Lab Members

Christine Junhui Liu received her PhD in Speech and Hearing Bioscience and Technology from Harvard University in 2025, where she trained as a systems neuroscientist under Anne Takesian, PhD, at Mass Eye and Ear, studying inhibitory circuits and neuropeptide signaling in auditory cortical plasticity. She received dual bachelor’s degrees in neuroscience and music theory from Northwestern University. Liu joined the Riera Lab to study how sensory cues shape metabolic function through hypothalamic circuits.

Nancy Morones earned her master’s degree in cell biology from Yale University and her bachelor's degree in molecular, cell and developmental biology from UCLA. Prior to joining the Riera Lab, Morones pursued studies in vesicle trafficking and cellular signaling. In 2020, she was selected by the Cedars-Sinai Graduate Program to pursue her PhD under the mentorship of Dr. Celine Riera.