Principal Investigator
Dr. (Maria) Natasha Rajah, PhD
I am a Full Professor in the Department of Psychology, Toronto Metropolitan University (TMU) and Tier 1 Canada Research Chair in Sex, Gender and Diversity in Brain Health and Aging. I am also Adjunct Faculty at the Department of Psychiatry, McGill University, Adjunct Scientist at the Rotman Research Institute, Baycrest, and CIHR Sex and Gender Research Chair in Neuroscience, Mental Health and Addiction. I received my PhD in Experimental Psychology at University of Toronto (St. George Campus) and did my postdoctoral training at The Helen Wills Neuroscience Institute, University of California (Berkeley).
Prior to joining the Psychology Department @TMU in Fall 2023, I was a Full Professor with tenure in the Department of Psychiatry, and Associate Member of the Department of Psychology at McGill University (2005-2023). I also held senior administrative roles at McGill University, including as Director of the Douglas Brain Imaging Centre (2011-2021) and Assistant Dean (Academic Affairs), Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences (FMHS) (2022-2023).
In addition to being the Principal Investigator of the Brain Health Equity in Aging and Memory (BHEAM) Lab at TMU, I am a member and Vice-Chair of the CIHR Institute of Aging Advisory Board and the EDI Lead for CCNA – Phase 3. I am one of the Editors-in-Chief of Aging, Neuropsychology and Cognition.
Team Members
Research Staff
Sricharana Rajagopal, M.Sc.; Image Analyst
charana.rajagopal(at)gmail.com
I am the MRI Image Analyst in Dr. Rajah’s lab. My background is in Computer Science and my job involves processing fMRI images and creating pipelines to run different types of analyses on fMRI data. I work primarily in Python and Matlab.
Gabriela Vélez Largo, M.Sc.; Research Coordinator
I am the Toronto-based research coordinator at the Rajah Lab. I completed my B.Sc. in Biomedical Science at the University of Montreal (2019) and my M.Sc. in the Integrated Program in Neurosciences at McGill University under the supervision of Dr. Rajah (2023). During my master’s, I investigated individual differences in the effect of lapses of attention during encoding on subsequent episodic memory performance and underlying brain activity. Currently, I help with participant recruitment, experimental testing, data analysis, and offering research support to fellow members of the lab.
Andrea Santos, B.A. Psychology; Research Assistant
I hold a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology with a focus on neuropsychology and cognitive development. My previous research examined the development of linguistic and executive functions in children, which fueled my current interest in cognitive aging and memory. At the Brain Health Equity in Aging and Memory (BHEAM) Lab, I assist with participant recruitment, cognitive testing, and data analysis for studies on memory, aging, and dementia prevention. I am particularly interested in the influence of biological sex, gender, and social factors on brain health. While I have experience with data analysis using SPSS and R, I am keen to expand my skills in neuroimaging techniques such as MRI and fMRI. Outside the lab, I enjoy reading, experimenting with new recipes, and exploring the outdoors. I am thrilled to contribute to research that has a meaningful impact on brain health and aging.
Postdoctoral Researchers
Dr. Annalise LaPlume, Postdoctoral Researcher, Rajah Lab, McGill University
I am a postdoctoral fellow at the Rajah lab, McGill University and co-supervised by Dr. S. Belleville at CRIUGM. I did my BSc in Psychology at the University of Nottingham, England (2011), before moving to Canada to do a Masters and Ph.D. in Cognitive Psychology, and graduate diplomas in Quantitative Methods and Neuroscience (2019). I then completed a postdoctoral position at Rotman Research Institute, Baycrest (affiliated with the University of Toronto), funded by the Alzheimer Society of Canada (2021). Under the supervision of Drs. N. Anderson, A. Troyer, and B. Levine, I developed statistical models of episodic memory and executive functions over the adult lifespan in large-scale datasets (n>40,000), and studied how these cognitive abilities vary in preclinical Alzheimer’s disease or with risk factors for dementia (e.g., sex differences, educational attainment, lifestyle factors). In the Rajah lab, I will advance my training to study the effect of sex differences and cognitive reserve on memory-related brain connectivity in individuals at risk for dementia, under the co-supervision of Drs. N. Rajah and S. Belleville and a postdoctoral fellowship from the Consortium for the Early Identification of Alzheimer’s Disease-Quebec (CIMA-Q).
