E. Kate Webb, PhD, Director 

Dr. Kate Webb is an Assistant Professor in Duke University’s Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences and Director of the BEES Lab. Dr. Webb applies neuroscience techniques with a public health lens to study the effects of trauma at individual, neighborhood, and societal levels. The overarching focus of her work is to better understand how socioenvironmental factors, individual characteristics, and neurobiology interact to influence the course of PTSD development. Dr. Webb also works on neuroethical issues, such as how to identify racial biases embedded in neuroscience technologies and conceptualize socioenvironmental factors in psychiatric research. Dr. Webb received her PhD in psychology from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, in collaboration with the Milwaukee Trauma Outcomes Project. Before joining Duke, she conducted her postdoctoral training and was subsequently an Instructor in Psychiatry at McLean Hospital/Harvard Medical School.

To date, her work has resulted in over 35 manuscripts published in journals such as JAMA Psychiatry, Nature Neuroscience, and Biological Psychiatry, and coverage by major news outlets including BBC, CNN, and Discover. Dr. Webb's success has been recognized through early career awards from the American College of Neuropsychopharmacology, Society for Biological Psychiatry, and American Psychological Foundation.

See publications from Dr. Webb: Google Scholar

Social media: @brainstorm12.bsky.social

Taylor Jackson, Clinical Research Specialist Sr. 

Taylor Jackson is a clinical research specialist in the BEES Lab. She received her BS in psychology with a minor in human development and family sciences from the University of Georgia. Her research interests are broadly centered around how social determinants of health impact the development of psychiatric disorders in marginalized communities. In her spare time, Taylor enjoys reading, attending live music events, and running outdoors.

Avinabo Poddar, Clinical Research Specialist Sr. 

Avinabo (OV) Poddar is a Clinical Research Specialist in the BEES Lab, who recently graduated from the University of Vermont with a BS in psychological science and a minor in biology. OV is broadly interested in the associations between early life stressors, neurodevelopmental patterns, and long-term mental health outcomes. Outside of the lab, OV enjoys cooking, fly fishing, reading, as well as working out. 

Max Schermer, Research Graphic Designer

Max Schermer is a first-year Duke medical student originally from Honolulu, Hawaii. Max hopes to explore orthopedic or plastic surgery while in medical school. His academic interests include the intersection of exercise and mental health, how the visual arts can be used to explain research and educate patients, and working with kids. Outside of school, Max enjoys CrossFit, eating, traveling, baking, anything arts-related, and going to the beach.

Milli Patel, Undergraduate Research Assistant

Milli Patel is a sophomore at Duke from Merritt Island, Florida. She is a biology major and hopes to pursue a career in medicine as a physician. Her academic interests include the connections between neuroscience and sociology, and the consequential implications in the medical field. Milli's hobbies include dancing and listening to music!

Julia Simon, Undergraduate Research Assistant

Julia Simon is an undergraduate from Sonoma County, CA, majoring in neuroscience and philosophy. Her current research interest relates to how individual and sociological factors influence the development and mitigation of trauma-related disorders following natural disasters. Long-term, Julia is interested in the differences and interplay between relational and natural disaster trauma in pediatric populations. She loves backpacking with friends, live music, and heirloom tomatoes.  

Lab Alumni

Grace Rowland - Clinical Research Specialist