The HAPPY Lab Team
The HAPPY Lab research team, led by Dr. Emma Childs, consists of experienced clinical research coordinators, nursing staff, a psychiatrist, and student volunteers who are training in the design and conduct of clinical studies and learning about how drugs produce effects on mood and behavior.
If you are interested in training opportunities at the HAPPY Lab, please email Dr. Childs.
Emma Childs, PhD
Principal Investigator
Emma is an Associate Professor in the Department of
Psychiatry and Director of The HAPPY Lab.
She completed her PhD at King’s College London, UK, then skipped across the pond to Chicago where she joined
Dr. Harriet de Wit at the University of Chicago.
Ten years later she moved to UIC and founded the HAPPY Lab.
Armanjot Lakhen, BS
Clinical Research Coordinator
Armanjot graduated in 2022 from UIC in Biological Sciences with a concentration in Molecular and Cellular Biology. He has been with the Happy Lab since February 2021 and is very interested in studies involving biology, psychology, and medicine.
In the future, he aims to build a career that allows him to work in psychiatry and learn more about the human body.
Nam Nguyen
Post-bac/Pre-Med Researcher
Nam graduated from the University of Illinois at Chicago with B.S in Neuroscience. He is taking his gap year before applying to medical school. Besides being a research assistant at the HAPPY Lab, he is also a medical assistant at a Neurology clinic. Nam has been our lab member since 2021. He enjoys camping and exploring different cuisines in the Chicago area :)
Nida Ullah
Undergraduate Student Trainee
Nida is a third-year undergraduate student with a major in psychology and a minor in chemistry. She has future career goals in the health field, with a particular interest in working with under served communities.
In her free time, she likes hanging out with her dog, going on long walks, and drinking coffee :)
The HAPPY Lab is located on the UIC Medical Campus in the Near West community of Chicago. We are based in the Psychiatric Institute building
(SPHPI) at the corner of Ashland and Taylor.
1601 W Taylor St, Suite 318, Chicago, IL 60612.
Drey Maton
Undergraduate Student Trainee
Drey is a fourth year student-athlete with a major in Neuroscience and a minor in Spanish for the Professions at UIC. He has been an undergraduate lab assistant since May 2021 and runs cross country and track and field as a UIC Flame. He has a career goal in medicine.
Megan Sia
IMSA SIR Student Trainee
Mark Rinaolo
Medical Student Researcher
Mark is a second-year medical student enrolled at the UIC College of Medicine. He graduated from Northwestern University with a degree in Neuroscience and is interested in psychiatry and psychiatric research. He is conducting research jointly with the HAPPY lab and COIP.
Medical Staff
Aneet Y. Ahluwalia MD
Assistant Professor of Psychiatry
and Internal Medicine
Dr. Ahluwahlia is the HAPPY Lab study physician who provides care and safety oversight for participants in our studies. He is Director of the inpatient psychiatry consult-liaison service at UIHealth and also a board certified internist providing primary care and inpatient internal medicine coverage.
Ana-Leonor Jay
Research Nurse
Ana provides support and safety oversight for procedures in our research studies. Her primary interests are in reproductive health and she also conducts research into Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome in the Laboratory for Reproductive Endocrine and Inflammation Research, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at UIC. Click here to read about the study.
Our Collaborators
Pauline Maki
Professor of Psychiatry, Psychology and Obstetrics & Gynecology
Dr. Maki is an internationally recognized expert in women’s mental health research. She is Director of the Women’s Mental Health Research Program and Senior Director of Research at the Center for Research on Women and Gender at UIC. Learn more
Tori Eisenlohr-Moul
Assistant Professor of Psychiatry
and Psychology
Dr. Eisenlohr-Moul is an international expert in the pathophysiology, assessment, and treatment of premenstrual dysphoric disorder and cyclical exacerbation of other psychiatric disorders. She is Associate Director of Translational Research in Women’s Mental Health at UIC. Learn more
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