BRAIN Lab

Dr. Theone Paterson

Lab Director,  Associate Professor

Dr. Paterson is interested in improving our understanding of the interplay between neurocognition and psychosocial functioning, and predicting real-world health outcomes in aging and chronic illness groups. Her research examines important outcomes such as medication adherence in individuals with chronic illnesses, and explores the utility of emerging cognitive measures, such as those evaluating everyday cognitive abilities in the prediction of real-world outcomes. Aims of this work are to translate basic research to clinical settings through design and implementation of screening measures with utility in diverse groups, as well as to develop psychological and cognitive programs aimed at improving real-world outcomes.

Clinically, she is trained as a lifespan neuropsychologist, and her practice has focused on neuropsychological assessment and differential diagnosis in children, adolescents, adults and older adults in the context of traumatic brain injury and experienced trauma, and in adults and older adults in the context of neurological and neurodegenerative disorders. You can view her Neurotree here.

Sanjit Roy, M.S.

Sanjit Roy is a Ph.D. candidate in the Social Dimensions of Health program at UVic. He is presently on leave from his position as Assistant Professor in the Department of Population Sciences, University of Dhaka. Sanjit has 14 years of professional experience (full-time and part-time) in the public and private sectors (Bangladesh, Canada, and the U.S.). Some mentionable career profiles include academic faculty, research, office administrator, and office manager positions. He has a strong background in quantitative research (B.Sc. and M. S. in Applied Statistics, University of Dhaka), and also has some experience using qualitative methods. Sanjit’s research interests include healthy aging and the quality of life of older adults, the use of administrative databases for policy-relevant research, population health, and social dimensions of health. His PhD dissertation aims to create a comprehensive profile of elder abuse among Canadian veterans using the Canadian Longitudinal Study on Aging (CLSA) data. He has been awarded several awards from the UVic (UVic Graduate Award, Corrine Lowen Memorial Award in Social Dimensions of Health, Ian Evans Graduate Scholarship, University of Victoria Retirees Association (UVRA) award, etc.). He has also won the RUTH A. Gardner Research Award 2020 from the Greater Victoria Eldercare Foundation. Sanjit has 15 publications in different national and international peer-reviewed journals.

Maddie Gregory, MA

Maddie is a second year PhD student in the Clinical Neuropsychology program. She is currently working on a patient-oriented research project as part of a Graduate Fellowship in conjunction with the BC SUPPORT unit and Island Health. Broadly, the project involves investigating the genetic, psychological and social determinants of risk for cognitive decline. She is also involved as a Research Assistant in a large-scale survey study (on which Dr. Paterson is a PI) aiming to study the impacts of COVID-19 on mental health, and is working on several publications. You can find her recent publications on Google Scholar.

Morgan Schaeffer, MSc

Morgan is a PhD candidate in the Clinical Neuropsychology program. Broadly, he is interested in the interplay between neurocognition, psychosocial functioning, and chronic illness. For his MSc thesis project, Morgan used secondary data to investigate the influence of BIG-5 personality traits on the development of specific dementia syndromes in older adults. He is currently a Research Assistant on the Impacts of COVID-19 on Cognitive Functioning Study. You can find his recent publications on Research Gate.

Cian Dabrowski, MS

Cian is a second year PhD student in the Clinical Neuropsychology program. She holds a B.A. in psychology from The Ohio State University and an M.S. in Clinical Psychology from Loyola University Maryland. Her past research involved improving outcomes for TBI patients admitted to the ICU. She is currently working on multiple projects, including assessing individuals for cognitive impairment after COVID-19. Cian is broadly interested in exploring physiological and neuropsychological factors of trauma exposure, as well as ways in which people can be resilient in the face of stress and chronic illness.

Alison Chung, BA

Alison is a second year Clinical Neuropsychology master’s student. She is broadly interested in neurocognitive and psychosocial predictors of health in older adults living with dementia, chronic conditions, and neurodegeneration. For her master’s thesis, she is using secondary data and longitudinal structural equation modelling methods to investigate the influence of psychosocial factors on the relationship between Parkinson’s disease symptoms and cognition.

Zoë Gilson

Zoë is a first-year master’s student in the Clinical Neuropsychology program. She is broadly interested in cognitive aging, dementia, and related disorders over time; more specifically, her research focuses on the implementation and clinical validity of interventions for cognitive decline in older adulthood, particularly involving modifiable lifestyle factors and health behaviours. For her master’s thesis, she will be piloting and exploring an mHealth psychoeducation intervention for older adults with subjective cognitive concerns that aims to prevent cognitive decline in later life.

