Dr. Franziska Labrenz is a researcher at the Department of Medical Psychology and Medical Sociology within the Faculty of Medicine at Ruhr University Bochum. Her work focuses on the complex mechanisms of visceral pain and its modulation by psychological and social factors. Department: Medical Psychology and Medical Sociology Academic Rank: Researcher Key Collaborators: Prof. Elsenbruch, Dr. Icenhour, Prof. Benson Research Interests : Dr. Labrenz investigates interoceptive sensations, particularly chronic visceral pain, through behavioral experiments and neuroimaging studies. Her research explores how stress, anxiety, attention, and learning/memory processes influence pain perception, with a focus on gut-brain interactions and neurovascular responses during inflammation. Publication Trends : Her recent work (2023-2015) spans visceral pain neuroimaging, inflammation-related anxiety, fear conditioning models, and sex-based differences in pain processing. Key methodologies include fMRI, functional connectivity analysis, and experimental endotoxemia. Core Themes : Visceral Pain Mechanisms Neuroimaging & Functional Connectivity Stress-Anxiety-Pain Interactions Gut-Brain Axis Sex Differences Conditioning & Extinction Processes
Dr. Joanna Kłosowska is a Lecturer at the Department of Clinical Psychology, Jagiellonian University's Faculty of Philosophy. Holding a doctorate with distinction from the same institution (2016), she serves on the Institute of Psychology's Didactic Committee and maintains active roles in research and teaching. Her research focuses on clinical psychology, psychopathology, and health psychology , particularly examining personality, cognitive, and emotional mechanisms behind compulsive behaviors, stress-related disorders, and pain psychology. Current projects explore interoception in pathological skin-picking and the psychological consequences of stress. Recent publications center on chronic pain assessment tools, skin-picking disorders, and observational learning effects . Collaborative work with Przemysław Bąbel and others appears in journals like Scientific Reports , Journal of Pain , and Psychological Assessment . Scientific recognition includes: Rector's 3rd degree individual award for teaching (2023) Rector's 2nd degree team award for organization (2022) Rector's 3rd degree team award for teaching (2021) Rector's 3rd degree individual award for science (2019) Active in international collaborations, she serves as member of the American Psychological Association (APA) , European Association of Clinical Psychology , and Society for Occupational Health Psychology . Her research has featured in major Polish media outlets including Gazeta Wyborcza and Radio Kraków .
Nuno Barbosa-Rocha, PhD is an Associate Professor and Vice-President at the School of Health of Polytechnic of Porto (ESS | P.PORTO). He serves as a Senior Researcher (integrated member) at NeuroLab and Director of the Center for Translational Health and Medical Biotechnology Research (TBIO). His research focuses on cognitive/social dysfunctions in mental disorders, leveraging behavioral methods and brain stimulation for intervention development. He pioneers scalable digital solutions for translational health, emphasizing personalized interventions and cognitive monitoring through data-driven approaches. Education: PhD in Psychology from the University of Porto (2012). His work bridges clinical neuroscience and technology, addressing mental health challenges through innovative solutions like EEG sensors for sleep studies and video-based stress monitoring systems. He actively explores the impact of digital media on child development and workplace well-being, with cross-national studies on psychosis-like experiences contributing to global mental health research. Research Interests: Cognitive remediation, digital health technologies, neurophysiological interventions, and occupational health strategies. His lab develops unobtrusive sensors and AI models for real-world health applications, advancing personalized care paradigms. Key innovations include wearable EEG devices and multimodal stress detection systems. Labs/Teams: Directs TBIO Center and collaborates with NeuroLab. Active in translational research bridging academia-industry partnerships. His work emphasizes ethical AI implementation and scalable healthcare solutions.
