De Young
Eating Behaviors Research Laboratory
PERSONNEL
 Eating Behaviors Lab |  Graduate students |  |
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Director
Kyle De Young Ph.D.
I have a variety of research interests that try to take advantage of available resources and the interests of the current graduate students in my lab. Left to my own devices, I gravitate towards examining the bidirectional relation between biobehavioral circadian regulation and binge eating. I'm also fascinated by state-level moderators of the restraint-restriction link and how those moderators can be understood to facilitate healthy eating behavior and how they may also be the tools of restrictive eating disorders. Finally, I've had long-standing interests in characterizing the course of eating disorders, psychometrics, and latent variable modeling, particularly with intensive, longitudinal data.
Graduate Student Researchers
Chris Mancuso, M.S.
PhD Candidate | Clinical Psychology
I am a sixth year Clinical Psychology graduate student from Boston MA. I received by B.S. in Psychology from The University of Vermont. Following graduation, I began a clinical role at McLean Hospital as a residence counselor at the Klarman Eating Disorders Unit. I subsequently transitioned to a research role at Massachusetts General Hospital working as a coordinator on a multidisciplinary study examining the underlying biologic factors contributing to the development and maintenance of low-weight eating disorders. My current research interests include how hormonal factors, such as appetite regulating hormones, play a role in food choice across eating disorders. I spend a good majority of my time (happily) tending to my dog, Ravioli. When he and I are not playing chess and drinking coffee we enjoy hiking, rock climbing and skiing. And also being around other people and dogs.
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*Chris is currently completing his predoctoral internship in New Jersey!
Samantha 'Sam' Bedard, M.S. (she/they)
PhD Candidate | Clinical Psychology
I am a fifth-year graduate student from Central NY. I received my B.S. in Psychology & Human Development at the University at Albany. I then moved to Louisville, KY to work as a Study Coordinator at the EAT Lab and Louisville Center for Eating Disorders. My research program in graduate school is broadly focused on biopsychosocial factors that might explain the occurrence of eating disorder psychopathology in the context of structural and social disparity. I am also developing a self-report measure of eating pattern regularity using a circadian framework to characterize "regularity." My NSF GRFP project is testing a chronobiological model of food insecurity and executive dysfunction among undergraduates. In my free time, I enjoy hiking in the Rockies, caring for my cat and two free-roaming rabbits, reading fiction, and rock climbing.
Lindsay Gillikin, M.S. (she/her)
PhD Candidate | Clinical Psychology
I am a fourth-year Clinical Psychology graduate student. I received my B.A. in Psychology and Women’s Gender & Sexuality Studies from Ohio State University. Following graduation, I worked as a Research Coordinator at Drexel University’s WELL Center for three years. My research interests focus on understanding mechanisms that maintain eating disorders among marginalized populations, particularly among the LGBTQ+ community. My NSF GRFP project aims to use an experimental paradigm to investigate whether minority stress processes cause binge-like eating behavior among sexual and gender minority young adults. In my free time I enjoy practicing yoga, figure skating, knitting, and being outside.
Lucy Wetherall, M.S. (she/her)
Clinical Graduate Student
I am a second-year graduate student from Northern CA. I received my B.S. from Saint Mary’s College of California, where I majored in Psychology and minored in Women’s and Gender Studies. After graduation, I moved to Philadelphia, PA, and attended Drexel University, where I received my M.S. in psychology and worked as a research coordinator. My current research interests are focused on how internal factors, such as interoceptive awareness, are related to eating psychopathology. In my free time, I love to have fun doing creative activities like ceramics, sewing, and scrapbooking. I also love sitting down with a cup of tea and a good fiction book!
Finn Livingston, M.S. (they/them)
Clinical Graduate Student
I am a first-year graduate student from Boulder CO and my bio is coming soon!
Undergraduate Student Researchers
Jaisley Mathes
Research Assistant | TiRED Study Coordinator
I am an undergraduate at the University of Wyoming set to graduate in 2026. I have always been extremely interested in eating disorders, why they occur, and how they are most effectively treated. I hope to someday enter the psychology field and treat eating disorders of all kinds, so when I ended up in Professor DeYoung's general psychology class, I jumped at the opportunity to join his lab. I have learned a lot and hope to keep learning and eventually use this knowledge to help people all over.
Carter Worcester
Research Assistant
I am currently a fourth-year undergraduate student studying Psychology with minors in Honors and Philosophy. After graduating in 2026 I hope to pursue a master's degree in clinical psychology. Currently, my research interests center around psychophysiological measurements of stress and gender differences in emotional eating behaviors. The Eating Behaviors Lab has given me direct experience and insight into the research process, and I hope to use the knowledge I have gained to better myself and help others as I continue in my career. When I'm not in the lab, I enjoy playing chess, drinking hot drinks, sleeping, and ranting about fictional stories.
Sydni Bilyeu
Research Assistant
**bio coming soon!!**
Emma Peterson
Research Assistant
I am a junior Psychology major with a minor in Honors. I’m from Casper, Wyoming, and am so happy to be where I’m at right now studying psychology at UW. I have always been very interested in understanding how humans work, how we feel, and why. I chose psychology because I wanted to be able to increase that understanding. The Eating Behaviors Lab has given me the opportunity to understand more about what a future in psychology could look like and get hands-on experience with research. It’s a fun and engaging environment. Right now, I hope to go to grad school after completing my undergraduate degree and see what my next steps are from there. In my free time, I love to spend time outside (skiing, hiking, etc.), journal, and play the piano.
Nicole Pate
Research Assistant
**bio coming soon!
Lizzy Miller
TiRED Study Remote Assistant
**bio coming soon!
Lab Alumni
Mary Zander, Ph.D.
Terra Towne, Ph.D.
Erin Mertha-Berg, Ph.D.
Ali Thiel, Ph.D.
Nicole Della Longa, Ph.D.
Angeline Bottera, Ph.D.
Evelyna Kambanis, Ph.D.
Taylor Perry
Nicole Johnson
Krystal Badillo
Lindsey Hovrud
Sean Batenhorst
Elianna Paninos
Jackie Ralph
Zoe Stone
Piper Thompson
Chloe Nelson
Mikayla Rodrigues
Ashlee Jensen
Alyssa Jordan
Emma Gulkin
Torin Rueter
Elena Harmon
Hannah Linford
Sheldon Parker
Rebecca Lockhart
Brooke Studebaker
Abbie Krolikowski
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