People

Anli Liu MD MA | Principal Investigator

Dr. Anli Liu is an Associate Professor of Neurology at NYU Langone, Principal Investigator of the NYU Memory and Neuromodulation Laboratory, and an Investigator at the NYU Neuroscience Institute. Dr. Liu earned her BA from Stanford University, MA from UC Berkeley, and MD from UCSF. She completed her neurology residency at NYP-Weill Cornell, followed by fellowships in clinical neurophysiology and cognitive neurology at Harvard at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center.  In the clinic, she cares for adult patients with epilepsy and cognitive disorders. She is an attending neurologist at the NYU Langone Comprehensive Epilepsy Center and the Center for Cognitive Neurology. Outside of work, she loves making pottery, gardening, teaching her boys math and art. She is also the President and Co-Founder of Sara D. Roosevelt Park Alliance, a non-profit dedicated to the capital improvement, safety, and beautification of Chinatown’s largest public green space. + Faculty Profile  +PubMed + Google Scholar

Simon Henin

Simon Henin Phd | Associate Research Scientist

Simon Henin has a background in auditory biomechanics (Long Lab, CCNY) and neural processing in hearing (Parra Lab, CCNY) with a special focus on biophysical signal processing. His research now focuses predominantly on the neural signatures of human memory and learning, and how neuromodulation of cortical oscillations can be used to alter these processes. 

Ayelet Rosenberg MSc | Research Coordinator

Ayelet earned her MSc in Neuroscience from the Weizmann Institute of Science, where she studied the neural mechanisms underlying the behavioral effects of psychedelics in zebrafish. Prior to this, she conducted research at Columbia University, investigating the impact of stress on mitochondrial functioning. Ayelet is passionate about unraveling the complexities of the brain and its profound influence on human health and behavior, and hopes to continue her career in research. Outside of work, Ayelet enjoys hiking, going to concerts, and traveling to new places. 

Alia Seedat BA | Research Coordinator

Alia holds a BA in Psychology and is currently completing additional post-baccalaureate work at Fordham University. Her research interests include investigating new and improved technology that can interact with the brain and be used to diagnose and treat neurological disorders (such as epilepsy), and using ECoG to study the neurophysiology of human cognition. Alia also collaborates with the NYU Neuroscience Institute by obtaining human hippocampus biospecimens from epilepsy surgeries for whole-cell patch clamp electrophysiology. Outside of work, she enjoys practicing pilates, playing ukulele, birdwatching, and reading thrillers.

Jiyun Shin PhD | Postdoctoral Fellow

Jiyun Shin is a post-doctoral fellow examining human single-unit and ECoG recordings to develop accurate methods for distinguishing between physiological and pathological high-frequency oscillations, and determining their relevance to human episodic memory. She has also worked closely with Lucia Melloni PhD and Orrin Devinky on human laminar recordings. Before joining NYU, she completed her PhD in Neuroscience at Humboldt Universität zu Berlin, where she investigated hippocampal-cortical circuit mechanisms of sensory associative learning in rodents. Outside of lab, she enjoys exploring cultural scenes in NYC, going to concerts and museums, and hanging out with friends.

Anna Maslarova MD PhD | Visiting Postdoctoral Fellow

Anna Maslarova completed her neurosurgery residency at the University Hospital Erlangen in Germany in 05/2022. Currently, she is a visiting postdoctoral researcher at the Buzsáki Lab at NYU Neuroscience Institute and collaborating with the Liu Lab to understand how epilepsy affects hippocampal oscillations related to learning and memory in patients. She earned her MD PhD from the Charité, Berlin in 2014 working on mechanisms of drug resistance and homeostatic plasticity in epilepsy using slice electrophysiology.

Forouzan Farahani PhD | Postdoctoral Fellow

Forouzan earned her Ph.D. in Biomedical Engineering at the City College of New York, exploring how brain stimulation affects synaptic plasticity and learning under Lucas Parra's guidance. She joined the Liu Lab in the Winter of 2023, and will be focusing on understanding the contribution of hippocampal activity to episodic memory in humans, applying data science approaches to neurophysiological data, and developing closed-loop systems for neuromodulation. Outside the lab, Forouzan enjoys immersing herself in New York City's vibrant theater and music scene, as well as the thrill of rock climbing

Nicholas Paleologos | MD PhD Student

Nick is an MD PhD student at NYU School of Medicine. He earned his BA in Neurobiology and Biological Basis of Behavior from the University of Pennsylvania. His research at Penn focused on hippocampal pathology and neuroinflammation following traumatic brain injury. He is currently working with the Buzsáki lab and the Liu lab to investigate the diverse physiological functions of hippocampal synchronous population events, such as sharp-wave ripples (SPW-Rs) and interictal epileptiform discharges (IEDs). In addition to their well-characterized impact on memory, he is also interested in the role of SPW-Rs and IEDs in maintaining glucose homeostasis via central modulation of autonomic and endocrine pathways. In his free time, Nick enjoys playing soccer and basketball, listening to upbeat music, traveling, and getting to know different cultures and cuisines.

