People

Sarah H. Sperry, Ph.D.

Dr. Sperry is an Assistant Professor of Psychiatry and Adjunct Assistant Professor of Psychology at the University of Michigan. Her research broadly examines bipolar spectrum disorders from affective, cognitive, and physiological perspectives. More specifically, Dr. Sperry uses ambulatory assessments to characterize intraindividual variability in emotion, cognition, and behavior (e.g., impulsivity) and how altered dynamics may represent risk factors for greater psychopathology. Her work emphasizes dimensional characterizations of psychopathology rather than traditional categorical diagnostics.

When not In the lab, she is playing with her amazing golden retriever, spending time with family and friends, swimming, on the Peloton, or traveling to near and far places!

Education & Training

• B.S. Tufts University, Clinical Psychology

• M.A. University of North Carolina at Greensboro, Clinical Psychology

• Ph.D. University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Clinical-Community Psychology

• Clinical Internship: Medical University of South Carolina

• Postdoctoral Fellowship: Vanderbilt University Medical Center

Hanjoo Kim, Ph.D.

Hanjoo joined the EmoTe Lab as a research fellow with the Heinz C. Prechter Bipolar Research Program at University of Michigan. Prior to joining the lab, Hanjoo completed the University of Michigan/VA Ann Arbor Healthcare System (VAAAHS) Postdoctoral Consortium under the mentorship of Dr. Liz Duval. He received his PhD in Clinical Psychology from Penn State University, and completed a psychology internship at the New Mexico VA/Southwest Consortium. Hanjoo’s primary research interests lie in understanding the nature and treatment of anxiety, depression, and bipolar disorders. His current research examines how repetitive negative thought processes, such as worry and rumination contribute to the development and maintenance of these conditions. Hanjoo is interested in utilizing methodologies from psychophysiology (e.g., emotional facial expressions, heart rate, skin conductance, etc.), network analysis, and ecological momentary assessment to better understand these processes. Outside of academics, Hanjoo loves playing basketball, reading history articles, and drawing portraits.

Audrey Stromberg, B.A.

Primary Graduate Student

She is a first year student in the Clinical Science PhD Program at the University of Michigan. Audrey graduated from Amherst College in 2020 and subsequently served as a clinical research coordinator at the Massachusetts General Hospital Dauten Family Center for Bipolar Treatment Innovation. She is interested in discovering patterns of emotional responses within different environments using EMA/digital phenotyping and leveraging her findings to develop and implement more personalized treatment programs. 

Carly Lasagna, B.A.

Affiliate Graduate Student

Carly is a second year clinical science PhD student working with Dr. Ivy Tso. She is interested in the mechanisms of cognitive control and perceptual decision-making in bipolar disorder. Her goal in research is to bring together computational modeling, neuroimaging, and neuromodulation methods in order to generate model-based neuroscience perspectives on complex psychiatric disorders that will facilitate more effective, individualized treatment. Carly will be collaborating with the EmoTe lab to help identify mechanisms underlying emotion-based impulsivity by linking computational estimates of affective inhibition and cognitive control with real-world behaviors. In her free time, she enjoys hiking, drawing, and photography.

Margo Menkes, M.S.

Affiliate Graduate Student

Margo is a fourth year clinical science PhD candidate working with Drs. Melvin McInnis and Patricia Deldin. After graduating with her B.A. from Emory University in 2017, she spent two years as a staff research assistant with Dr. Stephan Heckers' lab at Vanderbilt University Medical Center. Margo is broadly interested in neurocognition in mood disorders and psychosis, with a focus on using electrophysiological and cognitive testing methods to identify mechanisms of these disorders. She is an active member of the Prechter Bipolar Research Program’s Longitudinal Study of Bipolar Disorder. Margo is collaborating with the EmoTe lab to study the relationship between sleep, circadian rhythms, and neurocognition in bipolar disorder. In addition, in collaboration with the MiSCAN (PI: Tso) Lab, Margo is examining affective inhibition deficits in bipolar disorder using an emotion go/no-go task. Outside of research, Margo likes making baked goods and sharing them with friends.

Julia Smith, B.A.

Julia recently completed her BA in Psychology and BA in Sociology of Health and Medicine at the University of Michigan. She joined the University of Michigan’s Department of Psychiatry in May of 2022, where she also works as a Study Coordinator with the INSPIRE Lab (PI: Dr. Suzuki). Julia is coordinating our EEG study identifying neurophysiological indicators of emotion-based impulsivity in bipolar disorder. In the future, Julia hopes to pursue a Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology focusing on exploring disparities in mental health resources and support for those who have psychosis and bipolar disorder. During her free time, Julia enjoys going thrifting with her friends, working out, and cooking.

