Lab Members

Nicklaus Sparrow, PhD, is a research scientist and lab manager in the Lahiri Laboratory. He specializes in multiple microscopy techniques of both live and fixed samples, as well as rodent surgery and culture of primary nervous system tissues. Sparrow’s doctorate work involved studying Schwann cell biology, specifically investigating the role of actin cytoskeleton-regulating proteins, and the associated cell signaling controlling their activity, in the development of peripheral nervous system myelin. Currently, he studies both the factors that contribute to mechanical ventilation-induced delirium in neurointensive care patients as well as how to mitigate these detrimental effects with a strong focus on translating these discoveries/interventions into the clinic. 

Michael Gezalian, MD, is a board-certified neurologist subspecializing in neurointensive care. After completing his neurology residency at Loma Linda University Medical Center in 2018, Gezalian pursued a clinical fellowship in neurointensive care at Cedars-Sinai to join the team of excellent clinicians at the Cedars-Sinai Neurointensive Care Unit in 2020. As a clinical fellow, he joined the Lahiri Lab and is studying the effects of antihypertensive therapies on cerebrovascular hemodynamics and cerebral perfusion. Gezalian also conducts clinical research in identifying risk factors associated with ground-level falls and subdural hematomas in the elderly, as well as investigating the potential neurological effects of early continuous renal replacement therapy initiation in post-cardiopulmonary arrest patients.

Gena Guidry is a research associate in the Lahiri Lab. She earned her master’s degree in neuroscience from Tulane University in New Orleans, and her bachelor’s degree in biology from the University of Louisiana at Lafayette. She has been involved in diverse research projects such as numerical discrimination and evolutionary processes, the effects of space travel on biology, endogenous opioids and diabetic neuropathy, and most recently heart failure. After living and traveling a few years in Southeast Asia, Guidry is happy to have settled at Cedars-Sinai. 

Winzey has been involved in research for the discovery of nonaddictive painkillers targeting the kappa opioid receptor and the development of quick antibiotic susceptibility assays for improved STD diagnostics. Kevin’s interests include understanding neurological and biochemical systems in the brain as they relate to trauma, mental illness and neurodegenerative diseases.

Scott is a recent graduate with a passion for neuroscience and mental health. His research background includes nanoparticle cancer therapy, fruit fly morphology, and using designer receptors to investigate the neurobiology of anxiety. He has also worked as an EMT and hopes to continue pursuing both research and clinical practice.

Kelly’s research interests entail the proximate and ultimate mechanisms surrounding complex traits with an emphasis on physical activity. Currently, he is investigating common molecular pathways that underlie various etiologies of delirium to enable development of targeted pharmacological treatments and therapeutics—one of which may be exercised.

A Spellman College graduate in psychology and biochemistry, Hyyat was previously involved in research that investigated how cortical gene expression is affected by the inheritance pattern of chromosome 15q duplication, and studied neuroinflammation as it relates to estrogen and traumatic brain injury. Currently, Hyyat assists the lab with brain immunohistochemistry.