People

 

PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR 

Dr. Naznin Virji-Babul is a physical therapist and a neuroscientist. Her lab (Perception-Action Lab) uses a combination of behavioural and brain imaging tools (i.e. EEG, MEG and DTI) to probe the brain and investigate the patterns of brain activation as they relate to perceptual-motor and social-emotional development in children, youth and adults.

Dr. Virji-Babul is also investigating the impact of concussion on the structure and function of the brain in youth ice hockey players using cutting edge brain imaging tools.  The goal of this work is to develop imaging “signatures” of concussion and to study the long term impact of concussion in adolescents.

Dr. Virji-Babul was appointed as Senior Advisor to the Provost on Women and Gender-Diverse Faculty. See her work here: https://academic.ubc.ca/about-vp-academic/profile/naznin-virji-babul

 

 

CURRENT STUDENTS

 

Graduate Students:

 

Sahar received her undergraduate degree in Electrical Engineering from Sharif University of Technology in Iran. She is currently pursuing her MSc in Biomedical Engineering at UBC under the supervision of Dr. Naznin Virji-Babul and Dr. Guy A. Dumont. She is interested in EEG signal processing and the effect of repetitive concussive and subconcussive impacts on brain activity. She is currently working on brain-based biomarkers of subconcussion. She is also involved in the simultaneous collection of EEG data (referred to as “hyperscanning”) from parent-child dyads to study brain-to-brain synchrony.

 

Julianne McLeod graduated from Carleton University with a BSc in Health Sciences (Hons) with a minor in Neuroscience and Mental Health. She is currently pursuing a Master of Science in Rehabilitative Sciences under the supervision of Dr. Virji-Babul. She is interested in examining the neurobiological underpinnings of concussive injuries. She is currently involved in the development of a deep learning algorithm that uses resting state EEG data to identify concussions in female varsity athletes.