Irina Strigo, Ph.D. is Professor-in-Residence in the Department of Psychiatry at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) School of Medicine and Research Biologist at the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. She is affiliated with the UCSF Weill Institute for Neurosciences and maintains the ePainLab research group. Her academic journey began with a B.Sc. and Ph.D. in Physiology from McGill University, Montreal, Canada, followed by research training at Columbia University (Radiology), Barrow Neurological Institute (Neurosurgery), and UC San Diego (Psychiatry). Dr. Strigo's research focuses on brain networks that process pain and emotion in individuals with depressive disorders, anxiety disorders, chronic pain, and traumatic brain injury. Her work seeks to understand how individual differences in pain response relate to pain chronification, with particular emphasis on interoception, pain anticipation, and the neural mechanisms underlying pain-emotion interactions. She has pioneered research connecting traumatic experiences with altered pain processing, particularly in veterans with PTSD and traumatic brain injury. Analysis of her recent publications (2023-2025) reveals a strong focus on chronic low back pain mechanisms, interoceptive attention training using digital platforms, and the intersection of pain with mental health conditions. Her work increasingly incorporates machine learning approaches for pain phenotyping and shows a growing emphasis on translational applications of neuroscience to develop novel pain interventions, particularly for veteran populations. The research spans multiple disciplines including neuroscience, psychology, pain medicine, and digital health. Dr. Strigo has secured significant research funding through multiple NIH grants as Principal Investigator, including projects examining mu opioid mediated pain vulnerability in combat mild Traumatic Brain Injury (I01CX001652), neurobehavioral correlates of pain in PTSD (I01CX000816), and neural processes underlying pain perception in depression (R21MH077205). Her work has also been supported by the National Alliance for Research in Schizophrenia and Depression (NARSAD), the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, and the Painless Research Foundation. She leads the ePainLab at UCSF, which investigates the neural basis of pain processing and modulation. Her research bridges basic neuroscience with clinical applications, particularly in veteran populations, and has contributed significantly to understanding the relationship between trauma, mental health conditions, and pain processing. Dr. Strigo has established herself as a leading researcher in the field of pain neuroscience with over 150 publications and extensive collaborations across multiple institutions.
Maria Almarcha is a Postdoctoral Research Fellow at the School of Human Movement and Nutrition Sciences within the Faculty of Health, Medicine and Behavioural Sciences at the University of Queensland. Her research focuses on the intersection of exercise science, human movement, and mental health, with a particular emphasis on personalized exercise prescription and embodied education. Her research interests span exercise science, sports medicine, and human movement, with specific focus on exercise prescription for health, creative dance and its impact on creative potential, transdisciplinary embodied education in STEM, proprioception assessment, and the network physiology of exercise. She investigates how exercise interventions can enhance mental health, interoceptive awareness, and overall well-being, particularly in the context of modern challenges like teleworking. Dr. Almarcha has published 7 journal articles from 2021 to 2024, demonstrating a consistent research trajectory in personalized exercise and embodied approaches. Her work often adopts transdisciplinary methods, integrating perspectives from physiology, psychology, and education to address complex health and movement issues. She is available for supervision of research students, indicating her active role in mentoring the next generation of researchers in her field.
Dr. Jakob Kaiser is a Post-Doctoral Research Fellow at Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich (LMU) within the Department of Psychology: General and Experimental Psychology. He holds a PhD from the University of Sussex, focusing on emotions in decision making. His research investigates self-control mechanisms, the sense of agency's influence on behavior, and the impact of technology on human autonomy. Education: Bachelor’s in Computer Science (University of Greifswald) Master’s in Cognitive Science (University of Osnabrueck) PhD in Psychology (University of Sussex) Research Interests: Self-Control: Investigating how humans regulate impulses, particularly in health-related contexts. Sense of Agency: Exploring how perceived control shapes behavior and social interactions, with implications for mental health. Human-Computer Interactions: Evaluating how AI systems can support or hinder self-regulation and agency in users. Publications: His recent work focuses on neuroscientific mechanisms underlying decision making, the role of subjective control in learning, and the societal implications of AI technologies. Key themes include neural oscillations, interoceptive processing, and the interplay between emotion and action regulation. Grants/Funding: Principal Investigator of a DFG-funded project investigating agency and self-control mechanisms. Labs/Teams: Leads research within LMU’s experimental psychology group, collaborating on interdisciplinary projects at the intersection of neuroscience and technology.
