Neurochemistry and Cognition Lab

Expertise: Cognitive neuroscience, executive function, neuromodulator systems (dopamine, acetylcholine), aging.

Education: Postdoctoral Fellowship, Neuroscience, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, UC Berkeley; Ph.D., Neuroscience, University of Michigan; B.A., Neuroscience, Oberlin College.

Research Interests: Alex is interested in changes in cognitive processing throughout aging, and potential adaptation in processing strategies. His previous research experience investigated this primarily through language processing and memory tasks, and pupillometry as a measure of cognitive effort.

Education: B.A., Linguistics, University of Massachusetts Amherst

Emma is interested in the uses of PET/MR imaging in advancing the research and treatment of neurodegenerative disease and psychiatric conditions. Her previous research explored memory and cognition of older adults, particularly regarding the influence of age-related hearing loss on the recall of rapid narrative speech.

Education: B.S., Neuroscience, Brandeis University 

Research Interests: Patrick is interested in understanding the neurological basis of cognitive processes and how neurological/psychiatric conditions alter cognition. His previous research involved studying how metal cofactors are implicated in the structure and function of the Hepatitis B virus X protein (HBx) at the Pandelia Lab at Brandeis University.

Education: B.S., Neuroscience, Psychology, Biology, Brandeis University

Research Interests: Hsiang-Yu used a multimodal approach including pupillometry assessment, MRI, and modeling during her Ph.D. to investigate decision-making and reward learning in aging. Her current research interests include PET and pupillometry study to understand how age-related decline in the catecholaminergic functioning such as dopamine or norepinephrine may affect decision-making in old age and how it may be related to brain network activity or tau pathology.

Education: Ph.D., Psychology, Technische Universität Dresden

Research Interests: Tom studies how catecholamine synthesis modulates age-related changes in cognition and functional brain network architecture. His work combines multimodal neuroimaging with analysis methods from network science.  During his Ph.D., Tom used fMRI to study how brain networks interact over time during rule-learning and abstract reasoning tasks.

Education: Ph.D., Computational Neuroscience, Boston University

Research Interests: Jenny’s research centers on the behavioral and neurobiological mechanisms underlying motivation and decision-making across the adult life span. To study this, she uses a variety of techniques, including behavioral, neuroimaging (fMRI, PET), and translational (EMA, passive sensing) methods.

Education: Ph.D., Psychological & Brain Sciences, Washington University

Research Interests: Claire’s current interests involve studying how the dopamine and norepinephrine systems are related to mechanisms of resilience and reserve in aging, and how these mechanisms impact structural and functional brain changes in healthy older adults. Before starting a Ph.D. at Brandeis, Claire worked as the lab manager in the Neurochemistry and Cognition Lab.

Education: B.A., Psychology, Rice University.

Research Interests: Teodora's research interests include neuroimaging and neuromodulation, specifically looking at how the serotonin system works to compensate for changes related to normal and pathological aging. In the past, she has worked on understanding the evolutionary purpose of chronic pain using mouse models, as well as on characterizing the proteome of RNA granules.

Education: M.S., Neuroscience, Brandeis University; B.S., Psychology, McGill University

Research Interests: In the past, Rachel has worked in psychological assessment and imaging techniques such as fNIRS, MRI, and PET. Her current research interests use fMRI and PET imaging techniques to understand sex differences of catecholaminergic functioning in age-related cognitive decline and what roles these difference may play in brain network activity or tau pathology.

Education: B.A., Psychology, Brandeis University

Research Interests: Daisy's research interests are centered within the domains of Aging, Cognition & Perception, and Memory changes associated with aging and underlying mechanisms of neurodegenerative illnesses. e.g Alzheimer's disease. 

Education: B.A., Psychology, University of Massachusetts Lowell; A.S., Human Services, North Shore Community College

Research Interests: Aurora’s current interests center on how clinical and cognitive factors interact across the lifespan, with a focus on how comorbid conditions influence memory and psychological resilience. She plans to pursue a Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology to contribute to research that examines how psychobiological processes underlie complex trajectories of behavioral adaptation and affective regulation throughout development and aging.

