Sandra Martin

Sandra Martin is a Postdoctoral Researcher at the Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences in Leipzig, Germany, where she works in the Lise Meitner Research Group Cognition and Plasticity. Her research combines neuroimaging and neuromodulation methods with graph theory, large language models, and behavioral modeling to explore cognitive changes across the adult lifespan, with a particular focus on age-related changes in memory processes and their interaction with executive functions.

Education:

• PhD in Cognitive Neuroscience (2018-2023) from the Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences, Leipzig
• M.Sc. in European Master of Clinical Linguistics (2014) from University of Potsdam, Germany & University of Groningen, The Netherlands
• B.A. in Linguistics (2012) from Humboldt University Berlin, Germany

Research Interests:

Dr. Martin's research focuses on cognitive aging, neurolinguistics, and network neuroscience. She investigates how domain-general networks contribute to language prediction and semantic cognition across the adult lifespan. Her work often employs non-invasive brain stimulation techniques like transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) to understand the causal roles of specific brain regions in cognitive processes. She is particularly interested in how executive resources shape language predictability effects and how these relationships change with age. She's a strong advocate for open and reproducible research practices including preregistration and registered reports.

Her recent publications reveal a strong trend toward understanding the neural mechanisms of semantic cognition and language processing across the lifespan. She combines multiple methodologies including fMRI, TMS, graph theory, and computational modeling to investigate how brain networks reorganize with age and how this affects cognitive performance. Her work has important implications for understanding cognitive aging and developing interventions for language disorders like aphasia.

Scientific Awards:

• Doctoral fellowship from the German Academic Scholarship Foundation (Studienstiftung des deutschen Volkes)

Advising and Grants:

Dr. Martin has been involved in several research projects, including a DFG-funded project on 'The role of domain-general networks in natural language predictions' together with Prof. Dr. Gesa Hartwigsen (Leipzig University) and Prof. Dr. Jonas Obleser (University of Lübeck). While there's no explicit mention of students she's formally advising, her role as a postdoc suggests she likely mentors junior researchers. She actively promotes open and reproducible research practices and co-organized a symposium on Good Scientific Practice titled 'Doing Good – Scientific Practice under Review'.

Labs and Teams:

Dr. Martin is part of the Lise Meitner Research Group Cognition and Plasticity at the Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences. She collaborates with researchers from Leipzig University and University of Lübeck. Her work often involves interdisciplinary teams combining expertise in cognitive neuroscience, linguistics, and clinical neurology, particularly in studying aphasia and language recovery after stroke. Her research group maintains open science practices with code and data available on GitLab and OSF.