Education
Bio
Courtney McDermott is a Neuroscience PhD Candidate and 2022 D-SPAN Scholar who has personal and professional interests in investigating the pathogenesis of neurodevelopmental disorders. She is mentored by Dr. Emanuel DiCicco-Bloom and co-mentored by Dr. Martin Blaser. Her dissertation work examines the effects of early-life antibiotic exposure on the gut microbiome, neurogenesis, and behavioral outcomes in 16p11.2 microdeletion mice. Outside of the laboratory, Courtney is highly involved in science outreach and advocacy. She serves on the Board of the CABM Diversity Committee, volunteers at the Rutgers Center for Adult Autism and Services, and is the Neuroscience Graduate Mentor Fellow for the Rutgers Honors College.
Research Focus
Fellowships
NIH F99/K00 Predoctoral to Postdoctoral Transition Award, 2022-2028
SfN Neuroscience Scholars Program Associate 2021-2023
New Jersey Governor’s Council for Autism Research Graduate Student Fellowship 2021-2023
NJACTS TL1 Fellowship 2019-2022
NIH MARC U*STAR Scholar 2015-2017
Awards
SfN Trainee Professional Development Award, 2022
NJACE Travel Award, 2019
John V. Conti Graduation Award in Psychology, 2018
Excellence in Neuroscience Research Award, 2018
NEURON Frye Pioneering Research Award, 2017
Faculty for Undergraduate Neuroscience Travel Award, 2017
Raphell Sims Lakowitz Undergraduate Research Award, 2016
Honors in Mathematics and Natural Sciences, 2015
Society for Neuroscience
International Society for Autism Research
American Society for Microbiology
The International Honor Society for Psychology