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RESEARCH TEAM

Principal Investigator

Picture of Dr. Natalie Phillips, professor in the Department of Psychology and Principal Investigator at the CAP lab.

Natalie Phillips, PhD.

Lab Director/Principal Investigator

I am a Professor in the Department of Psychology and a member of the Centre for Research in Human Development and the Centre for Research on Brain, Language, and Music. I completed my doctorate in clinical psychology at Dalhousie University in 1996 and joined the Concordia faculty in the same year. I have been the Director of Clinical Training in the Clinical Psychology Graduate Program at Concordia and teach in the area of human and clinical neuropsychology. I am a licensed clinical neuropsychologist and have a small private practice in which I offer services in clinical neuropsychology. 

I lead a nationally-funded research laboratories at the Loyola Campus of Concordia University, where I examine the neuropsychology of healthy aging and Alzheimer Disease. 

I currently hold the the Concordia University Research Chair in Sensory-Cognitive Health in Aging and Dementia and serve as the Associate Scientific Director of Canadian Consortium for Neurodegeneration in Aging (CCNA). 

I am one of the neuropsychologists for the COMPASS-ND study in the Canadian Consortium on Neurodegeneration in Aging, and I am founding leader of CCNA Team 17, which examines issues of sensory decline on cognitive function in person with dementia.

I am one of the principal developers of the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA), a brief cognitive screening instrument used around the world for the assessment of mild cognitive impairment.

 

Lab Personnel

Picture of Kalista Sedemedes, research coordinator at the CAP lab.

Kalista Sedemedes

Research Coordinator

I have completed a B.A. in Honours Psychology, with a minor in Multidisciplinary Studies in Science, at Concordia University. During my undergraduate Honours Thesis, I assessed gaze behaviour (i.e., where individuals focus their attention on a screen) in a speech perception in noise task, across various conditions and modalities, in a sample of bilingual adults. I am now the coordinator of the lab, as well as a research assistant, where I am expanding on my research by assessing pupillometry as a measure of cognitive effort in the speech perception in noise study. In my free time, I enjoy traditional Greek dancing and singing in a traditional Greek band, taking care of my plants, and knitting. I speak three languages: English, French, and Greek.

 

Graduate Students

Picture of Kristina Coulter, graduate student at the CAP lab.

Kristina Coulter

I completed my B.Sc. in Psychology (Behavioural Neuroscience option) at Concordia University. During my undergraduate degree, I completed an Honours thesis in the Phillips’ lab, in which I examined speech error processing in bilinguals. I subsequently worked as a research assistant on various projects in the lab and then completed one year in the MA program before obtaining accelerated admission to the PhD program. For my PhD dissertation, I am studying the relationship between bilingualism and cognitive reserve in aging and Alzheimer’s disease. I am using structural and functional neuroimaging data from the Consortium for the Early Identification of Alzheimer’s Disease – Quebec (CIMA-Q) and data from the Comprehensive Assessment of Neurodegeneration and Dementia (COMPASS-ND) study of the Canadian Consortium on Neurodegeneration in Aging (CCNA) to examine the association between variables related to bilingual language experience and structural/functional brain changes in cognitively healthy older adults and older adults with, or at risk for, Alzheimer’s dementia. Outside of the lab I do horseback riding and love to go camping!

 

Picture of Sana Rehan, graduate student at the CAP lab.

Sana Rehan

After I received my B.A. in Psychology and Sociology at Dalhousie University, I moved to Montréal to pursue graduate studies in Clinical Psychology at Concordia University under the supervision of Dr. Phillips. My research interests include cognitive aging and understanding at-risk factors for cognitive decline. For my Master's thesis, I explored the relationship between visual impairment and cortical atrophy in groups with cognitive impairment or Alzheimer's dementia, using data from the Canadian Consortium of Neurodegeneration in Aging (CCNA). For my Ph.D. dissertation, I will investigate whether (and to what extent) psychosocial factors mediate the relationship between sensory loss and cognitive decline in older adults with (or at risk for) dementia. Outside of the lab, I enjoy being outdoors, photography, and reading.

 

Picture of Nicole Grant, Graduate student at the CAP lab.

