Find Academic Supervisors

Charan RanganathView profile

Professor

• Human Memory
• Executive Control
• Neuroimaging
• +7 more

Charan Ranganath is a Professor in the Department of Psychology at the University of California, Davis, and director of the Dynamic Memory Lab. He is affiliated with the UC Davis Center for Neuroscience and the Center for Mind and Brain, focusing on human memory and executive control using neuroimaging, electrophysiology, and behavioral methods. His research explores the neural basis of memory, including roles of the prefrontal cortex, medial temporal lobes, and hippocampus in working and long-term memory. Education: Ph.D., Clinical Psychology, Northwestern University M.S., Clinical Psychology, Northwestern University B.A., Psychology, University of California, Berkeley Ranganath’s research spans hippocampal-cortical interactions, curiosity-driven memory enhancement, schizophrenia-related memory deficits, and computational models of memory systems. His work reveals overlapping prefrontal and medial temporal lobe activity in memory tasks and investigates how stress, aging, and neuromodulation affect memory dynamics. His research trends emphasize episodic memory , relational memory , neural oscillations , cortico-hippocampal networks , curiosity-driven learning , and clinical applications in mental illness. Scientific Awards: Guggenheim Fellowship Leverhulme Trust Visiting Professorship Laird Cermak Award Samuel Sutton Award Chancellor’s Fellow award Young Investigator Award (Cognitive Neuroscience Society) National Security Science and Engineering Faculty Fellowship (2015) He has secured grants from the Department of Defense, National Institute of Mental Health, and private foundations. His lab collaborates with Andy Yonelinas on recognition memory and with others on field potentials in hippocampal studies. He teaches Human Learning, Cognitive Neuroimaging, and Current Research in Psychology.

• Neuroscience
• Synaptic Plasticity
• Neurophysiology
• +3 more

Maximilian Lenz is a Professor at the University of Freiburg's Faculty of Medicine, affiliated with the Institute of Anatomy and Cell Biology. His research focuses on neural plasticity, brain stimulation, and neurophysiological mechanisms, with emphasis on synaptic adaptation and neural network dynamics. Research interests include: Synaptic Plasticity : Homeostatic scaling, structural adaptations, and denervation-induced changes. Neurostimulation : Magnetic stimulation protocols (e.g., iTBS600) and neuromodulation platforms. Neuropathology : Stroke recovery, microglial responses, and inflammation-related synaptic alterations. His publications (15 most recent) predominantly explore plasticity mechanisms across rodent and human neural tissues, with methodological innovations in slice-culture models and transcriptomic/proteomic analysis. Awards: Doctoral Prize of the Dr. Walter and Luise Freundlich Foundation (2018) Advising & Collaborations: He mentors doctoral candidates (e.g., Kruse, Pia) and collaborates on interdisciplinary projects involving neuroengineering, molecular biology, and clinical neuroscience.

Andreas HerzView profile

Professor

• Computational Neuroscience
• Theoretical Neuroscience
• Neural Coding
• +11 more

Andreas Herz is a Professor and Senior Scientist at the Division of Neurobiology, Faculty of Biology, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München (LMU). He is a Board Member and Speaker of the Bernstein Center Munich, a leading institution in computational neuroscience. His research integrates theoretical modeling with experimental data to explore neural dynamics, information processing, and spatial navigation. Institution: Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München School: Faculty of Biology Department: Division of Neurobiology Leadership: Speaker, Bernstein Center Munich Email: herz@bio.lmu.de Herz’s research focuses on computational and theoretical neuroscience, particularly the neural basis of spatial navigation, population coding in grid cells, dendritic spine biophysics, and sensory information processing. He employs methods from dynamical systems, probability theory, and information theory to model single neurons and large-scale networks. His work spans model systems from grasshoppers to rodents and zebrafish, aiming to uncover general principles of neural computation. The recent publications highlight a strong trend in understanding grid cell dynamics, spatial memory, and dendritic computation. His work frequently involves decoding neural population activity, analyzing in vivo electrophysiological data, and developing theoretical frameworks for neural coding. Themes include burst firing, phase precession, remapping, and energy-efficient neural coding. He has mentored numerous PhD and MSc students through the Graduate School of Systemic Neurosciences (GSN), including Alexander Mathis, Johannes Nagele, and Michaela Poth. His group actively collaborates with experimental labs, contributing to interdisciplinary advances in neuroscience.