Education: B.S., Psychology, Emory University

Research Interests: Griffin is interested in the neurocognitive processes to do with aging and language and how cognitive imaging can help further understanding into the underlying neurological processes. Their previous research explored the predictive and comprehensive processes involved with spoken language, in particular, using novel statistical modelling to piece out the complex processing. They plan to pursue Ph.D in the field of language cognition investigating the neural mechanisms of language processing and prediction.

​Education: B.A., Psychology, Brandeis University

Research Interests: Katherine is assisting with Brandeis aging Brain Study (BABS) neuropsych grading, and is interested in exploring the role of neuromodulator systems in aging. After college, Katherine plans to pursue a M.D with an ultimate goal of working in neuropathology.

Education: Pursuing a B.S in HSSP with a minor in Studio Art

Research Interests: Shaian is assisting with analysis of Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy (MRS) data acquired as part of the  LC study. After undergraduate studies, Shaian plans to pursue a Ph.D. in neurochemistry to run his own lab studying neuropathological disorders.

Education: Pursuing a B.S. in Chemistry & Psychology

Research Interests: Chiamaka is assisting with the Brandeis Aging Brain Study (BABS) neuropsych assessment grading, and is interested in researching the neurobiological roots of mental illnesses and dopamine’s influence on cognitive processes. Chiamaka plans to pursue a M.D. with the goal of working as a neuropsychiatrist.

Education: Pursuing B.S. in Neuroscience

Research interests: Maya is assisting with the Brandeis Aging Brain Study (BABS) neuropsych cognition testing and is interested in exploring the neural mechanisms underlying memory and emotion After college, Maya plans to pursue an M.D. with the goal of specializing in emergency medicine or surgery.

Education: Pursuing a B.S in Neuroscience with a minor in Psychology

Research Interests: Kaitlyn is assisting with the Brandeis Aging Brain Study (BABS) neuropsych assessment grading. She is interested in investigating the mechanisms and risk factors of neurodegenerative disorders such as Alzheimer’s disease. Following college, Kaitlyn plans to pursue a M.D. with the goal of specializing in neurology.

Education: Pursuing a B.S. in Neuroscience and Biology

Education: B.A., Psychology, Sociology, Brandeis University

Megan, a former program manager is now a Senior project manager in the Human Interactive Division at Toyota Research Institute.

Education: Postdoctoral Fellowship, Biomechanics, Biodesign Lab, Harvard University; Ph.D., Psychology/Exercise Physiology, Ohio University; M.S. Exercise Physiology, Ohio University; B.S. Exercise Science, St. Ambrose University.

 Education: B.S., Neuroscience, University of New Hampshire; Former Masters student

Alex, a former program manager and research assistant is now a Project manager at Redwire Space.

Education: M.S., Project Management, Boston University; B.S., Psychology, University of Miami

Johanna, a former research assistant joined a master program in public health with a concentration in epidemiology at UMass Amherst.

Education: B.S., Neuroscience, University of Rochester; Former Research Assistant

Education: B.S. in Neuroscience with minors in Computer Science and Linguistics, former undergraduate research assistant

Education:  B.S. in Neuroscience and Biology with a minor in Anthropology, former undergraduate research assistant

Education: Psychology, B.A. Point Loma Nazarene University; Former Research Assistant

Jourdan graduated from the Brandeis University in 2024 with her Ph.D. in Psychology. She is now a Post-doctoral Fellow at Massachusetts General Hospital investigating network dynamics that underly cognitive symptoms of long-COVID and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome using multimodal neuroimaging.

Education: Ph.D., Psychology, Brandeis University; M.A., Psychology, Brandeis University; B.A., Neuroscience, Boston University.

Education: M.P.H., University of Massachusetts Amherst; B.S., Biology, Stonehill College; Former Research Associate

Education: B.S., Biology, Kansas State University; Former Rotating Neuroscience PhD Student

Education: B.S. in Neuroscience; Former Undergraduate Research Assistant

Education: Pursuing a B.S. in Neuroscience and Psychology; Former Undergraduate Research Assistant

B.A., Psychology, University of Colorado, Boulder; Former Research Assistant