Our Lab

Dr. Marija Cvetanovic, Principal Investigator

Dr. Marija Cvetanovic received her BSc in Molecular Biology and Physiology from the University of Belgrade in 1998. She completed her PhD at the Department of Immunology, Microbiology and Virology at the University of Illinois in Chicago in 2004, studying recognition of apoptotic cells by macrophages. As a postdoctoral fellow she worked in the laboratory of Dr. Puneet Opal, exploring the molecular pathology of Purkinje neurons in the Spinocerebellar Ataxia Type1 (SCA1).

In 2012, Marija joined the Department of Neuroscience and Institute for Translational Neuroscience at the University of Minnesota as the Assistant professor. In her time away from the lab Marija enjoys to walk with her dog, June, read, rock climb, cook, watch movies, and study yoga.

Dr. Francisco "Emmanuel" Labrada Moncada

Emmanuel started as a postdoc in the Cvetanovic Lab in spring of 2022, bringing expertise in calcium imaging and fiber photometry to the lab which he perfected under his previous mentor Alfonso Araque. When he's not in lab devising cool strategies for understanding the interactions between purkinje cells and bergmann glia, you can bet he's off playing with his adorable husky.

Graduate Students

Alyssa Soles, Ph.D. Student

Alyssa is a graduate student in the Graduate Program in Neuroscience with the entering class of 2020. She moved to Minneapolis from St. Louis, Missouri after graduating from Truman State University where she studied biology. Her research interests include glial contributions to SCA1 pathogenesis and potential therapeutics. Outside of the lab Alyssa enjoys hanging out with her cats, painting, and spending time outside.

Adem Selimovic, Ph.D. Student

Adem started as a graduate student in the Graduate Program in Neuroscience with the class of 2021. Before entering the program, he was working in the industry doing cloning work. He graduated from Iowa State University in 2019 with a bachelor’s degree in biochemistry. Adem’s interests in neuroscience involve microglia as well as the cerebellum. Outside of the lab, he spends his time enjoying the outdoors through activities such as photography, hiking, and kayaking. When Minnesota reaches below zero you can find him playing chess, bingo with friends, or enjoying movies.

Post-Baccalaureate Researchers

Kaelin Sbrocco, Lab Manager

Hey, my name is Kaelin Sbrocco! I am originally from Wisconsin and graduated from St. Olaf College with a Bachelor's degree in biology with minors in neuroscience and mathematical biology in 2021. My interests in the world of neuroscience stemmed from one of my other major interests -- sports! Stories about the concussion crisis of the NFL came out while I was in high school and I knew that I wanted to study the brain under the lens of neurodegeneration. I am super interested in the specifics behind the neural mechanisms that cause our brains to work and/or malfunction. When not in lab, I can be found at the dog park with my pup Soup, training for half-marathons, hiking and backpacking with friends, or spending quality time with family.