Note
The CV I’ve included below is a curated, narrative description of some of my more relevant experiences. You can find links to pages that elaborate on certain aspects and sections as well!
My complete CV as a PDF: Download CV (PDF)
Education
Master of Science, Cognitive Science
Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden
Expected May 2027
- I am currently a Master of Science student in the Cognitive Science program at Umeå University, where I am affiliated with the Department of Psychology. My graduate training focuses on cognitive and behavioral neuroscience with interdisciplinary coursework spanning psychology, neuroscience, and related fields.
Bachelor of Science, Neuroscience | Bachelor of Arts, Philosophy (Science, Nature, and Mind)
Minor, English (Linguistics)
Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona, USA
May 2025
Summa Cum Laude; Barrett, The Honors College
- I completed my undergraduate education at Arizona State University, earning dual bachelor’s degrees with honors. My training combined neuroscience, philosophy of mind, and linguistics, with an emphasis on both empirical research and theoretical inquiry.
- As part of my undergraduate studies, I completed an honors thesis examining the coordinated role of the hippocampus and cerebellum in spatial–social processing, which I defended in March 2025.
Research Experience
Physiology of Cortical Microcircuits Lab - Umeå University
Graduate Research Assistant December 2025 - Present
- I am currently a graduate research assistant at the Physiology of Cortical Microcircuits Lab, which is part of the Department of Medical and Translational Biology. Led by Dr. Paolo Medini, the lab uses in vivo electrophysiology, two-photon calcium imaging, and optogenetics to study cell-type-specific circuit function in the living cortex.
- Currently, I am working on a project extending a sensory gating paradigm to investigate the temporal dynamics of cortical inhibition. The goal is to identify a robust, biologically grounded marker of sensory gating deficits with relevance to schizophrenia and to understand how these dynamics fit into a broader developmental picture. This work is forming the basis of my master’s thesis.
SOCIAL Neurobiology Lab - Arizona State University
Undergraduate Research Assistant
December 2022 - August 2025
- I worked as an undergraduate research assistant in the SOCIAL Neurobiology Lab within the Arizona State University Department of Psychology under the supervision of Dr. Jessica Verpeut. The lab investigates cerebellar circuits involved in social cognition, flexible behavior, and fine-motor control using rodent models.
- My work included the design and refinement of experimental apparatuses, programming and analysis of behavioral assays, and extensive rodent handling and genotyping. I contributed to data analysis, manuscript preparation, and conference presentation materials, gaining hands-on experience with preclinical behavioral research and collaborative lab workflows.
Undergraduate Honors Thesis - Barrett, The Honors College
Independent Research Project
March 2024 - April 2025
- I conducted an independent undergraduate honors thesis examining the coordinated role of the hippocampus and cerebellum in spatial–social processing under the guidance of a thesis committee consisting of Dr. Jessica Verpeut, Dr. Federico Sanabria, and Dr. Yi-Mei Yang.
- I designed and executed an original experimental study, developed behavioral protocols, conducted rodent behavioral testing, and analyzed data using R, Python, and QuPath. The project culminated in a written honors thesis and an oral defense and provided extensive training in independent research design and scientific communication.
Conflict & Cooperation Lab - Arizona State University
Undergraduate Research Assistant
January 2022 - February 2023
- I worked as an undergraduate research assistant in the Conflict & Cooperation Lab within the Arizona State University Department of Psychology under the supervision of Dr. Athena Aktipis and Dr. Cristina Baciu.
- In this role, I conducted systematic literature reviews, performed quantitative data analysis, and contributed to collaborative research projects. This experience strengthened my skills in critical evaluation of scientific literature and interdisciplinary research.
Culture, Health, and Environment Lab (CHELab) - Arizona State University
Undergraduate Research Fellow
August 2022 - December 2022
- I was appointed as a research fellow through Barrett, The Honors College and worked with the Culture, Health, and Environment Lab under the supervision of Dr. Alexandra Brewis and Dr. Amber Wutich.
- My work focused on cultural and environmental determinants of health and involved engagement with mixed-methods research approaches. This experience broadened my perspective on interdisciplinary research at the intersection of health, culture, and environment.
Clinical Experience
Phoenix Children’s Hospital - Thomas Campus, Phoenix, Arizona
Emergency Department Technician
August 2024 - August 2025
- I worked as an Emergency Department Technician at Phoenix Children’s Hospital, part of Arizona’s only American College of Surgeons–verified Level I Pediatric Trauma Center. In this role, I supported clinical nurses and providers in the delivery of acute and emergency care to pediatric patients.
- As part of the trauma, resuscitation, and code teams, I supported nurses and providers in delivering acute and emergency care to pediatric patients. This role gave me sustained, high-acuity exposure to emergency medicine and the full texture of interdisciplinary clinical practice.
- My responsibilities included performing direct patient care tasks, assisting with emergency medical procedures, monitoring patient status, and supporting care team workflows in a fast-paced clinical environment.
Phoenix Children’s Hospital - Thomas Campus, Phoenix, Arizona
Patient Care Technician
May 2023 - August 2024
- I previously worked as a Patient Care Technician at Phoenix Children’s Hospital, primarily in Care Area 8, supporting pediatric patients in acute and critical care settings including hepatology, nephrology, neurosurgery, transplant services, and the Pediatric Epilepsy Monitoring Unit.