Prof. Joydeep Bhattacharya is a Professor of Psychology at Goldsmiths, University of London. His research focuses on complex cognition, creativity, music perception, and neural mechanisms underlying decision-making and flow states. He holds fellowships from the Royal Society of Arts and the Association for Psychological Science. PhD (2000): 'In search of regularity in irregular, complex time series' Previous affiliations: Max Planck Institute (Germany), Austrian Academy of Sciences, Caltech (USA) Research interests include chaos theory, creativity enhancement via brain mapping, and EEG/MEG-based neuroimaging. Key grants include the EU-funded CREAM (2013) and EPSRC-funded IDYOM (2010). Over 150 publications span cognitive neuroscience, music cognition, and nonlinear dynamics. Media engagements include articles in National Geographic, Discover Magazine, and Medium discussing creativity, flow, and neuroscience.
Dr. Tiare Feuchtner is a Tenure-Track Assistant Professor of Human-Computer Interaction at the University of Konstanz since 2021. She previously worked as a postdoctoral researcher at the Technical University of Vienna and Aarhus University, where she coordinated the MADE Fast project. PhD: Computer Science, Aarhus University (2018), thesis: 'Designing for Hand Ownership in Interaction with Virtual and Augmented Reality' Master's: Computer Science, Berlin Institute of Technology Bachelor's: Media Informatics, Technical University of Vienna Her research focuses on Human-Computer Interaction, emphasizing embodiment and novel user interfaces for immersive cross-reality (XR) technologies. She investigates embodied user interfaces that enable direct interaction through virtual bodies ('avatars') with transformations, augmentations, and 'superpowers' via multisensory feedback. Current projects include Interoceptive Signalling in Mixed Reality and Real-Time Optimization of XR User Interfaces. Her recent articles explore hybrid input devices, haptic props for 3D manipulation, physiological feedback in collaboration, and adaptive XR interfaces. She has received awards for her work, including the Microsoft Imagine Cup (2013). She actively contributes to academic service through conference organization (e.g., AlpCHI'26, QiVC'23), program committees (CHI, ISMAR), and workshops (Women* in Computing, Hybrid User Interfaces). Her teaching includes courses on human-computer interaction, Unity, and spatially-aware interactive spaces.
Dr Sarune Savickaite is an early career researcher and Lifelong Learning Tutor at the University of Glasgow's School of Psychology & Neuroscience, with expertise in immersive education, neurodiversity, and cognitive psychology. She holds an affiliate role in the School and contributes to External Relations as a tutor. Her work emphasizes inclusive education and innovative teaching methodologies, particularly leveraging virtual reality (VR) technologies. Key contributions include co-organizing the AVRA conference and collaborating with Meta on the SEER Project to advance immersive education. She has secured grants, including the 2024 Great Britain Sasakawa Foundation award for interdisciplinary workshops on interoceptive awareness. Her research spans VR applications in autism research, cognitive perception studies, and neurodiversity-inclusive design. Dr Savickaite actively publishes in journals like i-Perception and Journal of Enabling Technologies , focusing on topics such as synesthesia simulation, animacy perception, and VR-based pedagogy. Education: Details not explicitly stated in the provided texts. Her research interests center on bridging cognitive science and educational technology, with a focus on how immersive environments can enhance learning for neurodiverse populations. Notable projects include the XRed initiative exploring future immersive education frameworks and studies on VR's role in understanding individual differences in visual processing and empathy. Publications highlight her work on VR applications in autism research, including collaborative efforts to define VR taxonomies and participatory action research methodologies. She also investigates creativity measurement in neurodivergent populations and the ethical implications of avatar design in VR. Grants: Interdisciplinary Workshops on Interoceptive Awareness (2024), funded by the Great Britain Sasakawa Foundation. Dr Savickaite is involved in collaborative projects like the SEER initiative, which scopes extended educational realities, and contributes to lab-based research such as the ALIVE project assessing avatar learning impacts in virtual environments.
