Yasu Xu is a Postdoctoral Researcher at the McGovern Institute for Brain Research, part of MIT's renowned Brain and Cognitive Sciences program. Their research focuses on synthetic biology, particularly leveraging CRISPR-Cas systems to engineer programmable gene circuits in Escherichia coli. Xu's work emphasizes the design of bistable genetic toggle switches and plasmid systems with tunable copy numbers, integrating principles from physics and systems biology to improve CRISPR-based circuit performance. Research interests span synthetic biology, gene regulation mechanisms, and microbial engineering with applications in biotechnology and biomedical research. Xu's contributions address challenges in programmable genetic systems, including circuit stability, thermodynamic determinants of CRISPR-Cas interactions, and high-throughput assay development.
Patrick R. Sweeney is an Assistant Professor of Molecular & Integrative Physiology at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, affiliated with the College of Liberal Arts & Sciences. His research focuses on neural circuit mechanisms linking energy homeostasis, emotion, and reproduction, particularly through the central melanocortin system. He holds a B.A. from the University of Rochester (2012), a Ph.D. from SUNY Upstate Medical University (2017), and completed postdoctoral training at the University of Michigan (2017–2021). His lab employs optogenetics, calcium imaging, and molecular genetics to study how melanocortin receptors (MC3R/MC4R) regulate feeding, anxiety, and metabolic disorders like anorexia nervosa and obesity. Research Interests: Endocrinology, metabolic regulation, neurobiology, neural circuitry, optogenetics, and reproductive biology. His lab investigates how POMC/AgRP neurons communicate metabolic signals to secondary brain regions, with a focus on how dysfunction in these circuits contributes to metabolic and psychiatric disorders. Recent Work: Recent studies explore MC3R signaling in energy rheostasis, stress-feeding interactions, and lactation-associated hyperphagia. His work has implications for developing therapies targeting melanocortin pathways in obesity and anorexia. Key Techniques: Inscopix miniscope imaging, optogenetics, light-sheet imaging, single-cell RNA sequencing. Labs/Teams: Sweeney Lab focuses on interdisciplinary approaches to neural circuitry and metabolic disorders.
Ignacio Cifre León is an Associate Professor in the Psychology and Speech Therapy Department at the Blanquerna School of Psychology, Education and Sports Sciences, Universitat Ramon Llull. His research focuses on neuroscience, functional connectivity, chronic pain, fibromyalgia, Alzheimer’s disease, and health communication, using advanced neuroimaging techniques like fMRI and EEG. His research interests center on understanding brain dynamics in neurological and psychological conditions. He investigates functional connectivity patterns in Alzheimer’s, fibromyalgia, and chronic pain, and explores brain complexity related to sleep and aging. His work also extends to mental health in high-risk populations, such as refugee rescue workers, and the psychometric adaptation of clinical tools for aphasia. The recent articles highlight a strong trend in applying nonlinear and multiscale methods to neuroimaging data, integrating fractal analysis, functional connectivity, and brain network dynamics across diverse conditions. His work bridges neuroscience, psychology, and biomedical engineering, with applications in clinical assessment and intervention. He leads and participates in several funded research projects, including FluctCoFuNLin, FASTCONN, and COMSAL, supported by national agencies such as Agencia Estatal de Investigación and MINECO. These projects focus on dynamical functional connectivity, health communication, and objective brain dynamics measurement. He is a core member of the 'Comunicació i Salut' (COMSAL) research group, collaborating with interdisciplinary teams across psychology, speech therapy, and neuroscience. His work involves both primary investigation and collaborative research with experts in trauma, aging, and language disorders.
