Professor of Neurosurgery, Cullen Foundation Endowed Chair, McNair Scholar, Vice-Chair of Clinical Research, and Director of Psychiatric Neurosurgery at Baylor College of Medicine. Director of Gordon and Mary Cain Pediatric Neurology Research Foundation Laboratories at Texas Children’s Hospital. Adjunct Professor in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering at Rice University.

I am fortunate to serve as the Baylor Functional Neurosurgery Fellow for the academic year of 2024-2025. I completed my pre-medical training at Boston College in 2012, medical school at Rutgers-Robert Wood Johnson Medical School in 2017 and neurosurgery residency at Vanderbilt University Medical Center in 2024. My clinical interests include surgical and neuromodulatory treatments for psychiatric disorders, epilepsy, movement disorders and pain. My research pursuits have primarily focused on neurophysiology, psychiatric neurosurgery, epilepsy and movement disorders and I plan to continue researching these topics in my career as an academic functional neurosurgeon. Functional neurosurgery has a powerful capacity to meaningfully improve the quality of life of patients with a variety of neuropsychiatric disorders and is closely intertwined with technology both from an imaging and implanted device perspective. As such, there is a lot of potential room for exciting growth in better understanding the structural and functional underpinnings of neuropsychiatric disorders and optimizing or developing methods to treat them. The team here at Baylor is doing world-class, pioneer work in many realms, most notably in psychiatric neurosurgery and cognitive disorders, and I am grateful to work with and learn from the physicians and researchers in this wonderful group!

Over the last seven years, my research efforts have focused on examining brain mechanisms that underlie induced and natural human behaviors. I am especially interested in brain neuroplasticity, neuromodulation, and translational research that can improve day-to-day behaviors. My most recent research focuses on investigating multisensory integration in speech perception such as watching speech videos and short movies, measured by direct (i.e., intracranial electroencephalography/iEEG) and indirect (i.e., BOLD fMRI) neuroimaging techniques. Many everyday tasks require us to integrate information from multiple modalities, such as during conversation when we make use of both the auditory information we hear in spoken speech and the visual information from the facial movements of the talker. This is especially important under conditions in which one modality is degraded, such as in a noisy room, or in hearing loss conditions. iEEG and BOLD fMRI techniques have offered the best combination of spatial and temporal resolution for this purpose. After joining the Sheth lab, I hope to further expand my work to investigate the role of mood and attention in speech perception.

I hold an M.S. in Data Science from Columbia University and a B.A. in Data Science from UC Berkeley with a focus on Business/Industrial Analytics. My professional background includes deep learning, machine learning, software engineering, and Data Science related projects. Currently, I collaborate with lab members on projects involving video synchronization, TRBD dashboard setup, and data archiving.

I completed an undergraduate degree in Physics at the University of California Santa Barbara, and then a PhD in Neuroscience at the University of Washington. During my PhD work, I studied deep brain stimulation for motor disorders, with a particular focus on longitudinal monitoring and the remote chronic monitoring and data management systems this sort of data collection requires. In my free time, I am an avid climber, skier and sailor.

I have a strong interest in clerical processes and organizational efficiency. I am currently pursuing my Bachelor of Science in Health Care Administration at Capella University, furthering my passion for streamlined systems and effective support roles. Outside of work and studies, I enjoy jogging, traveling, and experimenting with new cooking recipes.

I am interested in the neural circuits implementing some of the very cognitive processes that make us human: abstract reasoning, flexible behavior, and complex decision-making. My work investigates how individual neurons represent information that facilitates these processes, and how these neurons combine into circuits implementing complex, dynamic, and flexible computations. This work began during my Ph.D. in the Hayden lab at the University of Minnesota, where my work was focused on the mechanisms underlying value-based decisions. With my background in computer science, I hope to expand my work to explore circuit models that would lend us further insight into the implementation of these processes.

We use high density electrocorticography (ECoG) to capture neural oscillations, and we use microelectrodes to measure action potentials while people play games designed to test certain mental skills. A key goal is to understand how our brain cells seem to almost effortlessly work together to rapidly convert abstract mental representations into actions. We combine conventional neuroscience techniques with machine learning to answer these questions. I am also working on a project involving deep brain stimulation (DBS) for treatment of major depression. We are seeking to learn more about the brain activity that underlies depression, while developing patient-specific stimulation protocols.

I am interested in uncovering and understanding core neuronal computations (or processes) underlying complex cognition. How neuronal circuits might be specialized for specific computations that could be co-recruited across several cognitive processes and contexts. I am also interested in developing a better understanding of the basic properties of human single neurons by studying spontaneous neuronal activity using high-density electrodes technology. During my postdoctoral research at BCM, I intend to approach these using naturalistic behavioral tasks and paired-task paradigms, both in the epilepsy monitoring unit setting and in the operating room. My thinking has been deeply shaped by my Ph.D. work studying the neuronal mechanisms of visual attention in the early visual system – teaching me to pay attention to the structural properties of local circuits, physiological and functional diversity of cell types, and behavioral task designs. In the very (very) long run, I hope that my work could inform and engage with research on post-traumatic stress disorders and depression. In addition to research, I am somewhat actively involved with various advocacy efforts focused on creating awareness for mental health, disability accommodations, and power dynamics in academic research. I have come to believe that mentorship is a critical aspect of research training, and very excited to be in an environment where I have the opportunity to be both at the receiving and giving ends of it – while learning to do both better.

