Hayley Shasteen
Hayley Shasteen is a senior with a dual major in molecular/cellular biology and psychology. Kent State University’s Brain Health Research Institute is providing her the opportunity to broaden her knowledge of her field and contribute to an ongoing research problem.
“I will be researching brain fog, a symptom of many chronic conditions that is best described as subtle cognitive impairments, in people with different chronic conditions, such as systemic lupus erythematosus and Chiari malformation,” Hayley said. “The goal of this research is to be able to create a working definition for brain fog, as there is no current, concise definition that encompasses patients’ experience. Additionally, we are interested in investigating differences of brain fog experiences amongst patients in different chronic condition groups.”
Hayley’s research sponsor is Rachael Blasiman, Ph.D. of the Psychology department.
The Brain Health Research Institute’s summer research program, along with the humbling generosity of those who support the institute and Kent State’s remarkable students, are making her research possible.
A native of Berlin Center, Ohio, when Hayley is not researching, she enjoys gardening, hiking, watching movies and spending time with her boyfriend and cat. Hayley is also currently training to climb Pikes Peak in Colorado, which she plans to do during the summer of 2021.