Functional and Cognitive Neurophysiology Lab Members

Director, Functional and Cognitive Neurophysiology Lab
Epilepsy Surgery, Movement Disorders, Psychiatric Neurosurgery

Staff Scientist

I have the great pleasure of working with a wonderful group of people here at BCM, along with excellent researchers from multiple universities across the country, all working together to better understand the impact of deep brain stimulation (DBS) as a treatment method for patients living with treatment resistant major depressive disorder.

I have a passion for problems in the biological sciences, particularly neuroscience, but I am first and foremost an applied mathematician, having degrees in Mathematics (M.S.) and Computational Analysis and Modeling (Ph.D.) from Louisiana Tech University. I’m currently interested in how electrophysiological data can be utilized in conjunction with structural imaging techniques such as DTI to better understand brain connectivity, and if these graphical models can help to better understand the effects of DBS.

Instructor, Lab Manager

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.

Postdoctoral Associate

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.

Postdoctoral Associate

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.

Postdoctoral Associate

I completed my Ph.D. in biomedical engineering at Brown University in 2021. My graduate work focused on developing adaptive deep brain stimulation for obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). I am interested in neural biomarkers of obsessive-compulsive symptoms in natural environments. My current work focuses on better understanding the neural processes related to natural fluctuations of symptoms in depression and OCD, and how neurostimulation affects these neural processes and behavior

Postdoctoral Associate 

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. 

Research Coordinator III

I am Dr. Sheth's research coordinator for the Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS) for treatment-resistant depression clinical trial. I graduated from the University of Houston in 2017 with my B.S. in Psychology and joined the lab in 2019. I have always been interested in mental illness research coupled with the administrative processes of research.

Research Coordinator II

My work involves creating visualizations of the intracranial electrodes that are implanted in our research patients as well as running research tasks at the EMU. I also help with establishing the outward facing presence of the lab, through PR and social media for Dr. Sheth. 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 disciplines through research.

Ph.D. Student

I am currently a graduate student in the Neuroscience Ph.D. program at Baylor College of Medicine. I am interested in using human intracranial recordings to study depression.

Ph.D. Student

I am a dedicated and motivated Ph.D. candidate, currently pursuing my degree in Quantitative & Computational Biosciences here at Baylor College of Medicine. With a strong academic background in neuroscience, deep learning, and signal processing, I bring a unique perspective to the lab’s research in deep brain stimulation. I am currently focused on developing new ways to model treatment-resistant depression and testing the effects of new stimulation waveforms. As a highly collaborative and innovative researcher, I am eager to continue my growth and make a lasting impact on computational neuroscience.

Research Technician II

After recently completing my undergraduate degree in Neuroscience at Trinity University, I am currently working in Dr. Sheth’s lab with OCD patients to help identify the neural correlates of pathological symptoms and improve adaptive DBS for the disorder. I am interested in neuromodulatory technology and am excited to advance my knowledge in this field.

Research Technician II

I am a 4th year medical student in the BS/MD program at Rutgers New Jersey Medical School. I am conducting a research year with Dr. Sheth before applying for a Neurological Surgery residency. My research interests include investigating neural biomarkers for psychiatric disorders and neuromodulation. I currently work with DBS-implanted patients with OCD to collect and process neural data to further identify and characterize possible biomarkers in hopes of developing adaptive DBS for the disorder. 

M.D. / Ph.D. Student

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.

Research Technician II

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.

Medical Student

I’m a second-year medical student at Baylor College of Medicine. I joined Dr. Sameer Sheth’s lab through the Medical Research Pathway (MRP) Program with the goal of learning how clinical practice can be improved through excellent research. I graduated from The University of Texas at Austin with a degree in Neuroscience and am interested in applying for Neurological Surgery residency. My current work focuses on the use of neurostimulation in the treatment of refractory epilepsy and collecting local field potential recordings from DBS-implanted patients to further study OCD circuitry.

Medical Student

I am a second-year medical student at Baylor College of Medicine conducting a research year with Dr. Sheth as part of the medical research pathway program. I grew up in Dallas, Texas and attended college at Baylor University where I majored in Finance. My research interests include investigating neural biomarkers of mood and cognition as a basis for adaptive neuromodulation of psychiatric disorders. I am also interested in the use of invasive and non-invasive neuromodulation to target epilepsy and pain disorders. In my free time, I enjoy working out, cooking, and exploring Houston’s vast food scene. 

Medical Student

I am a third-year medical student at Baylor College of Medicine working with Dr. Sheth through the Medical Research Pathway. I grew up in College Station, TX and completed my undergraduate degree at Texas A&M, where I studied biomedical engineering. My academic interests include identifying biosignal correlates of neuropathologic symptoms and machine learning-based neural imaging classification.

Neurosurgery Resident 

Fellow, Functional and Stereotactic Neurosurgery

Research Technician II

Research Technician II

Medical Student

Medical Student

Medical Student

Fellow, Functional and Stereotactic Neurosurgery

Medical Student

Medical Student

Former Trial Coordinator

Former Postdoc