Candice Zhang BA | Research Assistant

Candice graduated from Northwestern University in Chicago with a BA in Neuroscience and a minor in Computer Science. During her undergraduate studies, Candice worked in the Bass Lab on the circadian clock's regulation of metabolism and the Yang Lab on high-frequency oscillations and epilepsy mechanisms (Guangzhou, China). She is passionate about understanding the mechanisms behind neurological processes and hopes to pursue a career in medicine. Outside of work and study, she enjoys watching movies, playing with her cat, and exploring nice food in the city. 

Zayn Ahmed

Zayn Ahmed | Research Assistant

Zayn is a third-year undergraduate at New York University, completing a B.S. in Neuroscience with minors in Computer Science, Math, and Chemistry. Previously, Zayn worked at the LeDoux Laboratory where he implemented machine learning models to test the effects of cannabinoids and oxytocin on mitigating signaled active avoidance. He is passionate about the mechanisms involved in memory, as well as translating neuroscience research for artificial intelligence applications and hopes to pursue medical school. In his free time, he likes to run, travel, and work on interior design projects.

Benjamin Botnik | Research Assistant

Benjamin is a second-year undergraduate student at the Macaulay Honors College at Hunter College, completing a major in biology with a concentration in behavioral neuroscience. He is interested in studying the pathways, treatments, and preventions of neurodegenerative disorders. Specifically, he is interested in how methods of neurostimulation alter brain function and how these methods can be used in conjunction with biofeedback, such as neurofeedback, in clinical practice. Under the BRAIN research program, he is developing cognitive tasks to improve memory testing within the Liu Lab. He aspires to attend medical school and is considering pursuing a PhD in neuroscience. Outside of academics, Benjamin is a competitive chess player, enjoys baking and listening to classical music.

Bijay Thapaliya

Bijay Thapaliya | Research Assistant

Bijay is a second-year undergraduate student at the Macaulay Honors College at Hunter College, where he is pursuing a major in biology with a minor in behavioral neuroscience. Currently, he is a research assistant for Dr. Liu under the BRAIN Research Program, exploring the intriguing field of neuroscience. What fascinates Bijay is the brain's remarkable neuroplasticity and the realms of learning, memory, and neurological disorders. His ultimate goal is to attend medical school and become a dedicated and empathetic physician. Beyond academics, he has a passion for fitness, running, and reading fiction novels. Additionally, he loves music and learning new skills, and this summer, he has embarked on an exciting journey of learning to play the guitar.

Ritika Rohatgi | Research Assistant

Ritika is a second-year undergraduate student at Barnard College of Columbia University. She is pursuing a degree in Neuroscience and Behavior with a minor in Mathematical Sciences. Ritika joined the lab through the NYU BRAIN Program. Her goal is to pursue an MD/PhD degree and become a neurologist/neuroscientist engaged in basic, translational, and clinical research. Ritika enjoys spending time with friends and family, reading, listening to music, watching movies, and volunteering.

Collaborators

Lab Alumni

  • Eden Tefera BS

  • Aaqib Mansoor

  • Dennis London MD

  • David Collins MD PhD

  • Jonathan Rosenthal MD

  • Natasha Ray

  • Janu Tatachar BS

  • Helen Borges MS

  • Wenze Zhang MA

  • Kristie Bauman MD

  • Haley Peters BS

  • Josh Larocque MD PhD

  • Amadou Camara MD

  • Param Shah MS

  • Xiaojing Wu PhD

  • Disha Gupta PhD

  • Byron Sun MS

  • Hunaid Hasan MD

  • Peem Teerawanichpol

  • Christina Yu

  • Anita Shankar

  • Cansu Sarac

  • Evian Granitz

  • Danny Herman

  • Sarah Barnard

  • Andrew Bryant

  • Ashlie Jefferson

  • Preet Minhas