I am currently a Postdoctoral Fellow in the Laboratory of Human Cerebrovascular Physiology directed by Dr. Poulin within the Cumming School of Medicine at the University of Calgary. I previously completed my Ph.D. in the Department of Psychology at the University of Calgary in the NeuroLab directed by Dr. Iaria.
The central theme of my research focuses on investigating the effects of sleep, sleep-deprivation, and sleep disturbances on cognitive functioning and brain structure and function. During my PhD., I have investigated how sleep (and the lack thereof) affects the human ability to empathize with others and the way individuals process emotional stimuli, as well as the ability to orient in the environment. As a postdoctoral fellow, I am investigating how a six month aerobic exercise intervention can improve elderly individuals’ cognitive ability, and the role of sleep quality as a mediator in this relationship.
My methodological approach includes objective (actigraphy and polysomnography) and subjective (questionnaires) sleep quality measures, structural and functional neuroimaging techniques, and cortisol measures.
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