Principal Investigator
Asaf Gilboa, Ph.D.
I completed my undergraduate studies at the Hebrew University in Jerusalem, majoring in Psychology and the Amirim inter-disciplinary program. I received my M.A. degree in Clinical Neuropsychology from the Hebrew University in Jerusalem where I studied the neurocognitive effects of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI). I received my Ph.D. in Psychology and Neuroscience from the University of Toronto, where I studied the cognitive neuroscience of remote memory. I then pursued postdoctoral studies at the Rotman Research Institute in Toronto focusing on prefrontal contributions to memory monitoring and control. I was a Lecturer and Senior Lecturer at Haifa University in Israel where I also served as co-director of the Clinical Neuropsychology program. I am currently a Senior Scientist at the Rotman Research Institute at Baycrest as well as an Associate Professor in Psychology at the University of Toronto and Affiliate Scientist at the Toronto Rehabilitation Institute. Together with my lab members I investigate neurological and neuropsychiatric aspects of memory disorders. Our research focuses on memory disorders such as amnesia, dementia and confabulation, employing various methodologies (lesion analysis, fMRI, Skin conductance, ERP and MEG) to investigate of the mechanisms underlying these disorders. I have co-authored over 50 articles and book chapters, and have received several awards including the Dusty and Ettie Miller Fellowship for Outstanding Young Scholars and the Donald T. Stuss Award for Research Excellence.
I completed my undergraduate studies at the Hebrew University in Jerusalem, majoring in Psychology and the Amirim inter-disciplinary program. I received my M.A. degree in Clinical Neuropsychology from the Hebrew University in Jerusalem where I studied the neurocognitive effects of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI). I received my Ph.D. in Psychology and Neuroscience from the University of Toronto, where I studied the cognitive neuroscience of remote memory. I then pursued postdoctoral studies at the Rotman Research Institute in Toronto focusing on prefrontal contributions to memory monitoring and control. I was a Lecturer and Senior Lecturer at Haifa University in Israel where I also served as co-director of the Clinical Neuropsychology program. I am currently a Senior Scientist at the Rotman Research Institute at Baycrest as well as an Associate Professor in Psychology at the University of Toronto and Affiliate Scientist at the Toronto Rehabilitation Institute. Together with my lab members I investigate neurological and neuropsychiatric aspects of memory disorders. Our research focuses on memory disorders such as amnesia, dementia and confabulation, employing various methodologies (lesion analysis, fMRI, Skin conductance, ERP and MEG) to investigate of the mechanisms underlying these disorders. I have co-authored over 50 articles and book chapters, and have received several awards including the Dusty and Ettie Miller Fellowship for Outstanding Young Scholars and the Donald T. Stuss Award for Research Excellence.
Post-Docs
Erik Wing, Ph.D.
I moved to Toronto to do postdoctoral research with Asaf Gilboa and Jennifer Ryan after completing my PhD in cognitive neuroscience at Duke University, where I worked with Roberto Cabeza. My doctoral research explored the relationship between initial memory formation and subsequent retrieval, including how initial sensory representations are recapitulated in the brain during recollection. One recurring theme in this work, and in the field more broadly, is that memories are not faithful reproductions of past experience but are instead shaped by numerous factors that can cause certain content to be differentially prioritized, distorted, or schematized. From the very outset, information that makes its way into memory is influenced by our expectations, biases, and correspondence to prior knowledge. My current research focuses on how having organized knowledge about a particular domain (anything from art history to cars) influences learning and memory for related material. This process is familiar to anyone who initially struggles to learn unfamiliar information but finds that subsequent learning is easier once new material can be integrated into an emerging knowledge framework. With respect to brain function, I am interested in exploring how the acquisition of visosemantic expertise leads to schematic reshaping of related neural representations, with corresponding consequences for different forms of memory.
Erik Wing, Ph.D.
I moved to Toronto to do postdoctoral research with Asaf Gilboa and Jennifer Ryan after completing my PhD in cognitive neuroscience at Duke University, where I worked with Roberto Cabeza. My doctoral research explored the relationship between initial memory formation and subsequent retrieval, including how initial sensory representations are recapitulated in the brain during recollection. One recurring theme in this work, and in the field more broadly, is that memories are not faithful reproductions of past experience but are instead shaped by numerous factors that can cause certain content to be differentially prioritized, distorted, or schematized. From the very outset, information that makes its way into memory is influenced by our expectations, biases, and correspondence to prior knowledge. My current research focuses on how having organized knowledge about a particular domain (anything from art history to cars) influences learning and memory for related material. This process is familiar to anyone who initially struggles to learn unfamiliar information but finds that subsequent learning is easier once new material can be integrated into an emerging knowledge framework. With respect to brain function, I am interested in exploring how the acquisition of visosemantic expertise leads to schematic reshaping of related neural representations, with corresponding consequences for different forms of memory.