Laura ColginView profile

Professor

• Neuroscience
• Learning and Memory
• Health Promotion/Disease Prevention
• +5 more

Laura Colgin is a Professor in the Department of Neuroscience at the University of Texas at Austin, serving as Director of the Center for Learning and Memory and holding the Karl Folkers Chair in Interdisciplinary Biomedical Research. Her work focuses on understanding how neuronal oscillations in the hippocampus and entorhinal cortex coordinate population activity during learning and memory. She employs advanced techniques like multisite tetrode and Neuropixels recordings in freely behaving animals to study memory representation and disturbances in rodent models of cognitive disorders. Her research interests span electrophysiology, optogenetics, computational neuroscience, and behavioral analysis, with a focus on translating findings to understand learning disabilities and memory disorders. Colgin directs the Colgin Lab, which investigates rhythmic coordination in neural circuits and its impact on spatial navigation, memory consolidation, and cognitive impairments. Recent publications highlight her work on hippocampal gamma rhythms’ role in encoding novel experiences, sleep-dependent memory replay, and disturbances in oscillatory patterns in models of epilepsy-bipolar disorder comorbidity. She also explores spatial coding differences during slow vs. fast gamma rhythms and the effects of early-life stress on long-term cognitive decline. Awards: BBRF Distinguished Investigator (2024) Suffrage Science Award (2020) NSF CAREER Award (2015) Labs/Teams: Colgin Lab, Center for Learning and Memory Her interdisciplinary approach bridges basic neuroscience with translational research, addressing mechanisms underlying memory disorders and developing models to study cognitive dysfunction.

Michael RuggView profile

Professor

• Cognitive neuroscience
• Memory systems
• Aging research
• +3 more

Michael Rugg is Distinguished Chair in Behavioral and Brain Sciences and Professor at the University of Texas at Dallas. He serves as Director of the Center for Vital Longevity and leads the fNIM Laboratory. His research examines cognitive neuroscience of memory, aging, and neurological disease using fMRI and EEG techniques. Dr. Rugg earned his PhD (1979) and BS (1976) in Psychology from the University of Leicester. His research focuses on neurobiological mechanisms underlying episodic memory formation and retrieval, with particular emphasis on age-related changes in brain structure and function. Current investigations explore how neural differentiation and cortical reinstatement patterns predict longitudinal cognitive changes in healthy aging populations. Publication analysis reveals consistent focus on fMRI and EEG methodologies applied to episodic memory processes, with recent work emphasizing predictive biomarkers of cognitive aging and neural correlates of memory precision. Longitudinal designs and machine learning approaches increasingly characterize his research output. Honors and Awards Henri Hecaen Award for Contributions to Neuropsychology (1989) Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh (1996) Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (2009) Fellow of the Association for Psychological Science (2010) Major grants include funding from NSF and NIA supporting memory research. As director of the Center for Vital Longevity, he oversees collaborative research teams investigating lifespan cognitive changes. Dr. Rugg previously served as editor-in-chief of Neuropsychologia.

Kei IgarashiView profile

Associate Professor

• Alzheimer's Disease
• Neuroscience
• Memory Mechanisms
• +6 more

Kei Igarashi is the Chancellor's Fellow & Associate Professor in the Department of Anatomy & Neurobiology at the University of California, Irvine. His research focuses on understanding brain mechanisms underlying memory formation and their disruption in Alzheimer's disease, particularly investigating the entorhinal cortex and hippocampal circuits. Key areas include dopaminergic signaling's role in memory encoding, neuronal remapping deficits in disease models, and circuit dynamics in olfactory and spatial learning. Research Interests: Alzheimer's Disease, Entorhinal Cortex Function, Hippocampal Circuits, Dopaminergic Pathways, Neuronal Remapping, and Neurodegenerative Mechanisms. Recent work highlights early entorhinal dopamine dysfunction in Alzheimer's models and the co-dependent role of prefrontal and entorhinal neurons in learning item-outcome rules. His lab uses advanced electrophysiological techniques, including multi-electrode recordings and optogenetics, to study these processes.

