Current Lab Members

  • Principal Investigator

    Jen received her Bachelor of Science in Biology & Psychology from Western Michigan University in her hometown of Kalamazoo, MI. She went on to get her PhD in Behavioral Neuroscience at American University in Washington, DC with Dr. Tony Riley. Jen completed postdoctoral fellowships at UNC-Chapel Hill (Go Heels!) and here at MUSC, before transitioning to faculty and officially opening her lab in July 2021 in the Department of Neuroscience. She is also a member of the Charleston Alcohol Research Center.

Research Technicians

  • Research Specialist I

    Clemson University - '23

    Jacob graduated from Clemson University with a major in Biology and joined the Rinker Lab after graduation as a Research Specialist. He plans to pursue a Doctorate in Pharmacy this fall.

  • PhD Candidate

    Katie is from the Eastern Shore of Maryland and received her Bachelor of Science from Elizabethtown College in Central Pennsylvania. She’s always found the brain fascinating so double majoring in neuroscience and psychology was a no brainer for her in undergrad. Through the different research opportunities she’s had she realized a passion for research in the neurobiological mechanisms that are permissive of addiction, and she is especially interested in examining sex differences alcohol use disorder that might impact treatment strategies.

  • PhD Candidate

    Coming soon…

  • PhD Candidate

    Coming soon…

  • PhD Candidate

    Coming soon…

  • SURP Student

    College of Charleston

    Caroline is a rising junior and biology major at CofC. Caroline will be joining us this summer as part of the 2026 Summer Undergraduate Research Program (SURP).

Postbacs and Undergraduate Research Assistants

  • Research Specialist I

    College of Charleston - ‘25

    Luke graduated with a major Biology from CofC and is spending his gap year in the Rinker Lab before pursuing a Doctorate in Medicine.

  • PhD Candidate

    Amy is originally from Myrtle Beach, SC, but graduated in 2021 from Washington and Lee University in Virginia. In undergrad, she worked on pesticide-induced neuronal degeneration in frog spines and is excited to continue pursuing neuroscience at MUSC. Her research is a collaborative effort between the Rinker and Otis labs focusing on the paraventricular thalamus (PVT) → nucleus accumbens (NAc) pathway and how chronic alcohol exposure alter synaptic inputs onto parvalbumin interneurons in the NAc to promote alcohol seeking.

  • Undergraduate Research Assistant

    College of Charleston

    Sarah is a rising senior and biology and spanish major at CofC. Sarah will be completing her Bachelor’s Essay with us this coming year.

Graduate Students

  • SURP Student

    University of South Carolina

    Marina is a rising senior at the University of South Carolina majoring in Neuroscience. Marina is joining us again this summer as part of theh 2026 Summer Undergraduate Research Program (SURP).

Lab Alumni

Graduate Trainees

Andrew de Arellano

DART Fellow - Summer 2022

UofSC - ‘24, Current PhD Student at Virginia Tech

Megan Alvarez

Undergrad Intern

University of Pennsylvania - ‘26

Chant’e Glass-Walley, MS

Medical University of South Carolina- ‘24

MS in Biomedical Sciences

Marcus Bell

Medical University of South Carolina

MSTP Student - Neuroscience PhD Program

Jayden Martin

Medical University of South Carolina

Doctoral Student - Neuroscience PhD Program

Krysten O’Hara, PhD

Medical University of South Carolina - ‘26

Postdoctoral Fellow, Smith Lab, UCSD

Heyam Mayberry, PhD

Medical University of South Carolina - ‘25

Postdoctoral Fellow, Cosgrove Lab, Yale University

Former Technicians

Cynara Cooper, BS

Research Technician - 2024 to 2026

College of Charleston, ‘24, Current MS student at Drexel University

Cat Bowman

Undergraduate Research

College of Charleston - ‘23

Janiah Davis

Undergraduate Researcher

College of Charleston - ‘23

Savanna King

Undergraduate Researcher

College of Charleston - ‘24

Sydney Calamusa

Undergraduate Researcher

College of Charleston - ‘24, current PhD Student at UofSC

Tosj Chapman-Waring

DART Fellow - Summer 2025

University of South Carolina - ‘26

Grace Joyner

SURP Fellow - Summer 2022

University of South Carolina - ‘23

Sam Stea

Undergrad Intern - Summer 2022

Bucknell University

Mattie Tharp

Undergraduate Research

College of Charleston - ‘24

TJ Wukitsch, MS

Lab Manager - 2021 to 2023

Kansas State University

Undergraduate Trainees

Join us in beautiful downtown Charleston, SC on the main MUSC campus in the Medical District.

Come work with us!

Email rinker@musc.edu!