Our brain plays an important role in how we perceive and interact with the world around us. What happens when development goes awry in our brain, or insult occurs to our brain? How do we harness neuroplasticity to ameliorate neuropsychiatric conditions, or to optimize learning during the natural progression of neurodegeneration? Can we enhance cognitive health through neuromodulations?
At the Clinical Brain lab, we apply clinical neuropsychological principles to uncover the enigma of the brain and work towards addressing these questions. Clinical neuropsychology examines the intricate relationship underlying the mental processes and our behavior. It allows us to understand how dysfunctions of the brain affect the way we perceive internal and external environments, communicate with others, make judgments, plan and execute ideas, and coordinate emotions.
The main research modalities in our lab include traditional neuropsychological assessments, cognitive tests, functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI), diffusion MRI and Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS). More recently, we have also included the use of electroencephalography (EEG) to answer research questions that require better temporal resolution and transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (tDCS) to investigate how we can modulate brain functions.

We investigate the cerebellum’s role in higher cognition using multimodal neuroimaging to map cerebellar-cortical networks. This work aims to identify precise neural targets for interventions that may improve cognitive and affective outcomes in neuropsychiatric conditions.
We study cerebro-cerebellar pathways and their roles in higher cognition.
We study cerebro-cerebellar pathways and their roles in language.

Our previous work in aging neuroscience provides the foundation for our current focus on active aging and neuroplasticity. We draw on these findings to develop evidence-based strategies that promote brain health, cognitive vitality, and meaningful engagement in later life.
Improving Cognition through Dance in Older Filipinos with Mild Cognitive Impairment
A development of an intervention program ExCITE for aging population.

Our research examines learning and cognition across the lifespan through behavioural, cognitive, and neural approaches. We aim to uncover the processes that support learning in order to describe, understand, and enhance learning across developmental stages and diverse real-world contexts.
From neuroscience to the practice of learning: an in-depth investigation into cognitive flexibility.
We study brain networks of reading and math.
An investigation of the neural reading networks for bilingual readers.
A project that aims at promoting effective biliteracy in early childhood.
An attempt to increase accessibility of cognitive neuroscience findings.

We use neuroimaging to investigate the neural mechanisms underlying social experience and social cognition. Our work focuses on how the brain processes deception, evaluates real versus false information, and represents ingroup and outgroup distinctions within broader superordinate identities, such as national identity. Through this research, we aim to better understand the biological bases of trust, bias, social belonging, and collective identity.
Investigating the neurocognitive processes underlying the belief in fake/real information.
An investigation of deception and trust.
Recruiting Participants for Ongoing Studies