Graduate Students
Victoria (Tong) Liu, B.A.
I received my bachelor degree in Neuroscience and Cognitive Science from the University of Toronto. Throughout my undergraduate years, I received a wide range of training from computational neuroscience to social cognitive neuroscience. My interdiscinplary experience collectively contributed to my current research interest as a graduate student of the lab, which is to computationally model the semantic and episodic memory networks. I am currently working on a project to map out the temporal evolution of cortical semantic networks during incidental learning. The photo was taken in December 2020, in front of my bookcase with all the books I read in 2020!
I received my bachelor degree in Neuroscience and Cognitive Science from the University of Toronto. Throughout my undergraduate years, I received a wide range of training from computational neuroscience to social cognitive neuroscience. My interdiscinplary experience collectively contributed to my current research interest as a graduate student of the lab, which is to computationally model the semantic and episodic memory networks. I am currently working on a project to map out the temporal evolution of cortical semantic networks during incidental learning. The photo was taken in December 2020, in front of my bookcase with all the books I read in 2020!
Prateek Dhamija, M.Sc.
My interest in neuroscience comes from a background in biology and behavioral neuroscience. I first became involved in neuroscience in my third year at Queen's university where I conducted electrophysiological field recordings in the hippocampus. From there, I became interested in all areas of neuroscience research, but in particular: how behaviours are adaptive and are shaped by their context.
For my undergraduate and masters theses' at Queen's University, this theme resonated throughout my work as I investigated the effects of stress during adolescence on the emergence of maladaptive adult emotive behaviours related to anxiety, depression, and aggression with Dr. Janet Menard. Throughout my research, I developed a deeper interest in framing behaviour in terms of how adaptive it is for a given context. Questions of interest include: What kind of environment leads to certain behaviours becoming maladaptive compared to others? What factors accelerate or prevent the development of maladaptive behaviours? Can maladaptive behaviours become adaptive ones in different contexts?
For my PhD, I have been interested in applying these ideas to develop translational models of research for how we learn associations between our behaviour and stimuli in our environment. In particular, I hope to examine these questions with regards to higher order Pavlovian conditioning. Outside of academia, I enjoy team sports as well as traveling, hiking and photography.
My interest in neuroscience comes from a background in biology and behavioral neuroscience. I first became involved in neuroscience in my third year at Queen's university where I conducted electrophysiological field recordings in the hippocampus. From there, I became interested in all areas of neuroscience research, but in particular: how behaviours are adaptive and are shaped by their context.
For my undergraduate and masters theses' at Queen's University, this theme resonated throughout my work as I investigated the effects of stress during adolescence on the emergence of maladaptive adult emotive behaviours related to anxiety, depression, and aggression with Dr. Janet Menard. Throughout my research, I developed a deeper interest in framing behaviour in terms of how adaptive it is for a given context. Questions of interest include: What kind of environment leads to certain behaviours becoming maladaptive compared to others? What factors accelerate or prevent the development of maladaptive behaviours? Can maladaptive behaviours become adaptive ones in different contexts?
For my PhD, I have been interested in applying these ideas to develop translational models of research for how we learn associations between our behaviour and stimuli in our environment. In particular, I hope to examine these questions with regards to higher order Pavlovian conditioning. Outside of academia, I enjoy team sports as well as traveling, hiking and photography.
Adina Levi, B.Sc., M.A.
I began my undergraduate degree studying biology at York University. Early on in my studies, I was introduced to the fascinating interface between biology and psychology, and the notion that human behaviour can be explained by neural underpinnings. This motivated me to study cognitive neuroscience, and I enrolled in a Specialized Honours Bachelors of Science in Psychology degree.
I started volunteering at the Gilboa Lab in 2016 and contributed to the lab by developing stimuli for a cognitive neurointervention study aiming to offset chronic hippocampal degeneration in traumatic brain injury patients. I completed my undergraduate thesis under the supervision of Dr. Gilboa and Dr. Gary Turner at York University and examined the relationship between hippocampal-dependent abilities: spatial navigation and pattern completion and separation.
