JNE Early Career Editorial Board

The Journal of Neuroendocrinology (JNE)'s Early Career Editorial Board empowerx emerging neuroendocrinologists with knowledge, expertise and skills to excel in their scientific career.

The Board was formed as part of JNE’s commitment to the neuroendocrine community and the support of early career researchers (ECRs) in the field across the world.

Benefits for early career researchers

Mentoring from senior JNE editors aligned to your area(s) of research on the editorial process.
Experiential learning through shadowing a senior editor from your area of research expertise.
Access comprehensive career development online workshops on science publishing and peer-review.
Networking with peers on the ECR editorial board and mentors from the JNE senior editorial board.
Opportunity to provide feedback on the content published in the journal, and suggest special issues, commentaries, and topical reviews.

Benefits for the Journal of Neuroendocrinology

Fostering the next generation of neuroendocrinologists
Fresh perspectives and ideas
Inclusivity in neuroendocrine research community
Continuity in the journal's rigorous, fair and thorough editorial and peer review process

Meet our new JNE Early Career Editorial Board

	Dr Jessica Chadwick Dr Jessica Chadwick is a pre-clinical molecular neuroscientist and currently holds a position as a Postdoctoral Researcher within the Department of Brain Sciences at Imperial College London. She specialises in feeding biology, intermittent fasting, high fat diet and the gut brain axis, investigating how dietary changes impact hormones key to energy homeostasis, such as leptin. She aims to understand how the communication between neurons and endocrine signals adapt to changing environments, focusing on mechanistic insights supported by a background in genomics and signalling pathways. With a PhD in Molecular Neuroendocrinology from Imperial, she has led several diverse projects spanning neurometabolism, circadian biology and reproductive neuroendocrinology.
	Dr Helen Eachus Helen is a newly appointed Lecturer in Neuroscience at Aston University, UK, specialising in developmental neurobiology. Her research focuses on utilising zebrafish models to elucidate how stress influences brain development and behaviour, particularly through the modulation of the Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Interrenal axis. Helen carried out her PhD at the University of Sheffield, UK, and conducted post-doctoral research at the University of Sheffield, UK; Johannes-Gutenberg University of Mainz, Germany; and the University of Exeter, UK. Helen uses omics, imaging and behavioural analysis to identify molecular regulators underlying stress-regulated brain plasticity. Current projects in the lab include investigating the effects of stress on brain aging, and investigating the role of stress hormones in the pathophysiology of schizophrenia.
	Dr Isadora Furigo Dr Isadora Clivatti Furigo is Assistant Professor in Coventry University-UK. Her research focuses on studying the brain areas involved in the control of metabolism in normal and imbalanced conditions, such as obesity, diabetes, and pregnancy. She did her bachelor's in health sciences, Master in Anatomy and PhD in Human Physiology at the University of Sao Paulo-Brazil. During her post-doc in Donato’s lab in Brazil, she has described the role of growth hormone in the central control of metabolism. At Ozanne’s lab in the University of Cambridge, she studied the effects of maternal obesity to the development of the offspring’s brain.
	Dr Teodora Georgescu I completed my PhD at the University of Aberdeen in 2017, investigating how specific neurons contribute to obesity. I then joined the Centre for Neuroendocrinology at University of Otago as a postdoctoral researcher to study how prolactin regulates maternal adaptations. Now a research fellow, I focus on how pregnancy hormones influence autonomic functions, including thermoregulation, fever, breathing, and cardiovascular control. I’m particularly interested in how the brain drives these drastic physiological changes to support maternal and foetal health. Understanding these mechanisms is both fascinating and essential for improving our knowledge of pregnancy adaptations.
	Dr Vito Hernandez My research focuses on understanding how subcortical peptidergic neurons influence complex behaviors. I initially studied the hypothalamic vasopressinergic system and later expanded to other peptidergic systems, such as PACAP and kisspeptin. As an Assistant Professor at the School of Medicine, National Autonomous University of Mexico, I enjoy teaching physiology and neurophysiology to graduate and undergraduate students. I have served on the council and executive council of the International Regulatory Peptide Society, fostering collaborations with exceptional colleagues. As a former Fulbright scholar, I am convinced that science thrives when knowledge is shared across nations, promoting progress beyond borders.
