Megan Hager is a first year PhD student in neurotoxicology in the Tjalkens Lab. She is interested in the mechanism by which toxic insults alter brain function and induce neurodegeneration. Megan completed her bachelor’s degree in Biomedical Sciences at Colorado State University, where she began her work in the Tjalkens Lab. As an undergraduate, she worked on live cell fluorescent imaging projects investigating mitochondrial dysfunction, and won Best In Show: Research Poster at the Celebrate Undergraduate Research and Creativity showcase. She is an alumni of the university’s D1 Swim & Dive Team and was Vice President of the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee. When not in lab, she is an avid painter, kickboxer, reader, and outdoor enthusiast.