Lab Members

Francesco Versace, Ph.D.
Principal Investigator

Dr. Versace’s current line of research focuses on identifying the psychophysiological mechanisms that drive smoking and obesity, the two major causes of preventable disease and disabilities in the United States. By leveraging the spatial and temporal resolution of brain imaging techniques such as dense sensor array event-related potentials (ERPs) and functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), his studies aim to characterize the dysfunctional brain mechanisms that mediate maladaptive responses to rewards and reward-related cues. The ultimate goal of his work is to develop neurocircuitry-informed, tailored interventions for smoking cessation and weight loss.

Jung Uk Kang, Ph.D.
Postdoctoral Fellow

Jung Uk Kang completed his Ph.D. in macaque neurophysiology, focusing on motor coordination, at Washington University School of Medicine. He subsequently conducted postdoctoral research at Baylor College of Medicine, where he studied human deep brain stimulation and neurophysiology related to cognitive control. At UT MD Anderson, he works on behavioral, EEG and TMS studies of addiction and reward-seeking behavior, with an interest in how these findings may inform clinical approaches to addiction disorders. Outside the lab, he enjoys biking, drumming and tennis.

Leann Witmer, M.A., LPC-S, NCTTP
Project Director

Leann Witmer is the project director for the Tobacco Research and Treatment Program (TRTP). Ms. Witmer is a seasoned clinical trial development and operations expert, merging expertise in mental health counseling and crisis management with a profound understanding of clinical research. With more than 15 years of experience, Ms. Witmer spearheads multi-disciplinary teams in the development, execution and oversight of clinical trials in the TRTP.

Alexandria Baldizon, B.S.
Senior Research Data Coordinator

Alexa Baldizon is the data nerd of the team, specializing in programming languages such as R and Python. She's a senior research data coordinator and has been a part of the team since March 2022. She received her Bachelor of Science in biomedical engineering from Louisiana Tech University in 2020 and is interested in pursuing a master's degree in data science in the future. Alexa has contributed to two manuscripts performing data and statistical analysis on computer mouse movement data, which were related to the neurobehavioral work that is conducted in the Brain, Affect and Behavior Laboratory (BABeL). When she's not seeing research participants in the lab or messing around with data, she loves to spend her time being active and drinking coffee. Alexa has run two half-marathons and one marathon and plans to run many more in the future. She is also a coffee enthusiast who loves playing at-home barista and has aspirations to open her own coffee cart.

Jelena Anne Salvador, B.S.
Senior Research Data Coordinator

Jelena Salvador joined UT MD Anderson and the Brain, Affect and Behavior Laboratory in May 2022 after graduating from Texas A&M University with a bachelor’s degree in psychology and a minor in neuroscience. As a senior research data coordinator, her main responsibilities in the lab include leading repetitive transcranial magnetic sessions (rTMS) during study visits and preparing and presenting information for weekly lab meetings. Besides cognitive neuroscience, Jelena is also interested in clinical psychology and mental health research. In her free time, Jelena enjoys playing video games and watching nature livestreams.

Lauren DiPaola, B.S.
Research Data Coordinator

Lauren DiPaola recently graduated from the University of Houston with a Bachelor of Science in biomedical engineering, with a focus in neural, cognitive and rehabilitation engineering. Her past research includes work in computational biophysics. She joined the Brain, Affect and Behavior Laboratory in October 2025, hoping to gain experience in clinical research and develop as a researcher while preparing to pursue graduate education. Her academic interests include noninvasive neuromodulation, as well as neural engineering for purposes of motor restoration. In her free time, Lauren enjoys cooking, painting and playing with her dog.