James KnierimView profile

Professor

• Systems Neuroscience
• Cognitive Neuroscience
• Computational Neuroscience
• +13 more

James Knierim is a Professor of Neuroscience at the Solomon H. Snyder Department of Neuroscience, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, and a researcher at the Zanvyl Krieger Mind/Brain Institute. His laboratory investigates the neurophysiology of memory and spatial navigation in the hippocampal formation using advanced techniques such as multi-electrode recordings, optogenetics, and virtual reality systems like the Dome apparatus. PhD, California Institute of Technology BA, Psychology, Haverford College Dr. Knierim's research focuses on how the brain forms cognitive maps of the environment through the activity of place cells, grid cells, and head direction cells. His work explores the roles of the medial and lateral entorhinal cortex in providing allocentric spatial context and egocentric content representations, respectively, which are integrated in the hippocampus to form episodic memories. He investigates neural computations such as pattern separation and pattern completion across hippocampal subfields (DG, CA3, CA1), and how these processes are affected by aging. His lab also studies path integration and its recalibration through sensory feedback. The recent publications from his lab span topics including neural coding in the dentate gyrus, functional heterogeneity in CA3, aging-related neural changes, multiplexing of spatial and temporal information, and closed-loop control of place cells. These works reflect a strong trend toward integrating behavioral paradigms with computational modeling and advanced neurophysiological techniques to understand memory and navigation at the systems level. Notable scientific contributions include: Discovery of functional differences between CA1 and CA3 place cells supporting attractor network theories Demonstration of non-spatial coding in the lateral entorhinal cortex First physiological demonstration of path integration recalibration in freely moving rodents Identification of distinct firing properties of dentate gyrus mossy cells vs. granule cells Dr. Knierim mentors a team of postdoctoral fellows and graduate students and collaborates with researchers in engineering, psychology, and biomedical sciences. His lab is supported by grants from the NIH and DOD, enabling interdisciplinary projects on neural basis of navigation and memory. He has trained numerous former lab members who have gone on to faculty and research positions worldwide. The Knierim Lab operates within the Zanvyl Krieger Mind/Brain Institute and collaborates closely with the LIMBS Lab in Mechanical Engineering, reflecting a strong interdisciplinary approach to understanding brain function. The lab utilizes cutting-edge tools including Neuropixels probes, miniscopes for calcium imaging, and the Dome virtual reality system for studying freely moving rodents.

Michael BrechtView profile

Researcher

• Neuroscience
• Computational Neuroscience
• Neural Circuits
• +1 more

Michael Brecht is a researcher at the Bernstein Center for Computational Neuroscience , affiliated with Humboldt University Berlin . His work focuses on structure-function relationships in the nervous system , particularly in mammalian brain cells. Research Interests: Decoding neural circuits in the medial entorhinal cortex Linking brain cell structure to functional roles Computational neuroscience approaches to neural microcircuit analysis Scientific Contributions: His 2019 study with Andrea Burgalossi on Microcircuits of functionally identified neurons in the rat medial entorhinal cortex represents a key finding in understanding how specific neurons contribute to brain function. This work aligns with broader trends in computational neuroscience exploring neural architecture and functionality.

Azahara OlivaView profile

Assistant Professor

• Neuroscience
• Memory Systems
• Brain Dynamics
• +3 more

Azahara Oliva is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Neurobiology and Behavior at Cornell University's College of Arts and Sciences. Her research focuses on understanding how global brain states modulate local network activity during learning, memory, and sleep, with a particular emphasis on hippocampal and cortical circuits. Research Themes: Neural coordination across brain regions Role of brain states in memory consolidation Computational tools for analyzing neural dynamics Integration of experimental and theoretical approaches Key Methodologies: Large-scale depth electrodes (Neuropixels), closed-loop optogenetics, fiber photometry, and data mining techniques applied to single-cell and population-level neural activity. Scientific Recognition: Suffrage Science Award Klarman Fellow

