Kelsey Anbuhl, PhD
Principal Investigator

Kelsey received a B.S. in Cell and Molecular Biology at Spring Hill College in Mobile, AL. She then earned her Ph.D. in Neuroscience at the University of Colorado School of Medicine under the direction of Dr. Dan Tollin, where she focused on mechanisms of spatial hearing. After her Ph.D., she pursued postdoctoral training with Dr. Dan Sanes at New York University, where she identified adolescence as a time of vulnerability to sensory deprivation. She recently joined Creighton University School of Medicine as an Assistant Professor in the Department of Biomedical Sciences and the Bellucci Translational Hearing Center.

Morgane Vandendoren

Research Laboratory Manager

Morgane earned her Master of Science in Veterinary Sciences from the University of Wyoming. Her previous research, conducted under Drs. Adam Nelson and Nicole Bedford, focused on the connection between oxytocin neurons in the paraventricular nucleus and their influence on social behavior. In the Anbuhl lab, she will use techniques like circuit tracing and real-time analysis of neural activity to better understand the complex brain pathways associated with auditory perception and listening effort behavior. Outside of work, Morgane enjoys trying new coffee shops, throwing pottery on the wheel, and spending time with her family.

Alyssa Price

PhD Student, Biomedical Sciences

Alyssa Price received a B.A. in Psychology from University of South Florida, and is a first-year Biomedical Sciences PhD student at Creighton University School of Medicine. Her primary interests are in the field of Auditory Neuroscience, specifically looking at neuroplasticity, neural encoding, electrophysiology, and mechanistic explanations relating to different hearing deficits/disorders. After graduation, she hopes to operate her own lab investigating concepts such as audiogenic seizures and become a professor. Aside from her research and academic endeavors, she enjoys spending time with her dog, hiking, and playing World of Warcraft.

Kathleen Lopez

Undergraduate Research Assistant

Kathleen Lopez is an undergraduate at Creighton University in the College of Arts and Sciences. She is majoring in biology on the pre-medical track with a minor in Spanish. She has an interest in auditory research and understanding the auditory neural pathways. She loves neuroanatomy and dissections and hopes to become a physician. Outside of the lab, she enjoys playing music, volunteering, and ice skating.

Eva Smith

Undergraduate Research Assistant (STEMM-HEAR)

Eva was selected for the 2026 STEMM-HEAR program and has joined the Anbuhl lab for the summer. She is a rising junior undergraduate student pursuing a double major in Psychology and Speech-Language-Hearing Sciences with a French Studies minor at the University of Minnesota Twin Cities. She is interested in all things hearing loss, especially its effects on first and second language learning. After graduation Eva hopes to attend an AuD program and become an audiologist. Outside of the lab she enjoys reading books (particularly sci-fi), tap dancing, and bothering her parents to send photos of the family cat!

Joey Livornese

Undergraduate Research Assistant

Joey Livornese is an undergraduate student studying biology on the pre-medical track at Creighton University in the College of Arts and Sciences. He is interested in auditory pathways and the underlying mechanisms of sound processing. After graduation, he hopes to go to medical school and become a surgeon. Outside of the lab, he enjoys golfing, climbing, and lifting weights.