Nicole Grant

I completed a Bachelor of Science in Psychology at the University of Victoria and a Master of Arts in Clinical Psychology at Concordia University. Under the supervision of Dr. Phillips, I am currently completing my PhD in Clinical Psychology at Concordia University. My research uses functional MRI to investigate the relationships between hearing loss and brain connectivity in adults with and at risk for Alzheimer’s disease. Outside of the lab I enjoy running and spending time outside.

Picture of Nick Grunden, graduate student at the CAP lab.

Nick Grunden

I am currently completing my PhD in the CAP lab with a B.A. in Neuroscience and Spanish from Colgate University (New York, USA) and a M.Sc. in Neuropsychology from the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (Catalunya, Spain). My current research in the lab focuses on applying a network approach to study cognition as a multidomain system, and how that system is restructured within clinical risk states of dementia such as subjective cognitive decline and mild cognitive impairment. Outside the lab, I love a good bike ride, parking it in a café with a novel, and dancing while no one is watching. I speak English, Spanish, Catalan.

Picture of Tristin Best, graduate student at the CAP lab.

Tristin Best

I completed my BSc in Psychology with the Behavioural Neuroscience option at Concordia University, where I completed an Honours thesis under the supervision of Dr. Philips. Following the completion of my undergraduate degree, I worked for a year as the research coordinator for Dr. Phillips and the Canadian Consortium on Neurodegeneration in Aging (CCNA) Team 17. I then pursued an MSc at McGill University in the Integrated Program in Neuroscience program under the supervision of Dr. Simon Ducharme and Dr. Mallar Chakravarty, where I examined the associations between alterations in brain structure and psychiatric symptom profiles in genetic variants of frontotemporal dementia. I returned to Concordia University in Fall 2022 to pursue graduate studies in Psychology (Research and Clinical Training Option) under the supervision of Dr. Phillips, where I will be examining the interplay between sensory changes, cognition, and brain structure in neurodegenerative disorders.

I speak English and French, and I’m in the process of learning Spanish. Outside the lab, you can find me riding my bike or taking long walks with my dog, Mitsou.

Undergraduate Students

Picture of Carolynn Boulanger, undergraduate student at the CAP lab.

Carolynn Boulanger 

I am completing my B.Sc. in Honours Psychology (Behavioural Neuroscience) this year with a minor in Multidisciplinary Studies in Science. For my undergraduate thesis, I investigated the impact of multi-sensory information on cognitive and motor performance across the lifespan in the Li Lab. Currently in the Phillips Lab I am completing a directed readings project looking into the potential differences between remote and in person neuropsychological assessments. Outside of research, I enjoy going for walks, swimming, and reading! I am fluent in French, English and have basic Italian proficiency.

Picture of Vanessa Boulos, undergraduate student at the CAP lab.

Vanessa Boulos

I am studying to complete my B.Sc. in Honours Psychology with a Minor in Multidisciplinary Studies in Science at Concordia University. I am completing my Honours thesis in Dr. Phillips’ lab. I will be studying the behavioural components of the effect of multilingualism on executive functions of older adults. My hobbies include skiing, snowboarding, reading, and playing with my cat Phoebe. I speak two languages: French and English.

Picture of Ameera Kabir, undergraduate student at the CAP lab.

Ameera Kabir

I am currently a fourth-year B.A. student in Psychology who will be completing my Honour’s thesis under the supervision of Dr. Phillips. My project will focus on alterations in brain connectivity in adults with olfactory deficits, particularly the role of the hippocampus, and its relationship with cognition. Following the completion of my degree, I am considering pursuing a Masters in Speech Pathology. Outside of the lab, I spend most of my time watching movies with my two cats, Persimmon and Prue! Also, I speak English, French and Bangla.

Picture of Elsa Magny, undergraduate student at the CAP lab.

Elsa Magny

I’m an international student completing my undergraduate degree with a double major in Specialization Psychology and Creative Writing. Throughout the year 2023-2024, I will be working on my specialization project under the supervision of Dr. Phillips. The project explores the potential risk factors associated with mental health declines in dementia patients during the COVID-19 pandemic. I plan on pursuing my studies with an MSc in environmental psychology. Outside of the lab you can probably find me knitting with my cat and my fourth cup of coffee, or enjoying a glass of wine with friends. I speak French and English, and am learning Mandarin and Spanish.