Brett Krasman

Brett is a fourth-year psychology major at the University of Victoria, the Study Coordinator for the Family NSSI study in the Risky Behaviour Lab and Dr. Paterson’s Honours student for the 2025-2026 year. His interests in the field of psychology center around executive functioning and the broad array of disorders associated with difficulties in self-regulation and inhibition. Brett is passionate about exploring the intersections between mental health and self-regulatory dysfunction across the lifespan.

He is currently applying his interests through the UVic Psychology Department’s Honours Program, building a project focused on the use of mobile health applications as a means of delivering health and fitness behavioural interventions. Using user preference information, his project explores the overlap between the use of mobile health applications and user mental health, executive functioning, personality, and self-reported self-efficacy. Following graduation, he intends to pursue clinical psychological training to serve the public and help reduce the strain of self-regulatory disorders on individual well-being and daily functioning. 

Jordan Beck

Jordan is one of two Lab Coordinators for the BRAIN Lab. She completed her B.A. in Psychology at University of Victoria with a minor in Applied Ethics. Jordan has worked in community services, providing mental health supports to vulnerable youth. She has also supported a range of health research studies through her work in research ethics and compliance at Island Health. Jordan is excited to be coordinating the BRAIN Lab and learning from its inquiries into neuropsychology, health behaviours, and assessment measures. Her long-term career goals include providing psychotherapy to youth and adults, with a focus on trauma. Outside of work, Jordan enjoys dance, visiting museums and galleries, and exploring Victoria’s trails and beaches. 

Anna Lawrance

Anna is one of two Lab Coordinators for the BRAIN Lab, at the University of Victoria. She recently completed her Bachelor of Science (Honours) in Psychology at the University of Victoria. Throughout her undergraduate degree, much of her research aimed to assess the integrity and interconnectivity of associative memory structures in healthy young and older adults, under the supervision of Dr. Tarek Amer. In the BRAIN Lab, Anna is eager to deepen her understanding of age-related changes in cognition, now with an emphasis on cognition in clinical populations. Outside of the lab, you can find her cycling around town, running, or taking copious photos of her flower garden.

Kudrat Bhinder

Kudrat is a third-year undergraduate student studying psychology at the University of Victoria. She is currently working on a project involving the impact of COVID-19 on cognitive functions. Her interests lie in the realm of cognitive functioning, TBI and neurocognitive disorders and wishes to pursue clinical neuropsychology in graduate school. Apart from this, she likes to hike and read.

Leah Brandemark

Leah is a second-year undergraduate student pursuing a Bachelor of Arts in psychology. She holds a wide variety of research interests and is currently assisting in a systematic review on the cognitive impacts of COVID-19. Outside of her studies, she enjoys baking and spending time with animals and friends.

Leah Derry

Leah is a fourth year undergraduate student pursuing a Bachelor of Science with Honours in psychology at the University of Victoria. She is working under the supervision of Dr. Paterson to investigate the relationship between subjective and objective cognition, as well as how different lifestyle factors may interact with the experience of self-reported subjective cognitive decline, in the context of early intervention for Dementia. She also works as a research assistant on a scoping review project that examines biological aging. Leah is interested in the areas of clinical neuropsychology and cognitive sciences and hopes to pursue graduate studies and a career in a similar field. During her free time, she enjoys exploring the outdoors, cooking, and listening to music.

Marie-Jeanne Desage

Marie-Jeanne (MJ) is a fourth-year undergraduate student pursuing a combined Biology and Psychology degree with a concentration in neurobiology. After graduating she hopes to work in healthcare, with a goal to become an occupational therapist specializing in paediatrics. In her free time she enjoys spending time outdoors, baking, and watching true crime documentaries.

Olivia Gale

Olivia is a third-year undergraduate student pursuing a Bachelor of Science in psychology. Her ultimate goal is to be a clinical psychologist who specializes in children and youth with chronic illness. She hopes to work directly with patients in order to create treatment plans and help them to navigate life after diagnosis. Outside of school, Olivia enjoys reading, spending time with friends and tide pooling.

