Jake BonannoFlorida Atlantic UniversityClass of 2022Collaborated with a group of the world’s premier researchers, professors, and professionals in the fields of neuroscience and neuroethics.Synthesized new neuroscience knowledge into a proposal for cutting-edge neuroscience research.Engaged in interactive, cross-cultural activities and discussions about cognitive neuroscience and neuroethics through a biophysical lens.Learn more about Jake here.
Read more about Jake's achievements here.Later on, Jake would like to apply to a graduate program possibly back at FAU, his interest being in Psychology. He is still deciding whether it will be towards a Masters Degree in Psychology or a PhD in Neuroscience, which he expects to figure out through his gap year.Jake graduated from North Fort Myers High School with Summa Cum Laude and will soon be graduating Florida Atlantic University with a B.S. in Neuroscience and Behavioral Studies and a Minor in Psychology. Jake is a dedicated and attentive student who stayed involved when time permitted. He is proud to be an active HOSA member placing 2nd place in the State Leadership Conference.Jake Bonanno is ecstatic to be able to participate in the Advanced Medical Neuroscience Internship this summer. He is excited for the opportunity to both work and learn with world-leading neuroscientists as well as propose his own ideas while working with others interested in the same subjects.



My Research ProposalOur anticipated findings suggest that a microdose of 0.429 mg/70 kg of Psilocybin every three days for 21 days in combat veterans from the Iraq War, who are clinically diagnosed with post traumatic stress disorder, will show a statistically significant decrease in amygdala hyperactivity as measured by fMRI BOLD signals, DSPS score, mGluR5 receptors activation as measured by a PET scan, and hippocampal volume as measured by fMRI voxels when compared to PTSD-afflicted veterans given a placebo using a two-sample T-test.My research proposal hypothesized an answer to the question “What are the effects of microdosing Psilocybin (0.429 mg/70 kg every 3 days) after 3 weeks on US veterans from the Iraq War (2003-2011) who are clinically diagnosed with post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)?”


My Research Proposal PresentationView my research proposal presentation here.At the conclusion of the internship, I presented my research proposal to a panel of judges including Dr. James Giordano, Dr. Sherry Loveless, Dr. Joseph DeFranco, and Eleanor Thompson.In the Advanced Medical Neuroscience Internship, I worked directly with some of the world’s leading brain scientists to learn about neuroethics, neurocognitive health, and revolutionary developments in the field.
View my research presentation video here.


The Frontier of NeuroscienceDeep Brain StimulationI had the unique opportunity to speak with Dr. Michael Okun, founder of the University of Florida Movement Disorders Program.Within his work, Dr. Okun utilizes Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS), which operates like a pacemaker within the brain and is often inserted via conscious surgery.During surgery, electrodes are put in the brain to regulate electrical signals and help with conditions like Epilepsy, Parkinson’s Disease, Dystonia, Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder, and Essential Tremor.Pioneering NeuroaestheticsAs a pioneer of the field, Dr. Michael Heinrich, Professor and Dean of Students at Coburg University, was the perfect person to introduce us to the study of neuroaesthetics.This field aims to discover the universal laws underlying the finding of beauty and justify them through neurobiology. It is derived from foundational ideas of perceptual psychology, evolutionary biology, functional anatomy, cultural anthropology, and neurological methods.When applied to architecture, neuroaesthetics can facilitate the creation of built environments that promote the harmonious balance of all aspects of wellbeing.


Internship Highlights

Dr. James Giordano

The Creative Brain

Mind-Body Interventions

Experts & Mentors

I had the chance to work and collaborate directly with Dr. James Giordano, Chief of Georgetown University’s Neuroethics Studies Program.

In addition to his involvement with a variety of educational institutions, Dr. Giordano is the author of over 350 publications in neuroscience and neuroethics.

During our first meeting, Dr. Giordano guided us through an exploration of our own brains, minds, and selves, probing for the problems, meanings, and questions within the world that surrounds us.

In subsequent meetings, Dr. Giordano frequently prompted both introspection and extrospection to encourage familiarity with the our own minds, as well as our environment, and how the two can interact to our benefit.

I had the opportunity to discuss stimulating creativity with brain science with Dr. Adam Green, the Director of the Lab for Relational Cognition at Georgetown University.

Dr. Green maintains that creative insights are “the product of connections made between things other people didn’t put together,” and we explored the neurological foundations of this theory.

In this sense, creativity becomes an exchange between connecting and disconnecting from memory, as memory is imperative to accessing a starting point and a frame of reference.

This disconnection allows people to generate a new path from the same beginning. One must be able to recognize what they currently know in order to stray from it.

Mind-Body Interventions are utilized for the treatment, wellness, and enhancement of the mind and brain. These interventions can be categorized into “low-tech” and “high-tech” mind-body Interventions.

“Low-tech” mind-body Interventions allow you to modify the interactions between the brain and mind through accessible and non-invasive techniques.

In contrast, “high-tech” mind-body Interventions are less accessible and can involve invasive procedures.

This new knowledge allowed me to assess the intersection between brain, mind, and body and how they can work together to improve the wellbeing of an individual.

Along with Dr. Giordano, I had the opportunity to work closely with Dr. Justin Rossi, who taught us about the research proposal we would need to design and develop.

Dr. Rossi introduced us to the social, historical, and pathological understandings of what constitutes “normal,” as well as how we see spectrums and selection in the range of global health contexts.

In addition to Dr. Rossi, my team met directly with Carmine Carullo, former Planning and Performance Manager at ExxonMobil and current Manager of Medicine and Occupational Health, and Bill Stefan, a senior executive in the U.S. Federal Government.

Mr. Carullo and Mr. Stefan spoke of resilient leadership and how to adapt and endure in a wide array of high-pressure environments.