I received my PhD from the University of Sheffield in 2010, followed by postdocs in UCL (2010-2012) and Cardiff University (2012-15). This work examined memory and decision making in people with neurological disorders, primarily temporal lobe epilepsy and multiple sclerosis. I was awarded a Welcome Trust fellowship followed by Welsh Government NISCHR fellowship in Cardiff, before joining the University of Manchester as a lecturer in 2015, and was made senior lecturer in 2023. I am currently Deputy Head of the Division of Psychology, Communication and Human Neuroscience.

My work involves using MRI and behavioural studies to examine how the brain supports memory and decision making.  As part of this, I have received the 'Alwyn Lishman award' twice from the British Neuropsychiatry Association (2009, 2016), the 'Charles Symonds award' from the Association of British Neurologists (2011)  and 'rising star award' from the journal Epilepsy & Behavior (2013). I was previously chair of the Communications committee for the Organization for Human Brain Mapping (2018-21), chair of the OHBM Open Science Special Interest Group (2023-24), chair of the BSc Psychology Teaching Board (2018-2023) and  admissions officer for BSc Psychology (2015-2020).  

I work on the brain structure correlates of memory and impulsivity, including how these forms of cognition are affected in clinical disorders, such as epilepsy and multiple sclerosis. I am also interested in neuroimaging approaches to understanding inter-individual variation in memory, impulsive behaviour and stress-reactvity during normal ageing and its effects on cognitive health. My work has received funding from the MRC, BBSRC, Royal Society, Wellcome Trust and US Department of Defence. I am currently a Co-I on the US Department of Defence funded project on Brain Charts in NF1 ($2.7m, 2024-2027). 

Current Teaching

BSc Psychology 

• PSY10311 Lifespan & Ageing (Unit lead) 
• PSY10421 Intro to Cognition 
• PSY11212 Brain & Behaviour 

MBChB Medicine

• MBChB Year 2: Multiple Sclerosis

BSc Cognitive Neuroscience

• PSY10770 Study skills in Cognitive Neuroscience & Psychology

BSc Neuroscience

• BIOL20922 Neuroscience RSM (NeuroAnatomy)

MSc Cognitive & Clinical Neuroscience

• BIOL62141 Functional NeuroAnatomy
• BIOL63172 Research in Neuropsychology & Clinical Neuroscience

MRes Psychological Research

• BIOL62162 Cognitive & Social Neuroscience

2016                      The Art of the Brain - event at Manchester Town Hall (part of "Brain Box")
                               Co-ordinator and presenter for outreach event with 5400 visitors.

2015-present          What do Psychological Scientists do? Manchester
                              Discussing careers in Psychology with ~400 A-level students (Organiser & speaker).

2015                      Epilepsy Action Wales member workshop, Cardiff
                              'Memory, stress and research in epilepsy' - (Organiser & speaker).

2014                      Chapter Arts Centre, Cardiff. 
                              Public talk on "The Neuroscience of Stress and Memory, & Solaris (1972)"  

2013-14                 National Museum of Wales, Cardiff
                              Brain Games - demonstrating Cognitive Neuroscience techniques to ~2000 local children. 

Current PhD Students (Primary)

Meg Sheppard
Vanesa Benuskova
Yuping Yang
Jess Haigh

Secondary PhD Supervisor

Robin Wicketts
Katie Moran
Frank Ma

Past PhD Students

Elizabeth McManus (now lecturer at Manchester University)
Danka Jandric (now at Janssen Phamaceuticals)
Zhenhong He (now lecturer at Shenzhen University)
Czime Litwinczuk (now postdoc at Manchester University)
Erika Corduna (now at Manchester University)