• Neuroimaging
• Neuroscience
• Cognitive Science
• +3 more

Jorge Jovicich is a Full Professor in the Department of Psychology and Cognitive Science at the University of Trento, Italy. He holds concurrent roles at the Center for Mind/Brain Sciences (CIMeC) and the Centre for Medical Sciences (CISMED). With expertise in functional neuroimaging and MRI technology, he leads the MRI lab and Methods Group at CIMeC since 2006. His academic career spans postdoctoral research at institutions like MIT, Caltech, and Harvard Medical School, alongside roles as a lecturer in neuroscience and medical imaging. Education includes a PhD in Physics from the Max-Planck Institute and University of Leipzig, an MSc in Medical Imaging from the University of Aberdeen, and a Licenciatura en Física from the Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. His research focuses on brain connectivity, neurodegenerative disorders (e.g., Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s), and advancing MRI techniques for clinical applications. He has contributed to projects like the ISMRM reproducibility challenge and developed tools such as ReStNeuMap for functional MRI network analysis. Teaching spans global institutions including Harvard, MIT, and the Instituto Balseiro in Argentina. His work emphasizes translational neuroimaging, bridging basic science and clinical practice. Key interests include biomarker development for neurodegenerative diseases and optimizing neuroimaging protocols for accuracy and reproducibility. Recent research trends include exploring temporal resolution in fMRI, thalamic nuclei segmentation, and microstructural pathways in cognitive impairment. Collaborative efforts aim to standardize neuroimaging practices and improve diagnostic accuracy through advanced MRI methods.

• Big Data
• Neuroimaging
• Model-Free Data Analysis
• +4 more

Christian Beckmann is a Full Professor of Statistics in Imaging Neurosciences at Radboud University Medical Centre Nijmegen and a Principal Investigator at the Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour. His career spans institutions including the University of Twente, Imperial College London, and the University of Oxford, with a focus on interdisciplinary approaches integrating cognitive neuroimaging, imaging genetics, and pharmacology. Education: MSc and DPhil degrees at the University of Oxford (20014). His research centers on developing novel computational analysis methods for neuroimaging data, particularly Independent Component Analysis (ICA), applied to connectomics, imaging epidemiology, and big data analytics. He emphasizes creating sensitive, specific, and interpretable tools for neurobiological applications, such as the widely used FSL (FMRIB Software Library), which impacts over 650 institutions globally. Scientific Awards: Thomson Reuters/Clarivate Analytics Highly Cited Researcher (2014–2016) NWO VIDI Fellowship (2014) Wiley OHBM Young Investigator Award (2011) Membership, Young Academy, University of Twente (2011) Advising & Grants: He has trained over 20 PhD students (8 completed) and 9 postdoctoral researchers, securing grants from the Netherlands Organisation for Scientific Research and other international bodies. His work bridges technical innovation with clinical applications, advancing diagnostics and treatment strategies.

• Neuroimaging
• Alzheimer’s Disease
• Functional Connectivity
• +3 more

Francesca Mandino is an Associate Research Scientist in the Department of Radiology & Biomedical Imaging at Yale School of Medicine. Her research focuses on neuroimaging methodologies, functional connectivity analysis, and neurological disorders such as Alzheimer’s disease, autism spectrum disorders, and hydrocephalus. She employs advanced MRI techniques and animal models to study brain dynamics and neural networks. Her work emphasizes translational research, integrating multimodal imaging (e.g., fMRI, calcium imaging) with genetic and behavioral studies. Key projects include investigating CSF dynamics in neurodevelopmental disorders, developing consensus protocols for rodent neuroimaging, and exploring synaptic changes in traumatic brain injury. Collaborations with experts like Evelyn Lake, Xilin Shen, and Michael Crair highlight interdisciplinary approaches to understanding brain function and disease. Publications span topics like Alzheimer’s pathology reversal via mGluR5 modulators, anesthesia effects on neuroimaging, and the role of PTEN mutations in cortical circuitry. Her studies often utilize mouse models to bridge preclinical findings with clinical insights. Dr. Mandino’s contributions advance neuroimaging standards and uncover mechanisms underlying cognitive and neurological disorders, with implications for diagnostic and therapeutic strategies.