I am currently an MA student at York University's Clinical Neuropsychology program. My MA thesis aims to study the similarities and differences in rest and reactivation memory tasks in medial temporal lobe and ventromedial prefrontal cortex patients. Outside of the lab, I love to travel, hike and paint.
I began my undergraduate degree studying biology at York University. Early on in my studies, I was introduced to the fascinating interface between biology and psychology, and the notion that human behaviour can be explained by neural underpinnings. This motivated me to study cognitive neuroscience, and I enrolled in a Specialized Honours Bachelors of Science in Psychology degree.
I started volunteering at the Gilboa Lab in 2016 and contributed to the lab by developing stimuli for a cognitive neurointervention study aiming to offset chronic hippocampal degeneration in traumatic brain injury patients. I completed my undergraduate thesis under the supervision of Dr. Gilboa and Dr. Gary Turner at York University and examined the relationship between hippocampal-dependent abilities: spatial navigation and pattern completion and separation.
I am currently an MA student at York University's Clinical Neuropsychology program. My MA thesis aims to study the similarities and differences in rest and reactivation memory tasks in medial temporal lobe and ventromedial prefrontal cortex patients. Outside of the lab, I love to travel, hike and paint.
Xuan (Sophia) Zhang
I am a fourth-year student at UofT, who is specialized in psychology. My undergraduate research has mainly focused on sematic knowledge, memory, and learning. I am always fascinated by the complex brain systems supporting different cognitive processes. Especially, I’m interested in exploring how other brain regions (e.g., PFC, angular gyrus) interact with the hippocampus to give rise to knowledge integration and consolidation. In line with this initiative, I joined the Gilboa lab as a research student to study how people integrate knowledge by applying non-invasive brain stimulation on their angular gyrus. When I am not doing research, I like to read books and hunt for good movies. You may also find me on my way to hiking.
I am a fourth-year student at UofT, who is specialized in psychology. My undergraduate research has mainly focused on sematic knowledge, memory, and learning. I am always fascinated by the complex brain systems supporting different cognitive processes. Especially, I’m interested in exploring how other brain regions (e.g., PFC, angular gyrus) interact with the hippocampus to give rise to knowledge integration and consolidation. In line with this initiative, I joined the Gilboa lab as a research student to study how people integrate knowledge by applying non-invasive brain stimulation on their angular gyrus. When I am not doing research, I like to read books and hunt for good movies. You may also find me on my way to hiking.
Undergraduate Students and Volunteer RA's
Dana Huang
I am a fourth-year undergraduate student at the University of Toronto studying neuroscience and physiology. I am interested in research about memory and learning, and how that differs between healthy and clinical populations. Currently, I am a thesis project student at the Gilboa lab, working with Dr. Hannah Tarder-Stoll and Dr. Asaf Gilboa. Our work mainly focuses on how the ventromedial prefrontal cortex and hippocampus differentially contribute to the anticipation of schematic structure, and how that occurs in lesion patients and healthy adults. Outside of academics, I enjoy reading, skiing, and exploring new restaurants! 
Mahshad Khakkar
I’m in my third year in Psychology at York University. I’m interested in brain-behaviour relationships, memory, healthy aging, and neurodegenerative disorders. Currently, I assist with data collection and scoring for the sketchnoting project at the Gilboa Lab. My IRP, conducted under the supervision of Dr. Gary Turner and Dr. Asaf Gilboa, examines whether text concreteness predicts the extent to which sketchnoting, compared to notetaking, leads to better memory performance in healthy older adults. Outside of academics, I enjoy hanging out with friends and listening to music. 
Ana Kendella
Hey, I'm Ana. I’m an undergraduate student at the University of Toronto majoring in Human Biology and Cellular Biology with a minor in Immunology. I’m currently assisting in a study that explores how people process self-related feedback and how brain stimulation influences these responses. I first became interested in cognitive neuroscience after volunteering at a rehabilitation hospital in my hometown, Tirana, where I developed a fascination with how the brain recovers and adapts after injury. Outside of research, I enjoy exploring new cafés, photography, and spending time outdoors; activities that help me recharge and stay curious about the world |
Richard Yan
I am a fourth-year undergraduate student at the University of Toronto, completing a double major in Cell & Molecular Biology and Physiology with a minor in Immunology. As part of a research project course, I am assisting Victoria with a study examining how people update their semantic memory when learning new information. Our work uses MEG to investigate how neural activity relates to participants' confidence and correctness during semantic knowledge updating. I am broadly interested in research that connects neural activity and cognitive processes to underlying human physiological mechanisms. Outside of academics, I enjoy competitive games, board games, and exploring new restaurants around Toronto. 