Dr. Rikki Lissaman, Postdoctoral Researcher, Rajah Lab, McGill University
I joined the Rajah Lab, McGill University in January 2022, where I will be supervised by Dr. Natasha Rajah. I completed my BSc in Psychology at the University of Birmingham, England (2016) and my MSc in Brain Imaging (Neuropsychology) at the University of Nottingham, England (2017). During this time, I was awarded a Biomedical Vacation Scholarship by the Wellcome Trust to support a placement at the University of Sheffield, England, and also worked as a Research Assistant in Birmingham. I then undertook a Ph.D. in Cognitive Neuroscience at Cardiff University, Wales (2021), where I investigated the impact of APOE genotype and age on large-scale neurocognitive networks. I then worked as a Research Associate in Cardiff, supporting data collection and analysis for a large-scale multi-modal imaging project.
My research interests include episodic memory and spatial cognition, aging, risk and resilience to cognitive decline, and neurodegeneration. I am particularly interested in the role of network neuroscience approaches in this context, which I will use as part of my role in the Rajah Lab. More specifically, I will apply novel multivariate network analyses to structural and diffusion MRI data in order to examine how age, gender/sex, menopause, and APOE individually and interactively affect the brain and cognition.
Graduate Students
Julia Kearley, Ph.D. Candidate, Graduate Program in Experimental Psychology, McGill University
julia.kearley(at)mail.mcgill.ca
I am a Ph.D. student in the Experimental Psychology program, under the supervision of Dr. Natasha Rajah. I completed my master’s in Psychology at Iona College (New York), under the supervision of Dr. Sarah Wong-Goodrich. My thesis examined the effects of hormonal contraceptives and menstrual cycle on spatial memory performance. After completing my master’s, I was a lab manager in the Cognitive Aging and Memory (CAM) Lab at Stony Brook University (Long Island, NY), directed by Dr. Lauren Richmond. While working in The CAM Lab, I managed multiple projects investigating memory changes associated with healthy aging. For my Ph.D., I am interested in investigating the effects of menopause (characterised by declining levels of E2) and inflammation on brain structure and function. When I’m not in the lab, you can find me enjoying overpriced coffee in the city, thrifting and exploring new running trails.
Hallie Liu, M.A. Candidate, Psychological Science, Toronto Metropolitan University
After finishing my BA in Psychology at the University of British Columbia in 2021, I gained experience as a research coordinator at the University of Hong Kong. During my undergrad, I conducted research projects in Dr. Daniela Palombo’s lab, focusing on episodic memory and neuroimaging. I am interested in exploring different functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) analysis methods to study episodic memory. For my master’s project, I am looking at the sex differences in the neural correlates of spatial memory using fMRI. In my free time, I love to watch (and talk about) movies.
Sara Ahmed, M.A. Candidate, Clinical Psychology, Toronto Metropolitan University
I am an M.A. student in the Clinical Psychology program under the supervision of Dr. Natasha Rajah and work in collaboration with Dr. Rosanna Olsen. I received a B.A. in Honours Psychology Co-op with a Research-Intensive Specialization and minor in Addictions, Mental Health, & Policy from the University of Waterloo in 2023. During my undergrad, I worked with Dr. Myra Fernandes to explore how emojis are cognitively represented using a dual-task paradigm. I also worked with Dr. Mike Dixon to investigate how Instagram may be used to maladaptively cope with depression for my honours thesis. Currently, my research interests are around sexual dimorphism in the brain using neuroimaging, with a particular interest in women’s brain health. For my master’s project, I will be investigating how biological sex, menopause status, and age impact hippocampal subfield volumes and spatial context memory. Outside the lab, I enjoy playing video games like Stardew Valley, singing, and playing with my senior cat.
