Scott Grafton

Scott Grafton is a Professor in the Department of Psychology at the University of California, Santa Barbara (UCSB), affiliated with the College of Letters & Science. He directs the UCSB Imaging Center and the Action Lab (West). His research focuses on understanding the neural basis of goal-directed action, motor learning, and brain plasticity, employing techniques like fMRI, EEG, and diffusion MRI. He holds an MD from the University of Southern California and completed residencies in Neurology and Nuclear Medicine.

Education: BA in Mathematics and Psychobiology (UC Santa Cruz), MD (USC), followed by Neurology residency (University of Washington) and Nuclear Medicine residency (UCLA).

Research interests include motor skill acquisition, sensorimotor transformation, and brain-behavior relationships. His lab investigates how the brain organizes movement into goal-oriented actions using advanced imaging and computational methods. Key projects involve studying motor recovery post-stroke, Parkinson’s disease, and the impact of hormones and stress on brain architecture.

Recent publications highlight work on motor cortex dysfunction in Parkinson’s, menstrual cycle effects on brain structure, and the role of corticospinal pathways in stroke recovery. The Action Lab is funded by initiatives like 'Aligning Science Across Parkinsons' and has advised numerous PhD students listed above. The group’s work is based at Psychology East, UCSB.