Stuart GreenhillView profile

Senior Lecturer

• Neuroscience
• Neuropharmacology
• Synaptic Plasticity
• +3 more

Stuart Greenhill is a Senior Lecturer in Neuroscience at Aston University, affiliated with the College of Health and Life Sciences. He holds dual roles as Associate Dean for Planning and Portfolio in the College and Honorary Research Fellow at Cardiff University. His research focuses on synaptic plasticity mechanisms in physiological and disease states, particularly using electrophysiology, functional imaging, and molecular biology to investigate neural circuit adaptations in psychiatric and neurological conditions. He teaches courses in neuroscience and is a member of professional bodies such as the Society for Neuroscience and British Pharmacology Society. Education includes a PhD in Neuropharmacology from the University of Bath and a BSc (Hons) in Pharmacology from the University of Edinburgh. His research projects involve collaborations with the Aston Neuroscience Institute (ANI) and the Aston Laboratories for Translational Epilepsy Research (ALTER). Current PhD students include Max Wilson, Ellen Black, and Nicole Marley (as Associate Supervisor). Research interests emphasize synaptic receptors and cellular processes underlying neural circuit dynamics, with recent work exploring cannabidiol’s role in epilepsy and cortical oscillations. His publications span topics like GABA-A receptor modulation, optogenetic entrainment, and anti-seizure mechanisms.

Alexandra GrubmanView profile

Research Fellow

• Neurodegenerative Disorders
• Alzheimer's Disease
• Microglia
• +7 more

Dr. Alexandra Grubman is an Adjunct Research Fellow at Monash University's Anatomy & Developmental Biology department, with a career spanning microbiology, neurodegenerative disorders, and Alzheimer's disease (AD). She completed her PhD at Monash under Prof Richard Ferrero, identifying Vitamin B synthesis as critical for Helicobacter pylori survival. Her postdoctoral work at the University of Melbourne focused on biometal homeostasis in Batten disease. In 2016, she joined Prof Jose Polo's lab at Monash to study microglia diversity in AD using single-cell sequencing, brain organoids, and iPSC models. Research Interests: Mechanisms of cell identity in AD, microglia-based therapies, and diet/gut-brain axis effects on cognition. Funding: Secured $1.9M as Chief Investigator across projects on brain organoids, iPSC reprogramming, and anti-inflammatory copper complexes. Key Contributions: Developed a single-cell transcriptome database for AD (http://adsn.ddnetbio.com/), a dual-fluorescent microglia reporter line, and demonstrated transcription factor -driven AD cell-state transitions. Scientific Awards: NHMRC Dora Lush Scholarship Melbourne Neuroscience Institute Fellowship (2015) NHMRC-ARC Dementia Research Development Fellow (2016) Supervision: Mentored 1 PhD graduate (1 current), 1 Master's, 4 Honours, and 5 undergraduate students.

Nikolai AxmacherView profile

Professor

• Memory Formation
• Cognitive Neuroscience
• Neural Networks
• +5 more

Nikolai Axmacher is a Professor at the Department of Neuropsychology , Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience , within the Faculty of Psychology at Ruhr University Bochum . His research focuses on understanding how experiences are transformed into memory traces, how memory is impaired by trauma and Alzheimer's disease, and the neural mechanisms underlying spatial navigation and learning. Combines cognitive neuroscience methods (EEG, fMRI, intracranial recordings) Investigates memory consolidation during rest and sleep Develops AI-based algorithms for decoding neural representations Studies autobiographical and social memory systems His recent work explores the interplay between memory and spatial navigation, particularly in populations at risk for Alzheimer's disease. Using high-resolution neuroimaging (3T/7T fMRI) and electrophysiological recordings, he examines distributed BOLD activity patterns and oscillations in memory networks. Though no formal scientific awards are listed in the provided texts, his publications in Nature Communications , Science Advances , and Current Biology demonstrate significant impact. Contact: nikolai.axmacher@ruhr-uni-bochum.de | Room IB 6/185 | Phone +49 (0)234 32-22674