ASSISTANT PROFESOR AND PI

Dr. Luján grew up in Valencia (Spain), in the town of Sagunto. Miguel obtained his BSc in Psychology from University Jaume I, Castellon, Spain in 2014. He later completed an MSc in Neuroscience at Dr. Olga Valverde’s group in the University Pompeu Fabra, Barcelona in 2016. There, he was awarded with a Research and Docent Staff (FPU) scholarship by the Spanish Ministry of Education to develop his PhD studies in Biomedicine. In 2020, Miguel obtained his PhD, centered on the potential of CBD as a therapeutical strategy to reduce cocaine consumption. He then joined Dr. Joseph Cheer’s lab at the University of Maryland as a postdoctoral fellow. There, he investigated the interplay between the dopamine and endocannabinoid mesolimbic systems. In 2023, he was awarded a K99/R00 pathway to independence award from the NIDA/NIH to start his own lab.

In 2025, Dr. Luján joined the University of Illinois Chicago as a tenure-track Assistant Professor with an appointment in the Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology (College of Medicine). His lab continues to explore the neurobiological mechanisms underlying motivation, learning, and addiction.

mlujan@uic.edu‍ ‍Google Scholar‍ ‍

GRADUATE STUDENT (GEMS)

Caitlin is a first-year PhD student in the GEMS program, currently working in the Luján Lab. She graduated from the University of Maryland in 2023 with a B.S. in Behavioral and Cognitive Neuroscience, where she studied electrophysiological biomarkers of semantic deficits in Alzheimer’s disease. After graduation, she received an Intramural Research Training Award (IRTA) fellowship at the National Institutes of Health, where she joined Dr. Alexander Chesler’s lab to study structure–function relationships in mechanosensitive ion channels and their roles in pain and somatosensation. Caitlin is broadly interested in neural circuit mechanisms underlying behavior and is excited to explore her interest in the neurobiology of addiction.

GRADUATE STUDENT (GPN)

Grace graduated from Agnes Scott College in 2025 with a bachelor’s degree in neuroscience. During her undergraduate years, she worked in Dr. Jesse Schank’s lab at the University of Georgia to research the roles of neuropeptides and stress on the voluntary consumption of alcohol. After graduation, she joined the Graduate Program in Neuroscience at UIC, where she is interested in studying substance use disorders, how they develop, and how they intersect with psychiatric conditions.

RESEARCH ASSISTANT

Grace graduated with a Bachelor's degree in Biological Sciences with two minors: Psychology and Chinese from the University of Illinois Chicago in 2024. After graduating Grace worked as an hourly research specialist in the department of Pharmacology where she learned valuable histological techniques. In the next two years, Grace plans to further her education and pursue a PhD in Neuroscience. Grace is interested in researching the underlying mechanisms of motivation.

RESEARCH ASSISTANT

Marie joined the Luján lab as a lab tech in 2025 after graduating from the UIC with a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology and a minor in Biology. She started working in neuroscience related labs during her sophomore year of undergrad, working as an animal and facility caretaker to lab specialists and since then she had continued to grow her passion and interest for it. Since then, she has developed a strong interest in the neurobiology of addiction, chronic drug exposure, and behavioral analysis, and she is eager to continue expanding her research expertise in these areas. With the goal of pursuing a PhD in the future, Marie is always excited to learn new techniques and lend a hand to her colleagues.

UNDERGRADUATE VOLUNTEER

Isabella is a second-year undergraduate student at UIC, pursuing a Bachelor’s in Biological Sciences with a concentration in Molecular, Cellular, and Organismal Biology. She volunteers at UI Health and is excited to be joining the Lujan Lab to begin her research journey. After graduation, she hopes to pursue her MD and specialize in pediatric oncology.

UNDERGRADUATE VOLUNTEER
Ngoc Dang is an undergraduate student at UIC pursuing a Bachelor’s degree in Data Science with a concentration in Bioinformatics. Previously, she worked in Dr. Tori Humiston’s lab at MCPHS, where she investigated mechanisms that may contribute to opioid misuse and conducted R-based analyses of measures related to pain interference, mental health, and health literacy. This experience motivated her interest in understanding the underlying mechanisms of complex biological and behavioral processes through quantitative and computational approaches. She is excited to join the Luján Lab and is particularly motivated to learn how computational methods can be used to understand neural patterns underlying motivated behavior. 

UNDERGRADUATE VOLUNTEER
Jacob is a senior undergraduate student at the University of Illinois Chicago pursuing a bachelor's degree in Biological Sciences on the pre-medical track. As a new member of the Luján Lab, he is interested in understanding how substance use influences behavior and development and is excited to explore the neurobiological mechanisms underlying addiction and motivated behavior. Prior to joining the Luján Lab, he participated in the UICHeart Summer Research and Graduate School Mentorship Program, where he gained experience in cardiovascular research and investigated potential therapeutic approaches for hypertension. After graduation, Jacob plans to pursue an MD and a career in medicine.

UNDERGRADUATE VOLUNTEER

Giovanna is a third year undergraduate student at UIC, who is currently pursing a bachelor's degree in Biochemistry. She is interested in the science behind mental illness and how biological processes contribute to mental health. Through her work with patients with mental illnesses, she has a developed a strong interest in understanding the science behind the conditions she encounters. She hopes to further explore these interests through research and gain a deeper understanding of the biological mechanisms underlying mental illnesses.