ACTIVE LAB MEMBERS
WILLIAM MATCHIN
Principal Investigator
I completed my PhD at UC Irvine in the department of Cognitive Sciences under the supervision of Gregory Hickok and Jon Sprouse. My postdoctoral research uncovered the spatiotemporal dynamics of syntactic processing using the brain imaging techniques of fMRI and MEG in English and American Sign Language. Linguistic theory, neuroscience, and aphasia research each provide important insights into the nature of human language. These insights are often under-appreciated across fields, and my research attempts to bridge gaps across fields in order to develop an integrated science of language.
I'm involved in union organizing at the university, and I enjoy blogging about various issues, particularly the relationship of linguistic theory to experimental science.
ZEINAB KHOSHHAL MOLLASARAEI
Zeinab Khoshhal Mollasaraei is a doctoral student currently pursuing her studies in the Neuro Syntax Lab at the University of South Carolina, within the Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders. Originally from Iran, she successfully completed both her bachelor's and master's degrees in communication sciences and disorders. After obtaining her master's degree, Zeinab furthered her expertise and research skills as a lecturer at Tabriz University of Medical Sciences.
Throughout her academic journey, Zeinab's passion for working with individuals facing acquired language disorders, especially aphasia, became evident. Her teaching experience in "Acquired Language Disorders" and her interactions with people suffering from aphasia ignited her curiosity about aphasia treatment and recovery. Motivated by this passion, she has embarked on her doctoral project, where she seeks to make significant contributions to understanding the neurobiological basis of syntax. To achieve this, Zeinab employs a diverse set of methods and approaches, including brain imaging to shed light on the intricate aspects of language processing and disorders.
JEREMY YEATON
PhD Student (UC Irvine)
Jeremy Yeaton is currently a PhD student in Language Science at UC Irvine, with Prof. Gregory Hickok as their advisor. Jeremy conducts research on the neurobiological basis of syntax in conjunction with the NeuroSyntax lab, using a diverse set of methods and approaches, including brain imaging and aphasiology.
SAANVI SOMANI
Undergraduate Research Assistant
Hi! I'm Saanvi, a junior double majoring in biochemistry and global studies. I hope to pursue an MD-PhD in the future. I think neuroscience is cool and have done previous research with it, so I am excited to work in the Neurosyntax Lab!
SARAH GERMANY
Undergraduate Research Assistant
Sarah is an undergraduate student at USC currently working on the MorGen project, assessing grammatical production abilities in people with aphasia. She is a senior Public Health major completing her honors thesis on morphosyntactic generation in stroke-based aphasia patients using MorGen task data. She plans to attend PA school after graduation in the spring.
CECE CHERICO
Undergraduate Research Assistant
CeCe is an undergraduate student at USC currently working on developing materials for fMRI experiments of syntax and semantics during sentence processing. She plans to attend PA school after graduation.
KAT MCCONNELL
Undergraduate Research Assistant
Kat is an undergraduate student at USC currently working on developing materials for fMRI experiments of syntax and semantics during sentence processing. She plans to attend graduate school for research in cognitive neuroscience after graduation.
Neha Vallabhaneni
Undergraduate Research Assistant
Neha Vallabhaneni is an undergraduate student at the University of South Carolina. She is from Greenville, South Carolina and is currently majoring in Neuroscience with a minor in Medical Humanities and Culture on the Pre-Med track. In the future, she hopes to work as an Orthopedic Surgeon or an Anesthesiologist. In her free time, she loves dancing, playing the piano, and hanging out with her friends!
James Ratner
Undergraduate Research Assistant
James Ratner is an undergraduate student majoring in Neuroscience with a minor in Chinese. He is interested in developing measures to study the relationship between language and thought in people with aphasia, and is currently working on a project attempting to differentiate syntactic from phonological deficits in aphasia.
LAB ALUMNI
EMILY WOOD
Undergraduate Research Assistant
Emily Wood is an undergraduate at the University of South Carolina. She obtained a Magellan grant to study the neurobiology of syntactic working memory using fMRI with Dr. Matchin. She is applying to medical school and plans to study global health.