Robert M. G. Reinhart is an Associate Professor at Boston University in the Department of Psychological & Brain Sciences and Biomedical Engineering. His primary appointment is in Psychological & Brain Sciences, with affiliations in multiple centers including the Center for Systems Neuroscience and the Cognitive Neuroimaging Center. Dr. Reinhart directs the Cognitive & Clinical Neuroscience Laboratory, focusing on understanding neural mechanisms of cognition in health and disease through electrophysiology, neuromodulation, and computational modeling. His research addresses aging, Alzheimer’s disease, obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), and schizophrenia, with a focus on developing nonpharmacological therapies. He received his PhD from Vanderbilt University and joined BU in 2016 without postdoctoral training. Education: PhD in Psychology from Vanderbilt University (2016). Research Interests: Dr. Reinhart investigates causal neural mechanisms of perception and cognition using electrophysiology, tES/TMS, and computational modeling. Key areas include aging-related cognitive decline, neuropsychiatric disorders, and developing precision neuromodulation protocols. His work bridges fundamental neuroscience with clinical applications, emphasizing translational research. Publications: His recent work includes breakthroughs in memory enhancement through neural synchronization (Science, 2022), personalized neuromodulation for OCD (Nature Medicine, 2021), and studies on Alzheimer’s disease (PLOS Biology, 2024). These contributions highlight his focus on translating basic science into clinical tools. Awards: 2022 Science & PINS Prize, 2023 IOCDF Innovator Award, 2024 Early Career Award Grants: Federal/private funding supporting clinical trials in Alzheimer’s and schizophrenia Labs: Cognitive & Clinical Neuroscience Lab (directed by Reinhart), collaborating with BU’s interdisciplinary centers
Alexandre Castro Caldas is a Full Professor of Neurology at the Faculty of Medicine of Lisbon and currently serves as the Coordinator of the National Council for the Health Sciences at Universidade Catolica Portuguesa (UCP). He is affiliated with the Center for Interdisciplinary Research in Health (CIIS), where he actively contributes to neuroscience and health research. He previously directed the Neurology Service at Hospital de Santa Maria and the Institute of Health Sciences, where he played a key role in establishing the Integrated Master in Medicine program. MD, University of Lisbon PhD, University of Lisbon His research focuses on Cognitive Neuroscience, particularly the modulatory effects of environmental stimulation on the human brain, aphasia, brain injury, Parkinson’s disease, and neuroethics. He has led and contributed to numerous interdisciplinary projects, including studies on socio-economic impacts on child development and tele-rehabilitation during the pandemic. His work integrates neuroimaging, clinical neurology, and systematic reviews to advance understanding of brain function and rehabilitation. The most recent articles reflect a strong trend in neurorehabilitation, cognitive training, functional connectivity, and neuroethical implications of neuroscience and technology. His publications span high-impact journals in neurology, psychology, and interdisciplinary health sciences, emphasizing translational research and policy-relevant findings. Distinguished Career Award, International Neuropsychological Society (2009) Great Price of Medicine, Bial Foundation 1st Prize Pfizer for Young Researcher (1974, 1976, 1998) 1st Prize Sandoz (1992) Dr. Caldas has supervised numerous research projects and doctoral theses, served on examination juries, and contributed to editorial boards of international journals. He has been involved in major research grants from the Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia and Fundação Calouste Gulbenkian. His leadership extends to advising national health education policy and fostering interdisciplinary collaboration across institutions. He is a key figure in the CIIS research network and has contributed to projects such as CADOS/CIIS on child development and AQUI_LGP on sign language acquisition. His work continues to influence both clinical practice and academic research in neuroscience and health sciences in Portugal and internationally.