Caleb Gardner

Caleb is a fourth-year psychology undergraduate at the University of Victoria. He is currently a research assistant for the Cognitive Impacts of COVID-19 study, and contributes through participant screening and data entry. Following his graduation from UVic, he plans to pursue a masters degree and career in clinical psychology. His primary interests include the ongoing treatment of mental health disorders, the accessibility of therapeutic services, and patient outcomes in a clinical setting.

Hanna Gruber

Hanna is a fourth year undergraduate student pursuing a degree in psychology. She is passionate about neuropsychology, and hopes to pursue a masters degree in child neuropsychology in the future. Outside of academics, she enjoys baking, paddle boarding, hiking, and ceramics.

Taleesha Hall

Taleesha is an undergraduate student in the mind and brain stream of the psychology program. She is hoping to pursue clinical neuropsychology in the near future. Taleesha is currently a research assistant on the Investigating Neuropsychological Consequences of COVID-19 on adults, and Examination of Associated Risk and Resilience Factors Study. She enjoys baking, baseball, animals and the outdoors.

Bridget Harris

Bridget is a third-year undergraduate student studying psychology at the University of Victoria. She hopes to pursue a masters degree in clinical or industrial-organizational psychology and is passionate about helping others. Outside of academics, Bridget enjoys climbing, reading, and spending time with friends and family. 

Chloe Hurst 

Chloe is a third-year undergraduate student pursuing a Bachelor of Science in biology with a concentration in neurobiology. Her interests include the cognitive and physiological effects of neurodegenerative diseases and brain injury, and she plans to pursue medical school to become a neurologist. In her free time, she enjoys being in the outdoors, skiing, and playing music.

Anastasiya Ishchook

Anastasiya is taking a gap year abroad and starting her third year at University of Victoria in September. She is pursuing a Bachelor of Science degree in psychology. At the moment she is assisting with a research project revolving around the impacts of COVID-19 on cognitive function. Her plans for the future include completing a Master’s program and becoming a relationship therapist. In her spare time, she enjoys traveling, brewing kombucha, and learning languages.

Guntaj Johar

Guntaj is a third-year student, majoring in psychology. She hopes to pursue a master’s degree in either forensic or criminal psychology. She is interested in how some brain areas involved in decision-making, such as the prefrontal cortex, are hindered in criminals or how they differ in some people, and why recidivism rates are high. In her free time, she enjoys watching murder mysteries, going to cafes to try good food, and exploring nature.

Lucy Johnston

Lucy is currently an undergraduate student in her third year studying psychology at UVic. She is very passionate about mind and brain research and is especially interested in how cognitive principles can be applied to enhance performance and overall well-being in athletes. She is hoping to continue her studies post grad and work towards becoming a sports and exercise psychologist. When she isn’t busy, you can catch her exploring the outdoors, cooking, and on the soccer field!

Jasmeen Khella

Jasmeen is a 4th year undergraduate student studying psychology at the University of Victoria. She is currently researching social supports available for post-secondary students with ADHD. She is interested in clinical psychology and hopes to pursue a career in which she can work towards making society more equitable and accessible for everyone. She is currently working as a Behavioural Interventionist and in her free time, enjoys hiking, reading, and crafts.

Kimberly Le-Ba

Kimberly Le-Ba is a fourth-year psychology student at UVic. She is currently a Research Assistant at the Brain Lab, helping on the cognitive impacts of COVID-19 study. Additionally, she works as a Research Assistant in the Branch Lab, focusing on projects related to community and newcomer health. Her research interests include the neurobiology of early stress and trauma and their effects on cognition and behavior. She aspires to enter a Clinical Psychology graduate program with the goal of making a meaningful impact on community health. 

Dawna Lotus

Dawna is a fourth-year undergraduate student pursuing a Bachelor of Science in Psychology with focus on the mind and brain stream. She is currently assisting with a systematic review examining the impacts of COVID-19 on cognition. Her primary research interests are Multiple Sclerosis and Dementia. With a strong biology background, she is planning to pursue a master’s degree in medical neuroscience in the future.

Emily McCulloch, BSci

Emily finished her Bachelor of Science in psychology at Uvic in 2024, where she wrote her honours thesis on social media use and misinformation. She is a research assistant involved in various projects at the brain lab. She has previously assisted with the Impacts of mHealth App Use study, and currently helps manage the lab website and social media. In her free time, she enjoys decorating, singing, and yoga.