Meet Our Team
Our lab brings together students and collaborators with interests in neuroscience, pharmacy, education, technology, and community health.
Katie M. Holick, Ph.D. — Principal Investigator
Dr. Katie Holick is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Sciences at the University of Montana’s Skaggs School of Pharmacy. She earned her Ph.D. in Neuroscience at UM and completed postdoctoral research at the United States Army Medical Research Institute of Chemical Defense, where she investigated how chemical and biological toxins affect communication between neurons.
Her research connects neuroscience and pharmacology with immersive learning and community-engaged approaches to health. Current projects explore virtual reality as a tool for supporting empathy in healthcare, helping patients understand immune responses, and engaging students in science. She also collaborates with community partners on culturally grounded approaches to nutrition and wellness. Across these efforts, she values reciprocal relationships and research shaped by community knowledge and priorities.
A dedicated educator and mentor, Dr. Holick teaches pharmacology and neuroscience and supports students as they develop their interests and confidence as researchers. She has received multiple Rho Chi Professor of the Year awards in recognition of her teaching.
Originally from Chinook, Montana, Dr. Holick is a descendant of the Blackfeet Tribe and Turtle Mountain Chippewa. Her connections to Montana and her Indigenous heritage inform her commitment to community partnerships and expanding opportunities in science and healthcare. Outside the university, she enjoys spending time with her wife and their son.
Mackenzie Breitner — PSDD Doctoral Student
Mackenzie contributes to the lab’s immersive learning research, including work examining immersion, agency, and learner experience in virtual reality chemistry education.
Lauren Dupuis, PharmD and PSDD MS — Master’s Student – Graduated Spring 2026
Lauren contributes to the Indigenous healthcare empathy project and research examining the experiences of the Blackfeet Community Advisory Board. Her work includes sharing the project through scholarly presentations and manuscript development.
Shelly Cooley — PSDD Master’s Student and PharmD Candidate
Shelly contributes to the Indigenous healthcare empathy project, including community-engaged research and scholarship focused on the Community Advisory Board partnership.
Ben Dembacher – Undergraduate Student Researcher
Max Nelms - Undergraduate Student Researcher
Johnathon Byrd – Post Bac Researcher
Raven Rittman – Post Bac Researcher
Community partners and collaborators
Our research depends on the expertise of community advisors, cultural knowledge holders, healthcare professionals, educators, and technology collaborators. Project pages will recognize partners and describe their contributions with their permission.