- In this position, I provided direct patient care under the supervision of clinical nurses, assisted with routine and specialized care tasks, documented clinical observations, and communicated patient needs to the care team. This experience strengthened my clinical skills, situational awareness, and understanding of patient-centered care in complex medical settings.
Publications
Journal Articles
Melick, A., Lukacik, D., Chawla, S., Schaefer, S. Y., Beeman, S. C., & Verpeut, J. L. (2025). A Fine Motor Task to Study Joint Kinematics in a Preclinical Model of Neurodegenerative Disease. Journal of Visualized Experiments, (220), e68128. https://doi.org/10.3791/68128
Theses
Lukacik, D. (2025). Investigating the Coordinated Role of the Hippocampus and Cerebellum in Spatial-Social Processing (Undergraduate Honors Thesis). Arizona State University Library KEEP.
Presentations
- Lukacik, D. (Mar 2025). Investigating the coordinated role of the hippocampus and cerebellum in spatial-social processing. Oral thesis defense, Department of Psychology and Barrett Honors College, ASU.
- Lukacik, D. (Apr 2024). Investigating the coordinated role of the hippocampus and cerebellum in spatial-social processing. Invited lightning talk, Interdisciplinary Neuroscience Symposium, ASU.
Posters
- Lukacik, D. (Apr 2025). Investigating the role of the hippobellum in spatial-social processing. Barrett Celebrating Honors Thesis Symposium, ASU.
- Lukacik, D., Melick, A., Schaefer, S. Y., Beeman, S., & Verpeut, J. L. (Oct 2024). Development and validation of a novel fine motor task for preclinical analysis of dexterity with implications for neurodegenerative disorders. FUN Early Career Poster Session, Society for Neuroscience Annual Meeting.
- Melick, A., Lukacik, D., Bimonte-Nelson, H. A., Schaefer, S. Y., Beeman, S., & Verpeut, J. L. (Oct 2024). Alzheimer’s disease and fine motor degeneration. Society for Neuroscience Annual Meeting.
- Lukacik, D., Melick, A., Schaefer, S. Y., Beeman, S., & Verpeut, J. L. (Sep 2024). Creation and testing of a novel fine motor task for detection of neurodegenerative precursors. AAC Scientific Conference, Barrow Neurological Institute.
Teaching Experience
Senior Teaching Assistant - Department of Psychology, Arizona State University
August 2022 – May 2025 Courses: PSY 101 Introduction to Psychology, Consumer Psychology, Personality Theory, Sleep and Dreaming
Learning Assistant - College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, Arizona State University
August 2022 – December 2022 Course: LIA 101 (First-Year Success Course)
Research Interests
My research sits at the intersection of systems neuroscience and cognitive science. I am broadly interested in how the brain processes, filters, and integrates information and what goes wrong in that machinery in psychiatric and neurodevelopmental conditions.
More specifically:
- Cerebellar circuits underlying social cognition, flexible behavior, and fine-motor control.
- Hippocampal-cerebellar communication in spatial, memory, and socio-cognitive processing.
- Cortical microcircuit physiology and sensory gating, with implications for schizophrenia and ASD.
- Consequences of early-life cerebellar injury on cognitive, emotional, and behavioral development.
- The developmental arc of sensory processing: how gating matures across the lifespan and where it can go wrong.
Longer term, I am working toward a career as a physician-scientist. I hope to do work that is rigorous at the bench and meaningful at the bedside, all in order to understand the biology of conditions that cause real human suffering and to be present for patients while doing it.
Awards & Honors
- Teaching Assistant Excellence Award, Dept. of Psychology, ASU (July 2024)
- CLAS Student Leader Award, ASU (November 2022, November 2023)
- Teaching Assistant Collegiality Award, Dept. of Psychology, ASU (December 2023)
- Dean’s List, ASU (Fall 2021 – Spring 2025)
- International Baccalaureate Diploma Recipient (May 2021)
- New American University Scholar, ASU
Leadership & Community Involvement
Certifications
- Emergency Medical Technician – Basic, Arizona DHS / NREMT (Oct 2022 – Present)
- Basic Life Support (BLS), American Heart Association (Oct 2021 – Present)
Skills
- Laboratory: Rodent behavioral testing; fine-motor task development; stereotaxic perfusion; tissue dissection; histology; microscopy.
- Computational: Python, MATLAB, R, SLEAP, QuPath, Arduino, LaTeX, Git/GitHub.
- Clinical: Emergency medical procedures; patient care; charting; basic life support; resuscitation.
- Other: Academic writing; scientific communication; data visualization; teaching and mentoring.
- Languages: English & Slovak (native); Czech (advanced); Spanish (intermediate); Swedish (beginner).
Memberships
- Associate Member, American Physician Scientists Association (Aug 2021 – Present)
- Student Member, Society for Neuroscience (May 2023 – May 2025)
If you’ve made it this far, feel free to reach out on my Contact page! Or Download a PDF of my CV!