Dr. Lata K. McGinn is a Professor of Psychology and Director of the Cognitive & Behavioral Therapies (CBT) Training Program and Clinic for Anxiety Disorders, OCD, Trauma, and Depression at Yeshiva University's Ferkauf Graduate School of Psychology. She holds leadership roles in global organizations like the World Confederation of Cognitive and Behavioral Therapies (WCCBT), where she promotes evidence-based mental health practices. Her academic journey includes a PhD from Fordham University (1993) and postdoctoral training at Montefiore Medical Center. Dr. McGinn's research focuses on CBT interventions for anxiety, depression, OCD, and trauma. She pioneered the Mind-Action-Mood (M&M) prevention program, implemented in NYC schools to build resilience. Her work also includes studies on pharmacologically induced depression prevention and cultural influences on mental health. Recipient of the Beck Scholar title and ABCT Fellow, she has authored books like *Treatment of Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder* and co-edited *Treatment Plans and Interventions for Depression and Anxiety Disorders*. Her lab (ADAPT) evaluates programs like SAGE Foundations and OCD Intensive Therapy, emphasizing clinical training and global mental health advocacy. Awarded the Outstanding Service to ABCT (2020), Dr. McGinn chairs ABCT's International Associates Committee and serves on editorial boards of journals like *Cognitive and Behavioral Practice*. Her trainings, such as the 2025 Trauma and Prolonged Exposure workshop, bridge research and clinical practice.
Gaby Pfeifer is a Lecturer in Psychology at the School of Psychology, University of Southampton . With a background in cognitive neuroscience and biological psychology, her research examines interoception and psychophysiological processes across the lifespan , focusing on how mind-body connections change with age and interact with personality traits. She leads the Year 2 Developmental Psychology module and supervises students at all levels, including PhD candidates and doctoral trainees in clinical and educational psychology programs. Her work also involves public engagement on career planning across the lifespan and advising on work-based learning opportunities. Research interests include: Interoception and emotional processing Ageing and cognitive health Personality-neurophysiology interactions Functional neurological disorders Intolerance of Uncertainty Recent publications explore diverse topics spanning interoceptive sensitivity during pandemics, autonomic patterns in neurological disorders, and neurochemical impacts of alcohol use. Her methodological approach integrates subjective measures with behavioral and physiological techniques. Teaching and supervision covers developmental psychology, clinical training programs (DClinPsych, DEdPsych), and interdisciplinary research collaborations with institutions like Brighton & Sussex Medical School and University of York.
Prof Martin Yeomans is a Professor of Experimental Psychology at the University of Sussex's School of Psychology, leading the Sussex Ingestive Behaviour Group. He has secured over £3 million in research grants since joining Sussex in 1989, with a focus on appetite regulation, taste-learning mechanisms, and the neurobehavioral impacts of diet. His work spans academic, industrial, and policy contexts, including collaborations with companies like Emteq on smart glasses technology. Education: BSc (Hons) Applied Biology, University of Bath (1979–1983) PhD Psychology, University of Edinburgh (1983–1987) His research interests center on the physiological and cognitive controls of eating behavior, including studies on taste-reinforced learning, cross-modal interoception, and the effects of dietary components (e.g., caffeine, sugar) on memory and impulsivity. He actively collaborates with food and pharmaceutical industries, providing consultancy on sensory-physiology interactions and product development. Yeomans has published over 100 peer-reviewed articles, 20 book chapters, and co-edited a book on Flavor, Satiety and Food Intake . Grants and Projects: Innovate UK-funded project on smart glasses for appetite regulation (2024–2024) Australian Research Council: Regulation of desire by bodily state (2021–2024) Leverhulme Trust: Neural basis of odor-taste associations (2018–2022) BBSRC: Western-style diet effects on cognitive control (2015–2018) and flavor-based learning (2005–2008) Advising and Teaching: Currently supervises 2 PhD students at Sussex and co-supervises others at collaborating institutions Teaches courses like Psychology of Appetite and Cognition in Clinical Contexts Runs weekly student drop-in sessions and Zoom office hours Labs and Teams: Sussex Ingestive Behaviour Group (website and Twitter active) LeviSense project exploring levitating food and flavor perception Collaboration with Emteq on OCOsense smart glasses for dietary behavior tracking
Ted Brown is an Associate Professor and Undergraduate Course Coordinator in the Department of Occupational Therapy at Monash University's Faculty of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences. He has over 30 years of clinical and academic experience, including roles at Kingston Psychiatric Hospital, Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario, and La Trobe University. His research focuses on pediatric occupational therapy, evidence-based practice, and the application of the Rasch Measurement Model. Ted has contributed to 538 publications and 14 research projects, including studies on sensory processing, motor skills, and interprofessional collaboration. Education: Bachelor of Science in Occupational Therapy (Honours), Queen's University (1986) Master of Public Administration (Health Care Policy), Queen's University (1989) Master of Science in Rehabilitation, Queen's University (1991) PhD in Occupational Therapy, University of Queensland (2003) Graduate Certificate in Health Professional Education, Monash University (2006) Research Interests: Paediatric occupational therapy and family-centered care School-based intervention and assessment methodologies Rasch analysis of clinical scales Evidence-based education for health professionals Sensory processing and play in neurotypical children Awards: Inaugural Fellow of the Occupational Therapy Australia Research Academy (2017) FAOTA designation from the American Occupational Therapy Association (2019) Recipient of multiple research grants including Allied Health Research Committee Awards (2003, 2007) Advising & Grants: Supervised over 20 PhD, masters, and honours theses on topics like paramedic education, sensory processing, and falls prevention Principal Investigator on projects funded by Monash University, Carers Australia, and Hong Kong Polytechnic University Recipient of Academy Better Teaching grants (2018) and international research collaborations Labs & Teams: Active in Monash's occupational therapy education programs and collaborates with institutions like Deakin University (Honorary Professor) and Hong Kong Polytechnic University on curriculum development initiatives.
