
Major: Biology
In lab: Feb-Dec 2018
​Nushrat Lab News
​Post-grad: Physician Assistant Student, Stony Brook University