I earned my PhD in cognitive neuroscience from the State Key Lab of Cognitive Neuroscience and Learning at Beijing Normal University in 2022. I was the MnDrive postdoc at the University of Minnesota from 2022-2025. My research interests include human decision-making dilemmas, naturalistic social interaction (applying game theory and conversation analysis), and studying brain activity from single-neuron recordings, LFP, and fMRI combined with computational modeling. My work aims to understand the biological basis of mental illness and develop potential neuromodulation treatments. The secrets of intelligence, affect, and beauty may lie in the spikes. I try to complete one full marathon every year.

I received my B.S. in psychology from the University of Houston and am currently earning my Master of Science in Clinical Mental Health Counseling at the University of St. Thomas. I provide both administrative and practical support for Sheth Lab’s research projects and goals by helping manage IRBs, ensuring adherence to regulatory bodies, assisting in data gathering and maintenance, and handling patient communication and retention.

I create visualizations of the intracranial electrodes that are implanted in our research patients and manage tasks at the EMU across our research team. I graduated from Rice University in 2019 with a bachelor’s degree in Cognitive Science. I am interested in learning more about the nature of complex human cognitive functions and the integration of different academic fields through research. In my spare time, I enjoy dancing 💃

In 2021 I received my B.S. in Biology from Emory University and have since worked as an AmeriCorps VISTA service member in a free clinic and as a medical scribe in rural and urban safety-net clinics. Those two experiences exposed me to many different types of psychiatric and neurological disorders and conditions, and the great impact these conditions can have on patient’s lives, especially if they are treatment resistant. I joined Dr. Sheth’s lab to contribute to the discovery and investigation of new treatments aimed at helping and improving the quality of life these patients experience.

I graduated from Vanderbilt University this May with a B.S. in Cognitive Studies and Medicine, Health, & Society. As an undergraduate, I conducted research in the Eugenia Gurevich Lab, where I studied Parkinson’s disease and the long-term effects of L-DOPA on GPCR sequences using mouse models. I’m excited to explore the functional side of neuroscience and particularly the underlying mechanisms behind neurodegeneration and neuropsychiatric disorders. Outside of work, I love sewing and baking… and I tolerate running!

I received my B.S. in neuroscience from Duke University in 2014, then worked as a Research Assistant on the Healthy Brain Network at the Child Mind Institute and Research Manager for the Human Connectome Project at Harvard University before starting my M.D.-Ph.D at BCM in 2020. Clinically, I am interested in neurosurgery and am particularly excited about the career’s unique opportunity to simultaneously treat and better understand the human brain. Scientifically, I am interested in uncovering the physiological mechanisms that underlie mood, cognition, and behavior in order to identify neural signatures of pathological vs healthy states. As a Ph.D candidate in the Quantitative and Computational Biosciences program, I hope to use novel methods for decoding, interpreting, and representing neural signals. Ultimately, I hope this work will enable more effective, individualized treatments. I am extremely grateful to work with this fun, talented, and diverse team, as well as the many collaborators that make this important research possible.

I am a graduate student co-mentored between Dr. Sameer Sheth and Dr. Andreas Tolias (formerly BCM, now Stanford). A member of the BCM MSTP, I am an aspiring neurologist with a particular interest in epilepsy, and the neural correlates of neurological disease more generally. After completing my undergraduate studies at Yale in 2016, I worked for Dr. David McCormick for 4 years, helping to manage his lab's transition from Yale School of Medicine to the University of Oregon Institute of Neuroscience. I also served as a visiting scholar at Oregon and Health and Science University in Portland where I contributed to the research of Dr. Lia Ernst. In mice, I have contributed to work on the state-dependence of visual evoked responses, auditory foraging as well as the state-dependence of vagus nerve stimulation. In humans, I have investigated the neural correlates of vagus nerve stimulation, as recorded by the Responsive Neurostimulation System. The focus of my doctoral work is building data-driven models of neural responses to complex stimulation in a rodent model of epilepsy. Outside of lab, I am a classically trained tenor who made my Spotify debut in 2024 with the Houston Chamber Choir. The rest of my time is spent either cooking or enjoying the company of close friends and loved ones.

I am a second-year medical student at Baylor College of Medicine, interested in applying for Neurological Surgery residency, and am currently participating in the Medical Research Pathway. I earned a B.S. in Biosciences with a concentration in Biochemistry from Rice University. My clinical interests center on neuromodulation approaches for the treatment of psychiatric, cognitive, and motor disorders. Following this dedicated research year, I will complete my medical training as a member of the BCM Class of 2028.

I am a second-year medical student at Baylor College of Medicine interested in pursuing neurosurgery. I obtained my undergraduate degree in neuroscience from the University of Texas at Austin, where I was involved in research focused on uncovering the molecular mechanisms underlying alcohol and drug addiction. I am currently taking a research year under the Medical Research Pathway. My research interests center on the utilization of Deep Brain Stimulation in the treatment of psychiatric and motor disorders, aiding in improving their clinical application, and better understanding the structural, functional, and molecular mechanisms of these conditions. Through my research, I aim to identify how DBS can be optimized not only to alleviate symptoms but also to facilitate better long-term outcomes in patients.

I am a medical student who has completed my 3rd year at Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center in El Paso, TX. I obtained a B.S.A in Neuroscience from the University of Texas at Austin. I am currently taking a research gap year to explore functional neuroscience. I plan to pursue neurosurgery residency after graduation. Outside of academia, I enjoys traveling, sampling different cuisines, and all things related to capybaras.