	Dr Bradley Jamieson I received my PhD from the Centre for Neuroendocrinology, University of Otago, NZ, investigating how the biological clock regulates hormone release for ovulation. In 2020, I joined the Francis Crick Institute as a postdoctoral fellow. I am currently studying the neural mechanisms of care behaviour. By integrating neuroendocrinology and systems neuroscience, I aim to explore how hormones shape brain function and behaviour across development. My neuroendocrine interests include stress, reproduction and developmental neuroendocrinology.
	Dr Stephen Manchishi An academic with a background in microbiology and molecular biology (BSc., University of Zambia (UNZA), Zambia), neuron physiology (MSc., Northeast Normal University, China) and reproductive neuroendocrinology (PhD, University of Cambridge, UK). He is currently a lecturer and researcher at UNZA, with research interest in the neuroendocrine regulation of reproductive axis, and fertility, in mammals. Outside the official job description, Stephen is interested in championing STEM education among young learners in Zambia, by supporting and contributing to various outreach programmes, internships, prizes and scholarships to deserving scholars. He is working on contributing to establishing/strengthening the existing research laboratory in his department.
	Dr Aleisha Moore Dr Aleisha Moore has been an Assistant Professor at Kent State University since 2021. She obtained her PhD in Neuroscience from the University of Otago and completed postdoctoral training at the University of Mississippi Medical Center. Dr Moore’s research aims to understand the complex neural networks that integrate external and internal cues to control reproductive function in mammals. In particular, her work focuses on the role of cells expressing the neuropeptides Kisspeptin, Neurokinin B, and Dynorphin (referred to as KNDy neurons) in regulating reproductive capacity, as well as their involvement in the etiology, pathology, and treatment of polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), the leading cause of anovulatory infertility in individuals with ovaries.
	Dr Miguel Ruiz Cruz Dr Miguel Ruiz Cruz is a neuroendocrinology researcher specializing in the molecular mechanisms regulating Kiss1 neurons, which play a key role in the development and maintenance of reproductive function. He completed his PhD in 2023 under the supervision of Prof. Manuel Tena-Sempere and Prof. Juan Roa at the University of Córdoba. Recognized for his research excellence, Dr Ruiz Cruz has received multiple awards, including the Julia Buckingham Award from the British Society for Neuroendocrinology. Currently, he is a Postdoctoral Fellow in the lab of Prof. Allan Herbison at the University of Cambridge, supported by a fellowship from the Alfonso Martín Escudero Foundation.
	Dr Kalyan Shekhda After completing my core medical and research training, culminating in the award of Diplomate of the National Board (DNB) in 2015 in India, I relocated to the United Kingdom in 2017 to pursue advanced training and research opportunities. I commenced my specialist training in Diabetes and Endocrinology within the North Central London Deanery in March 2020. Currently, I am undertaking a fellowship in neuroendocrine tumours and endocrine oncology at the Neuroendocrine Tumour Unit, Royal Free London NHS Foundation Trust, an ENETS Centre of Excellence. My primary research interests lie in neuroendocrine tumours with a particular focus on theranostics, as well as the intersection of neuroendocrine tumours and reproductive health.
	Dr Rajae Talbi I am a junior neuroscientist with a keen interest in neuroendocrinology. Throughout my research career, I have been driven by a central question: how do the reproductive and metabolic systems communicate and influence each other? I grew up in Fes and earned my BSc in Biology and MSc in Neuroscience in my native Morocco, before moving to Europe for my PhD in the Neurobiology of rhythms at the University of Strasbourg, in France. My journey then took me to the United States for my postdoctoral training in the Navarro lab at the Brigham and Women’s hospital and Harvard Medical School, in Boston (MA). In early 2025, I will be making another exciting international move, this time to Montreal, Canada, to begin a role as Assistant Professor and open my research lab (a childhood dream come true!). My lab will tackle major outstanding questions about the intricate metabolism-reproduction loop at the neuronal and behavioral levels. Beyond the lab, I love hiking, swimming, cooking, and catching live music. You’ll also often find me stargazing with a telescope – I once dreamt of becoming an astronaut!