Collaborators

Dr. Howard Chertkow                                                                                                             
Dr. Walter Wittich  
Dr. Jennifer Campos  
Dr. Dawn Guthrie  
Dr. Kathy Pichora-Fuller  
Dr. Paul Mick  
Dr. JB Orange  
Dr. Marie Savundranayagam  
Dr. Alison Chasteen  

Dr. Denise Klein  
Dr. Debra Titone  
Dr. Shari Baum  
Dr. Shanna Kousaie  
Dr. Angela Grant  
Dr. Jason Gullifer                                                                   
Dr. Vincent Gracco  
  Visit the Montreal Bilingualism Initiative (MOBI) website for more information

Alumni

Nathalie Giroud, PhD Universität Zürich; Cognitive neuroscientist, psychologist, assistant professor
Angela Grant, PhD Missouri Western University; Institutional research analyst
Anni Marjukka Hämäläinen, PhD Jagiellonian University; Researcher, University of Oulu; Post-doctoral researcher, Université de Montréal; Post-doctoral researcher
Vanessa Taler, PhD University of Ottawa; Associate professor
Veena Dwivedi, PhD Brock University; Professor

Dr. Alexandre Chauvin  
Dr. Faisal Al-Yawer Clincial Neuropsychologist
Dr. Axel Winneke Senior Scientist, Frauenhofer IDMT
Dr. Marco Sinai Clincial Psychology at Epilepsy Program, Montreal Neurological Institute
Dr. Denise Milovan Clinical Neuopsychologist, Toronto Neuropsychology Centre
Dr. Shanna Kousaie Assistant Professor, University of Ottawa
Dr. Erin Johns Clincial Psychologist and Assistant Professor, University of Manitoba
Dr. Max Hébert  
Dr. Phillippe Goffaux Neuropsychologue et Professeur , Université de Sherbrooke
Dr. Jana Baranyaiova Frtusova
Dr. Hilary Duncan Clinical Psychologist/Neuropsychologist, private practice and at the Cognition Clinic for Adult ADHD
Dr. Luisa Cameli Director of Emotional Health CBT Clinic
Dr. Sarah Auchterlonie Clincial Psychologist
Dr. Vivian Akerib Neuropsychologist, private practice

Giuseppe Alfonsi  
Diala Arzouni  
Nesrine Awad  
Anna-Francesca Boatswain-Jacques   
Katie Boodhoo  
Maude Brisson-McKenna  
Mariya Budanova  
Jennifer Chan  
Jessica Chapman  
Steve Cicione  
Laura Copeland  
Alexandra Covey  
Annie-Claude David  
Stephannie Davies  
Stephanie Einegal  
Brunella Gonzalez Cautela  NSERC summer student
Miglena Grigorova  
Ron Hooper  
Lezley Ingenito  
Jennifer Jarvis  
Natalia Jozwiak  
Lila Karpowicz  
Maude Lagué-Beauvais  
Anna Leshinskaya NSERC summer student
Dayle Lesperance  
Marjolaine Masse  
Rosa Matousek  
Cristina McHenry  
Julie Mercier  
Nadia Merulla  
Heather Pim  
Guido Powell  
Chelsea Pozzebon   
Arrchsana Ratnarajah  
Jean-Louis René  
Lenka Rybnikar  
Arnaud St. Pierre NSERC summer student
Tanya Szammer  
Veronique Taylor NSERC summer student
Lianne Trigiani  
Phylicia Verreault  
Camille Williams  
Esther Yakobov NSERC summer student
Michelle Frate  
Sophie Pellerin NSERC summer student
Zoe Papadatos  
Panayiota Ventura  
Eden Mancor  
Katrina Sollazo  
Logane Gnassi  
Alex Lamasuta  

Andrée-Anne Berthiaume
Julia Pinheiro Carvalho
Myriam Boucher-Pinard
Béry Mohammediyan
Vanessa Pallen
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