Gina Viviano, B.A.

Gina recently completed her BA in Psychology with a minor in Spanish at the University of Michigan. She has been involved with the Heinz C. Prechter Bipolar Research Program since February 2022. Gina is passionate about a wide range of psychological topics including but not limited to the treatment of anxiety, depression, and bipolar disorders. Gina aspires to pursue their Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology focusing on the treatment of mood disorders and providing mental health care to those in need. During her free time, Gina enjoys playing their guitar and singing, hiking, reading, and spending time with animals

Victoria Murphy

Victoria is a senior undergraduate student at the University of Michigan, majoring in Biopsychology, Cognition, and Neuroscience and minoring in Statistics. Victoria joined the EmoTe lab through the competitive Undergraduate Research Opportunity Program (UROP) at UM and is now an independent studies research assistant and the EmoTe Lab manager. Victoria aims to understand contributing factors of bipolar spectrum disorders and explore how personalized intervention can change illness trajectory. Victoria is interested in pursuing a Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology with a concentration in Neuropsychology. In her free time, she enjoys yoga, baking bread, and audiobooks.

Emily Berriman

Emily is a junior at the University of Michigan studying Psychology. She is interested in predicting emotional instability and the development of personalized, effective interventions for bipolar spectrum disorder. Emily plans to pursue a Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology with a specialization in Neuropsychology. In her free time, Emily enjoys taking walks with her dog, bowling, running, and lifting weights.

Sara Bernardo

Sara is a second year undergraduate student at the University of Michigan studying

Biopsychology, Cognition, and Neuroscience and on a pre-medical track. Sara joined the EmoTe lab, and is now a research assistant working on neurophysiological indicators of emotion-based impulsivity. She is interested in the development of bipolar spectrum disorders, the treatment of psychological disorders, and emotion-based motivation. After graduating, she hopes to attend medical school. In her free time, Sara enjoys hiking with her dog, surfing, cooking, and spending time with friends.

Fleur Helmink, Ph.D. Candidate

Fleur Helmink was awarded the prestigous Fulbright Scholarship to visit the EmoTe Lab in fall 2022. Fleur is a fourth year Ph.D. Candidate from the Erasmus MC in Rotterdam, the Netherlands, where she is working with Professors Manon Hillegers, Dr. Estehr Mesman, and Dr. Eeske van Roekel. She is interested in intergernerational risk of psychopathology, digital mental health, and the effect of psychopathology on daily life. Fleur is working on the Dutch Bipolar Offspring Study, in which longitudinal data of traditional measures of psychopathology are combined with innovative smartphone measures. In her Ph.D., she focuses on bridging psychopathology and daily life functioning, emotions, and behavior. With the EmoTe Lab, Fleur will study emotion and behavior dynamics. When she is not reading papers on how psychopathology works or making cool figures in R, she enjoys photography, watching movies, and playing video games. 

Anders Sperry, M.A.

Anders received his bachelor's in begging and master's in stick eating. His favorite pastimes include zoom bombing meetings, decreasing negative affect in EmoTe lab members, especially its director, and providing essential support services during grant and manuscript writing. 

Bronya Sandorffy, B.S.

Bronya Sandorffy graduated from the University of Michigan studying Biopsychology, Cognition, and Neuroscience in 2023. She was a part of the EmoTe Lab from 2022 - 2023. She is interested in the development of bipolar spectrum disorders and in understanding ways to predict and detect different mood states. Bronya is currently a clinical research coordinator at New York University (NYU) and hopes to apply to medical school in the next two years. 

Carolyn Andrews, M.S.

Affiliate Graduate Student

Carolyn is a fourth year clinical science PhD candidate working with Drs. Melvin McInnis and Patricia Deldin. She received a B.S. In Psychology and B.S. in Neuroscience from the Michigan State University In 2019. She Is broadly Interested In studying the Interaction of psychosocial and biological factors contributing to the etiology of bipolar disorder utilizing behavioral and psychophysiological methods. Carolyn Is collaborating with the EmoTe lab to study the relationship between sleep, suicidality, and mood instability In bipolar disorder. In addition, in collaboration with the MiSCAN (PI: Tso) Lab, Carolyn is examining affective inhibition deficits in bipolar disorder using an emotion go/no-go task. In her free time, Carolyn likes to go mountain biking, try new crafts, and read.