Mark Gardner is a Principal Lecturer in Psychology at the University of Westminster, Faculty of Science and Technology, Department of Psychology. He has been with the university since 2000 and serves as the course leader for the BPS-accredited MSc Psychology conversion program. He is affiliated with the Centre for Psychological Sciences and is actively engaged in research, teaching, and academic leadership. His educational background includes a PhD from University College London, supervised by Prof Cecilia Heyes, focusing on animal imitation, and postdoctoral research under Prof Lucy Yardley on attention and balance systems in a Wellcome Trust-funded project. His research spans three major areas: visual perspective-taking and its role in social cognition and mental state attribution (Theory of Mind), with implications for autism and schizophrenia; the cognitive effects of hydration , particularly how water consumption influences attention, memory, and academic performance; and higher education research , including interdisciplinary learning, open science, and the impact of lecture capture on student learning. His work integrates experimental psychology and quantitative methods. His recent publications (2018–2025) show a consistent focus on spontaneous perspective-taking, interoception, hydration effects across age groups, and educational innovations. These studies employ diverse methodologies, from behavioral experiments to longitudinal learning analytics, and are published in journals such as Journal of Experimental Psychology , Cognitive Neuropsychiatry , Appetite , and Scholarship of Teaching and Learning in Psychology . He has received the Westminster Teaching Fellowship in recognition of his contributions to pedagogy. His professional memberships include: Advance HE (since 2015) Experimental Psychology Society (since 2013) British Psychological Society (since 2011) Mark Gardner has supervised several doctoral researchers, including Tamara Przelonskowski, Rosa Leino, Jeremy Corcoran, and Maria Flynn. He has secured funding from the Experimental Psychology Society for projects such as 'Arrows or Agents? Re-evaluating evidence for implicit mentalising in the dot perspective task'. His teaching focuses on research methods, quantitative methods, and statistics for both undergraduate and postgraduate psychology students. He is actively involved in research groups and centers, particularly the Centre for Psychological Sciences , and contributes to initiatives promoting open science and interdisciplinary collaboration in education.
Thorsten Erle is an Assistant Professor at the Department of Social Psychology, Tilburg University, affiliated with the Tilburg School of Social and Behavioral Sciences. His research focuses on social cognition, particularly perspective-taking mechanisms and their implications for empathy, decision-making, and mental health. He explores embodied cognition, including visuo-spatial perspective-taking and interoceptive accuracy, and investigates non-verbal communication via emojis in digital interactions. His work contributes to UN Sustainable Development Goals related to well-being and social cohesion. Research interests include ostracism coping strategies, coalition formation dynamics, and mental state attribution. Recent studies analyze how choice availability and incentive structures influence responses to social exclusion, and how perspective-taking enhances coalition success. He also examines facial thermal signatures linked to coping behaviors and integrates interdisciplinary frameworks to unify mental state attribution concepts. Thorsten’s articles span 2015–2025, emphasizing social psychology, behavioral economics, and psychophysiology. His work highlights the role of perspective-taking in collaboration and decision-making, with practical applications in organizational settings. He coordinates the social psychology track in the bachelor’s program and manages the department’s lab facilities, supporting experimental research.