Prof. Dr. Karl R. Gegenfurtner is a full Professor for General Psychology at the Department of Psychology, Faculty of Psychology and Sports Science, Justus-Liebig-University Giessen. He has held this position since 2001 and leads a prominent research group on visual perception. His work bridges low-level sensory processing with higher cognitive functions and motor control. Education: Psychology Student at the University of Regensburg, Diploma in Psychology, 1986 Ph.D. in Experimental Psychology, New York University, 1990 Postdoc at Howard Hughes Medical Institute and Center for Neural Science, NYU, 1990–1993 Research Scientist at Max Planck Institute for Biological Cybernetics, Tübingen, 1993–2000 Habilitation in Medical Psychology and Behavioral Neurobiology, 1998 Professor for Biological Psychology, Otto-von-Guericke University Magdeburg, 2000–2001 His research focuses on the neural and cognitive mechanisms of visual perception, particularly color vision, object recognition, eye movements, and sensorimotor integration. He investigates how humans perceive complex scenes and objects in natural environments, how these are represented in the brain, and how visual information guides motor actions. His recent work explores topics such as color categorization in neural networks, lightness perception, dynamic size recalibration, and the role of eye movements in perceptual decisions. The 15 most recent articles reflect a strong trend toward understanding perception in real-world contexts, integrating computational modeling, psychophysics, and neuroscientific methods. Key themes include color and shape perception, attention, eye movement control, and the interplay between perception and action. Scientific Awards: Member, German National Academy of Sciences Leopoldina (2015) Wilhelm Wundt Medal, German Society for Psychology (2016) Palmer Lecture, Colour Group (UK) (2019) Turrell Lecture Berlin (2019) Russell Devalois Memorial Lecture, UC Berkeley (2024) ICVS Verriest Medal (2024) Pineapple Science Award (2024) Prof. Gegenfurtner has supervised numerous research projects and training networks, including the DFG Collaborative Research Center TRR 135 on 'Cardinal mechanisms of perception' and the International Research Training Group BrainAct. He has received major funding, including an ERC Advanced Grant (2020) for 'Color 3.0'. He has served on editorial boards of top journals such as Journal of Vision , Vision Research , and Psychological Review , and was President of the Vision Science Society (2012–2013). He is actively involved in academic service, including the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation’s fellowship selection committee. He leads the Visual Perception research group at Giessen, which investigates cortical mechanisms of vision, perception of natural scenes, and the integration of sensory and motor information. The lab employs psychophysical experiments, eye tracking, computational modeling, and neuroimaging to study perception in ecologically valid settings.
Zachary Wallmark is an Associate Professor of Musicology and Area Chair of Musicology and Ethnomusicology at the University of Oregon's School of Music and Dance. His interdisciplinary research bridges musicology, cognitive science, and sound studies, with a particular focus on musical timbre and its relationship to emotion, meaning, and cultural context. Wallmark maintains a joint affiliation with the Center for Translational Neuroscience at the University of Oregon, reflecting his cross-disciplinary approach. His research interests span popular music studies, timbre analysis, music cognition, and sound studies, with particular attention to how musical timbre functions in emotional response, aesthetic judgment, and music sociology. Wallmark's work explores these themes across diverse musical contexts including American popular music, free jazz, extreme heavy metal, and traditional Japanese music. Wallmark's publications reveal a consistent focus on timbre as a critical yet undertheorized dimension of musical experience. His work spans empirical studies of timbre perception, corpus analyses of timbre semantics, interdisciplinary investigations of timbre's role in meaning-making, and theoretical explorations of timbre's relationship to cultural and social contexts. Recent publications increasingly integrate cognitive neuroscience methodologies with traditional musicological approaches. GRAMMY Museum Foundation Scientific Research Grant UO Presidential Fellowship in Humanistic Study AMS Ruth A. Solie Award Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC) of Canada Partnership Grant National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) Fellowship Wallmark's research has received significant external funding from prestigious organizations including the NEH and the GRAMMY Museum Foundation. He is active in the Analysis, Creation, and Teaching of Orchestration (ACTOR) group, an international research partnership funded by the Canadian Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council. His work has been presented at major international conferences including the American Musicological Society (AMS), Society for Music Perception and Cognition (SMPC), Society for Music Theory (SMT), and Society for Ethnomusicology (SEM). Wallmark has also been invited to lecture at notable venues including the National Academy of Sciences in Washington, D.C. Beyond his academic work, he is a published composer, commercial musician, jazz bassist, and performer of the Japanese shakuhachi flute.
John Fitzpatrick is a Professor at the Department of Zoology, Stockholm University, leading the Fitzpatrick Lab. His research integrates experimental and phylogenetic comparative approaches to study sexual selection's role in animal evolution, focusing on pre-mating competition, mate choice, sperm competition, and co-evolutionary dynamics between sexes. Department of Zoology: Ethology Wallenberg Academy Fellow President-elect, International Society for Behavioral Ecology Co-organizer, Biology of Spermatozoa biennial meeting Key Research Areas: Trade-offs among sexual traits in halfbeak fishes Macroevolution of reproductive behaviors in sharks, rays, and mammals Sperm behavior evolution across animal phyla Coloration evolution under natural and sexual selection Scientific Leadership: Editor, Behavioral Ecology (2014-2018) Board of Reviewing Editors, Journal of Evolutionary Biology (2011-2015) Collaborative Networks: Collaborations with National University of Singapore, University of Manchester, University of Western Australia, and Stockholm University's Ecology, Environment and Plant Sciences department for pollen evolution studies. Awards: Wallenberg Academy Fellowship
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.
