Evan Layher

Evan Layher is a Postdoctoral Researcher affiliated with the University of California, Santa Barbara (UCSB) and Cedars-Sinai Medical Center. He works under Dr. Michael Miller at UCSB and Dr. Ueli Rutishauser at Cedars-Sinai, focusing on the neural mechanisms of memory and decision-making using intracranial electrode recordings in epileptic patients. His research bridges cognitive neuroscience, neurobiology, and clinical applications.

Evan holds a B.A.S. in Neurobiology and Psychology from UC Davis (2012) and a Ph.D. in Psychological and Brain Sciences from UCSB (2022). His doctoral work examined criterion shifting during recognition memory, exploring how decision thresholds influence behavioral and neural responses.

His research interests emphasize cognitive neuroscience, neural plasticity, and hormonal influences on brain function. Notable contributions include studies on progesterone effects on medial temporal lobe volume and the role of frontoparietal networks in decision-making processes.

Evan advocates for transparent and reproducible research practices, co-authoring a paper on ethical standards in cognitive neuroscience. His work spans basic science (e.g., neural correlates of memory) and clinical applications (e.g., schizophrenia neurobiology).

Labs/Teams: Collaborates with the Miller Lab at UCSB and Rutishauser Lab at Cedars-Sinai. His research integrates electrophysiological recordings with fMRI and behavioral paradigms.