I joined UTEP in September 2020. The goal of my research is to understand the mechanisms that modulate neuropsychiatric disorders using novel experimental and computational techniques

• National Science Foundation Recognition 2025 “A Decision-Space Model Explains Context-Specific Decision-Making” - National Science Foundation (07/01/2025-07/31/2025)
• National Science Foundation Recognition 2024 " “RECORD, a high-throughput, customizable system that unveils behavioral strategies leveraged by rodents during foraging-like decision-making" - National Science Foundation (07/24/2024)
• Research & Innovation Rising Researcher Award - STEM: Life Science and Engineering - University of Texas at El Paso (04/30/2024)
• Organizing Committee Member for Korean-American National Academy of Sciences symposium - National Academy of Sciences (01/10/2024)
• Kavli Fellow, National Academy of Sciences - National Academy of Sciences (03/01/2023)
• Top MIT research of 2017 “Chronic stress alters striosome-circuit dynamics, leading to aberrant decision-making.” - MIT (01/01/2020)
• Top MIT research of 2020 “Striosomes Mediate Value-Based Learning Vulnerable in Age and a Huntington’s Disease Model.” - MIT (01/01/2017)

• Ph D in Brain Physiology, Bar-Ilan University (2010)

• A decision-space model explains context-specific decision-making Springer Science and Business Media LLC (2024), Alexander Friedman, Dirk Beck, Cory Heaton, Luis Davlia, Lara Rakocevic, Sabrina Drammis, Danil Tyulmankov, Paulina Vara, Atanu Giri, Shreeya U. Beck, Qingyang Zhang, Michael Pokojovy, Kenichiro Negishi, Serina Batson, Alexis Salcido, Neftali Reyes, Andrea Macias, Raquel Ibanez-Alcala, Safa Houssain, Graham Waller, Travis M. Moschak, Ki Goosens.
• Effect of Acute Alcohol Consumption in a Novel Rodent Model of Decision Making Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory (2024), Atanu Giri, Serina A. Batson, Andrea Y. Macias, Cory N. Heaton, Neftali F. Reyes, Alexis A. Salcido, Luis D. Davila, Lara I. Rakocevic, Dirk W. Beck, Raquel J. Ibañez Alcalá, Safa B. Hossain, Paulina Vara, Sabrina M. Drammis, Kenichiro Negishi, Adrianna E. Rosales, Laura E. O’Dell, Travis M. Moschak, Ki A. Goosens, Alexander Friedman.
• RECORD, a high-throughput, customizable system that unveils behavioral strategies leveraged by rodents during foraging-like decision-making Communications Biology (2024), Raquel Ibanez-Alcala, Travis M. Moschak, Alexander Friedman.
• RECORD, a high-throughput, customizable system that unveils behavioral strategies leveraged by rodents during foraging-like decision-making Communications Biology 7 1 (2024), Raquel J. Ibáñez Alcalá, Dirk W. Beck, Alexis A. Salcido, Luis D. Davila, Atanu Giri, Cory N. Heaton, Kryssia Villarreal Rodriguez, Lara I. Rakocevic, Safa B. Hossain, Neftali F. Reyes, Serina A. Batson, Andrea Y. Macias, Sabrina M. Drammis, Kenichiro Negishi, Qingyang Zhang, Shreeya Umashankar Beck, Paulina Vara, Arnav Joshi, Austin J. Franco, Bianca J. Hernandez Carbajal, Miguel M. Ordonez, Felix Y. Ramirez, Jonathan D. Lopez, Nayeli Lozano, Abigail Ramirez, Linnete Legaspy, Paulina L. Cruz, Abril A. Armenta, Stephanie N. Viel, Jessica I. Aguirre, Odalys Quintanar, Fernanda Medina, Pablo M. Ordonez, Alfonzo E. Munoz, Gustavo E. Martínez Gaudier, Gabriela M. Naime, Rosalie E. Powers, Laura E. O'Dell, Travis M. Moschak, Ki A. Goosens, Alexander Friedman.
• Model of a striatal circuit exploring biological mechanisms underlying decision-making during normal and disordered states bioRxiv (2024), Dirk W. Beck, Cory N. Heaton, Luis D. Davila, Lara I. Rakocevic, Sabrina M. Drammis, Danil Tyulmankov, Paulina Vara, Atanu Giri, Shreeya Umashankar Beck, Qingyang Zhang, others.

• Striosomal Compartment of Striatum Encode Expected Cost-Benefit Value (2023), Volume Sao Paulo, Brazil , July 2023, Alexander Friedman.
• Defining the mechanistic role of striosomal microcircuits in decision-making (2023), Volume Irvine, Alexander Friedman.
• An innovative system for assessing decision-making in an array of mental health disorders, psychological and sex differences (2021), Volume Cambridge, MA, Alexander Friedman.
• An innovative system for assessing decision-making in an array of mental health disorders, psychological and sex differences (2021), Volume Cambridge, MA, Alexander Friedman.
• Computational model of striosomal circuit in normal and disordered decision-making (2021), Volume Cambridge, MA, Alexander Friedman.

• Career: A2: Defining the mechanistic role of striosomal microcircuits in decision-making (02/15/2023 - 02/15/2028) NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION (FED)