Albert Cardona is a Research Leader at the Medical Research Council Laboratory of Molecular Biology since 2008. His work focuses on connectomics, particularly mapping the wiring diagram of the Drosophila larval brain to understand how neuronal circuits generate behavior. Research Focus: Connectomics, Synaptic Mapping, Neural Circuit Dynamics Model Organism: Drosophila (fruit fly) Techniques: Electron Microscopy, Genetic Manipulation, Computational Modeling His recent publications highlight advancements in whole-brain connectomic mapping, comparative synaptic connectivity analysis, and quantitative neuroanatomy. These works emphasize integrating structural data with functional studies to explain behavioral complexity. Group Members: Shaurya Agrawal Elizabeth Barsotti Jiaqi Chen Marc Corrales Daniel Franco Barranco Peter Hague Ana Jesus Correia Da Silva Shi Yan Lee Laura Lungu Samia Mohinta Scott Wilson Yijie Yin Jiale Zhai
Professor Naomi Allen is a Professor in Epidemiology at the University of Oxford, based in the Clinical Trial Service Unit and Epidemiological Studies Unit (CTSU). She joined UK Biobank as Senior Epidemiologist in 2011 and became Chief Scientist in 2019, where she oversees participant follow-up through linkage with routine health-related datasets and web-based questionnaires. She plays a key role in developing the scientific strategy for future enhancements of the UK Biobank study, one of the world's largest prospective cohort studies with half a million participants. Professor Allen's research program centers on the role of diet, obesity, and circulating biomarkers in cancer development. As co-Principal Investigator of the Endogenous Hormones, Nutritional Biomarkers and Prostate Cancer Collaborative Group, she leads international pooled analyses of biomarker-prostate cancer relationships. Her work spans epidemiology, oncology, metabolic disorders, and biomarker research, with particular emphasis on investigating how obesity causes cancer through metabolomics approaches. Her recent publications demonstrate extensive utilization of the UK Biobank resource across diverse health domains. Analysis of her 15 most recent articles reveals strong focus areas in cancer biomarker discovery, metabolic syndrome and dementia risk, cardiovascular disease mechanisms, ophthalmological conditions, and innovative data linkage methodologies. The publications collectively showcase how large-scale biobank resources enable cross-disciplinary research to uncover novel disease associations and biological pathways. Professor Allen's leadership as Chief Scientist of UK Biobank positions her at the forefront of population health research. While specific awards aren't detailed in available information, her work has garnered significant attention with multiple publications being picked up by numerous news outlets, blogged about, and widely shared across social media platforms, indicating substantial scientific impact. Through her role at UK Biobank, Professor Allen supports thousands of researchers worldwide by maintaining and enhancing this critical resource. Her strategic vision ensures continued scientific value through innovative data collection methods, advanced analytical approaches, and strategic partnerships that maximize the study's utility for discovery and translation research across multiple disease areas.
Abigail A Marsh is a Professor in the Department of Psychology and the Interdisciplinary Program in Neuroscience at Georgetown University. She co-directs the Interdisciplinary PhD Concentration in Cognitive Science and leads the Laboratory on Social & Affective Neuroscience, focusing on the neural and cognitive bases of empathy, altruism, and aggression. Her research spans neuroimaging, behavioral testing, and pharmacology in children and adults. Harvard University - Ph.D. (2004) and M.A. Dartmouth College - B.A. (1999) Her work explores the intersection of social neuroscience and moral psychology, particularly the "caring continuum" extremes (extraordinary altruism vs. psychopathy). Recent publications analyze global altruism trends, neural correlates of prosocial behavior, and psychopathy's relationship to brain structure and social discounting. She received the Cozzarelli Prize, Georgetown’s Dean’s Award for Teaching, and the Bunn Award for Faculty Excellence. Key themes in her research include: Neurocomputational models of altruism and antisocial behavior Impact of childhood trauma and amygdala function on psychopathy Cross-cultural and global behavioral studies Interventions targeting primal beliefs to enhance altruism Clinical applications for psychopathy treatment Scientific awards and grants: Cozzarelli Prize (PNAS) Dean’s Awards for Excellence in Teaching (Georgetown) Bunn Award for Faculty Excellence (Georgetown) NIH and NSF grants supporting student research in her lab Her lab has produced groundbreaking studies on extraordinary altruists (e.g., kidney donors) and psychopathy, including a Netflix documentary on altruism and co-founding the nonprofit Psychopathy Is to address research underfunding and stigma.