Noga Altman
II am a fourth-year student studying psychology and computational cognitive science at the University of Toronto. I am very interested in how information is encoded and dynamically transformed in the brain. I am particularly interested in the use of mathematical models and machine learning to decode neural activity and reveal hidden meanings behind large-scale brain data. I am also intrigued by the use of deep neural networks to model human cognition, and make predictions about processes in the brain and subsequent behavior. My current project with Dr. Erik Wing at the Gilboa lab explores whether deep neural networks can provide good models for categorical thinking in humans. Specifically, we are investigating whether changes to categorization strategies used by humans as a function of prior knowledge are reflected in the progression of layers within a deep convolutional neural network. |
Alla Spinu
Ashmeen Dhot
Jawad Karim
Julia Schwartz
Mohan Yuan
Zeynep Kurtoglu
Ashmeen Dhot
Jawad Karim
Julia Schwartz
Mohan Yuan
Zeynep Kurtoglu
Alumni
Postdoctoral fellows:
Eve Attali Neuropsychologist, CEMEREM la Timone Hospital, Marseille
Vessela Stamenova Assistant Professor, Toronto Metropolitan University
Hannah Tarder-Stoll. Assistant Professor, York University Glendon campus
PhD alumni:
Hannah Marlatte
Ariana Giuliano. Instructional Designer, Vretta
Zorry Belchev Policy Analyst, Community Care Support Services, Ministry of Health, Government of British Columbia
Melissa Hebscher Data Scientist, Flosonics Medical
Maayan Merhav Senior Lecturer, Tel-Hai College
Tali Atir Senior Lecturer at Emek Yezreel College and clinical psychologist at Tamuz Institute, Haifa
Shani Waidergoren Clinical Neuropsychologist, private practice
Eve Attali Neuropsychologist, CEMEREM la Timone Hospital, Marseille
Vessela Stamenova Assistant Professor, Toronto Metropolitan University
Hannah Tarder-Stoll. Assistant Professor, York University Glendon campus
PhD alumni:
Hannah Marlatte
Ariana Giuliano. Instructional Designer, Vretta
Zorry Belchev Policy Analyst, Community Care Support Services, Ministry of Health, Government of British Columbia
Melissa Hebscher Data Scientist, Flosonics Medical
Maayan Merhav Senior Lecturer, Tel-Hai College
Tali Atir Senior Lecturer at Emek Yezreel College and clinical psychologist at Tamuz Institute, Haifa
Shani Waidergoren Clinical Neuropsychologist, private practice
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MA alumni:
Grace Gabriel Vanessa Ghosh Shelly Ben Israel Moran Barkan Tehila Guigui Adi Zakay Sarah Adler-Luzon Neta Kvetniy-Ferdman |
Neta Levy Lina Abo-Ahmad Rinat Bar-Eliezer Osnat Mussel Hila Sholomon Roman Rozengrut Judith Segalovicz Raneen Nicola |
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Undergraduate thesis alumni:
Silina Ziad Boshmaf Taneisha Heikurinen Michael Lochner Annie Mandatori Faith Balshin Eva Di Nallo Victoria Harding Pratyush Menon Shuran (Rayna) Tang Rachel Hickson Madison Fraser Adam Pugsley Lai Wong Shaylyn Joseph Anastasia Kalantarova Saambavy Shan Richard Wang Osnat Peleg Hila Levinzon Itamar Behrman Osnat Harari Maayan Blitz |
Undergraduate students, RA's and volunteer alumni:
Jen Siegel Leanne Mendoza Christina Lubinsky Shaheem Alam Niels Erik Nandal Alita Fernandez Kyle Nealy Mubina Butt Brahm Sanger Shaily Oisie Samreen Aziz Mamta Kapoor Karen Joseph (KL-CARE) Simran Rehal Vaishaalie Nimalan Shreeyaa Ramana Judy Zhu Rebecca Sy Alissa Blommestyn |
Sharon Chernyak Laxan Premachandran George He Christine Ibrahim Julia Kearly Xinyi (Lisa) Chen Talha Anwar Chaudhry Noa El-Hassid Dana Silberberg Ory Bar-Haim Alina Nikiforov Inbal Goldfrecht Isha Dua Kelly Liu Nazanin Babaei Syeda Jabeen |