Millie Bhaskara, M.A. Candidate, Psychology Science, Toronto Metropolitan University
I will be graduating with a B.Sc. Honours in Neuroscience from Dalhousie University in May 2024 and joining the BHEAM Lab, under Dr. Natasha Rajah’s supervision, in Fall 2024. During my undergrad, I worked with Dr. Tamara Franklin studying the link between adolescent stress and postpartum depression in a mouse model. In Dr. Rajah’s lab I will continue to explore how individual differences in life experiences affect brain resilience and cognition in middle-aged and older adult females and males. Outside of the lab, you’ll find me studying at a cafe, playing soccer, or at the gym.
Harleen Rhai, M.A. Candidate, Clinical Psychology, Toronto Metropolitan University
I am an M.A. student in the Clinical Psychology program under the supervision of Dr. Natasha Rajah. I received my HBSc in Behaviour, Genetics and Neurobiology as well as an MSc in Neuroscience. Most recently, I’ve gained experience as a Clinical Research Assistant at Sunnybrook Research Institute on a project looking at the risk and protective factors of dementia in multi-ethnic cohorts. Broadly, my research interests are in understanding the dynamic factors that lead to cognitive resilience and well-being in older adults, with a focus on women’s brain health. Outside of the lab, I find balance through yoga, pilates, hiking and travelling!
Undergraduate Students and Research Volunteers
Alix Laugier, McGill University
Lab Alumni
Previous Research Staff
Stamatoula Pasvanis
Sophia Loparco
Arielle Crestol
Rosalie Young
Houman Azizi
Lina Khayyat
Oceane Bellon
Lauren Crawford
Maria del Pilar Fajardo
Claire Han
Rafael Languay
Sidney Pinto
Angela Potes
Luc Valiquette
Previous Post-docs and Graduate Students
Post-doctoral Researchers
Sheida Rabipour, Ph.D.; Previous Postdoc; Current position – Consultant, McKinsey & Company Consultants
Anne Almey, Ph.D.; Previous Postdoc; Current position – Lecturer, McGill University & Concordia University
Renee Gordon, Ph.D.; Previous Postdoc; Current position – Medical Communications Specialist, MEDiSTRAVA
Ph.D. Trainees
Sivaniya Subramaniapillai, Ph.D.; Current position – Research Scientist, FemiLab, Université de Lausanne
Abdel Elshiekh, Ph.D.;; Current position – Strategy Consultant, Oliver Wyman Associates
Elizabeth Ankudowich, Ph.D.; Current position – Scientific Program Analysis, NIH
David Maillet, Ph.D.; Current position – Data Scientist at Product Madness
Master’s Trainees
Jamie Snytte, M.Sc.; Current position – Ph.D. Candidate with Dr. Signy Sheldon, McGill University
Sophia Loparco, M.Sc.; Current position – Research Assistant, MNI, Rick Hoge
Arielle Crestol, M.Sc.; Current position – Ph.D. Trainee, C. Barth, University of Oslo
Lyssa Manning, M.Sc.; Current position – RA with Dr. R. Sperling at Harvard University
Elsa Haoyou Yu, M.Sc.; Current position – Pursuing religious studies
Alexander Swierkot, M.Sc.; Current Position – Medical Student at McGill University
Lindsay Wallace, M.Sc.; Current position – Assistant Professor, Dalhousie University
Karina Borja Jimenez, M.Sc.; Current position – Pursuing a Ph.D. in the Netherlands
Diana Mee-chong Kwon, M.Sc.; Current position – Scientific Writer for The Atlantic, Nature etc.
Sidney Pinto, M.Sc.; Current Position – Senior HR Professional, CBC
Dave Crane, M.Sc.; Current Position – Director of Product Development, AltaML
Previous Undergraduate Trainees
Dhanishta Ambwani, Mengdi Zhu, Meaghan Smith, Lucie Kearns, Bronwen Lathrop, Kathryn Luis, Crystal Yang, Oceane Bellon, Ronald Chang, Adelaide Jensen, Rosalie Young, Katherine Côté-Trotter, Camille Beaudoin, Keira Hooper, Rachel Hum, Daniel Davies, Bianca Olivieri, Lesley Yu Wue, Idil Kilinc, Jackie Lam, Zoe Winterton-Perks, Michelle Kromos