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RESEARCH TEAM

Principal Investigator

Natalie Phillips

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): http://ccna-ccnv.ca/

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

Eden Mancor

Eden Mancor

Research Coordinator

I have completed a B.Sc. in Psychology, specialized in Behavioural Neuroscience at Concordia University. As an undergraduate student in the Phillips Lab, I investigated the sex differences in memory in mild cognitive impairment and the theory of Cognitive Reserve. I am now the coordinator of the lab, as well as a research assistant where I am expanding on my research on Cognitive Reserve in individuals with or at risk for Alzheimer’s Disease. Outside of the lab, I love to be outdoors exploring the national parks around Montreal either hiking or skiing. I speak English, French, and German. 

Graduate Students

Kristina Coulter

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!

 

Sana Rehan

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.

 

Nicole Grant

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.

Nick Grunden

Nick Grunden

I am currently a second-year Master’s student 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.

Tristin Best

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

Katrina Sollazzo

Katrina Sollazzo

My name is Katrina and I am in my final semester of my Honours Psychology undergraduate degree. I completed my Honours thesis on serial position effects in Alzheimer’s dementia risk states, and am now continuing research in AD risk states through semantic and phonetic fluency. In my spare time I like to cook, and take care of my garden and plants. I speak English and French, but am looking forward to my Intro to Italian course!

Kalista Sedimedes

Kalista Sedemedes

I am a fourth-year BA Psychology student at Concordia University currently completing my Honours thesis. My project centers around assessing 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 speak three languages: English, French, and Greek.

Alex Lamasuta

Alex Lamasuta

I am currently finishing my fourth year of undergraduate studies with a Specialization in Psychology. I have been an undergraduate volunteer in the lab since January 2021 and am now undertaking my undergraduate thesis under the supervision of Dr. Phillips. The project focuses on the self-perceived impact the COVID-19 pandemic had on COMPASS participants. It involves baseline data along with the COVID Impact Scale to investigate whether those who were vulnerable to depression and anxiety had their symptoms exemplified as a function of the pandemic. With an interest in developmental and evolutionary psychology, I intend to follow my B.A. with graduate studies after a year of pursuing experience in teaching. As for outside the lab, I work as a barista and enjoy filling up my spare time with painting and reading.

Logane Gnassi

Logane Gnassi

I am currently pursuing a B.A. in Psychology at Concordia University. Having the privilege of working in long-term care hospitals since 2019, I have developed a profound passion for both dementia and caregiving. In addition to being intrigued by cognitive decline, I am enthralled by the behavioural disturbances, perturbation in language fluency, and lived realities that folks with neurocognitive disorders experience. I will be completing my Honours thesis during the 2022-2023 academic year under the supervision of Dr. Phillips. Following my undergraduate degree, I plan to pursue graduate studies in Clinical Psychology with a specialization in gerontology. Outside of the lab, you can find me playing video games, pruning my bonsai trees, and running around with my dog Suki!

Collaborators

Dr. Denise Klein  
Dr. Debra Titone  
Dr. Shari Baum https://www.mcgill.ca/neurolinguistics-lab/
Dr. Shanna Kousaie  
Dr. Angela Grant https://www.missouriwestern.edu/psychology/facultystaff/
Dr. Jason Gullifer  
Dr. Vincent Gracco  

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  

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