Lars Grasedyck is a Professor of Numerical Analysis at RWTH Aachen University. His research focuses on hierarchical matrices, tensor approximation, and numerical methods for partial differential equations and matrix equations. He has contributed to applications in biomedical engineering, particularly EEG/MEG inverse problems, and is involved in software development (HLIB, HLIB-pro). Education: Diploma and Ph.D. in Mathematics at Christian-Albrechts-Universität zu Kiel (1998, 2001), Postdoctoral work at Max Planck Institute, Leipzig (2002-2010). Research: Specializes in high-dimensional numerical methods, low-rank matrices, and tensors with applications in PDEs, uncertainty quantification, and biomedical modeling. Projects: Leads DFG-funded initiatives on adaptive tensor networks for parametric PDEs and tumor progression modeling. Advising: Supervises doctoral students including Thong Le, Maren Klever, and Dieter Moser. Software: Developed HLib and HLib-pro for hierarchical matrix computations. Conferences: Active in GAMM Fachausschuss Numerische Analysis, organizing workshops and symposia globally.
Remco Westerink is Associate Professor at Utrecht University's Faculty of Veterinary Medicine and head of the Neurotoxicology Research Group at the Institute for Risk Assessment Sciences (IRAS). His work focuses on cellular and molecular mechanisms of neurotoxicants in food, drugs, and environmental pollutants. Expertise Areas: In vitro toxicology, developmental neurotoxicology, neuropharmacology, microplastics, risk assessment of chemicals Techniques: Multi-electrode arrays, calcium imaging, PC12 cell models, human iPSC-derived neurons Research explores how pollutants like pesticides, flame retardants, and microplastics affect brain development, function, and degeneration through key projects including EU-funded initiatives (TUBE, ENDpoiNTs) and national collaborations. Recent articles highlight his team's work on neurotoxic effects of: Microplastics crossing blood-brain barrier Bisphenols and PFAS disrupting neuronal networks Insecticides altering calcium signaling Organophosphate flame retardants (TCP) linked to aerotoxic syndrome Designer drugs affecting neurotransmission Scientific Contributions: Editorial Board: NeuroToxicology , Toxicology in Vitro Keynote Speaker: 1st International Congress on Global Environmental Contamination (2014) Invited Talks: International Neurotoxicology Association meetings (2012-2017) Westerink leads research into advanced in vitro models to replace animal testing, including development of 48-well microelectrode array platforms and collaborations with Mimetas and RIVM for organ-on-a-chip technology.
Dr Neil Bailey is a Senior Research Fellow at the Australian National University's School of Medicine and Psychology, leading innovative research at the intersection of neuroscience, psychology, and mental health. His work focuses on understanding how mental health can be improved through various interventions, particularly mindfulness practices and brain stimulation techniques. Dr Bailey's research interests include: Investigating how mindfulness meditation affects brain activity, cognition, and mental health outcomes Developing novel treatments for depression, obsessive-compulsive disorder, and schizophrenia Applying non-invasive brain stimulation techniques like rTMS and tACS for mental health conditions Using machine learning and EEG to predict treatment responses for depression Exploring psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy for mental health conditions His recent publications reveal a strong focus on EEG-based research, particularly examining neural connectivity patterns, developing advanced data processing pipelines like RELAX, and investigating the neural mechanisms underlying mindfulness meditation. Dr Bailey's work consistently bridges theoretical neuroscience with practical clinical applications, aiming to enhance treatment efficacy for various mental health conditions. Dr Bailey leads multiple research projects including ASSESS (studying psychedelic medicines), EMPACT (evaluating psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy for depression), and several TACS-related projects for depression and OCD treatment. He also serves as Head of Data Science at the Monarch Mental Health Group, applying his expertise in data analysis to real-world mental health challenges.
