Meet our Team
Principal Investigator
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Justine Cléry is a neuroscientist. In her research, she is interested in how sensory information and social cognition are encoded in the brain and uses functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) in non-human primate models to better understand these brain mechanisms.
She is an Assistant Professor at the Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences at McGill University, and the head of the SSBM Lab. She is a member of the Azrieli Centre for Autism Research. She completed her Ph.D. in Neurosciences in 2017 at the University of Claude Bernard Lyon 1, under the supervision of Dr. Suliann Ben Hamed, at the Institut des Sciences Cognitives, Lyon, France. From 2017-2021, she was a postdoctoral associate, working with Pr. Stefan Everling in the Laboratory for Neural Circuits and Cognitive Control, at Robarts Research Institute, University of Western Ontario, Canada. |
Maëva Gacoin, Postdoctoral Researcher
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Maëva Gacoin is a post-doctoral McGill researcher in Cognitive Neurosciences. She completed her Ph.D. in Cognitive Neurosciences in 2023 at the University Claude Bernard Lyon 1, under the supervision of Dr. Suliann Ben Hamed, at the Institut des Sciences Cognitives, Lyon, France. There, she studied the enhancement of long-term plasticity in the adult macaque visual cortex by behavioral and pharmacological manipulations using fMRI.
She is now interested in social interactions in primates, the brain development and its plasticity. Her project in the SSBM team focuses in the neurodevelopment of marmoset in a social context by using fMRI to document social interaction patterns across the marmoset lifespan and relate them to human, studying brain functional connectivity, behavior and myelin mapping. Outside of the lab, Maëva enjoys growing plants, attending concerts and exploring food specialities. |
Hildelith Leyser, PhD student
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Hildelith Leyser is a PhD student studying multisensory integration in the Integrated Program in Neuroscience at McGill University. Following an unconventional trajectory, she completed her Bachelor’s degree at the University of Oxford, in History in 2021, and after experiences in humanitarian aid work then went on to complete her Master’s Degree in Applied Neuroscience at the University of London, at Royal Holloway, in 2023. Hildelith’s project at the SSBM lab focuses on the neurodevelopment of the brain networks subserving multisensory integration across the early lifespan in marmoset models. Hildelith is excited about combining ultra-high field fMRI and machine learning analysis tools like DeepLabCut to understand the interplay between cognitive functions and motor movements which sheds light on how sensory experiences influence our perception of the world and interactions with others.
Outside of the lab Hildelith enjoys skating, skiing, and dancing, or very enthusiastic (but slightly tone-deaf) karaoke attempts. |
Tyler Cook, Master student
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Tyler Cook is a McGill master’s student and cognitive neuroscientist working to uncover the neural systems of sensory integration and social cognition. He completed his Bachelor’s of Cognitive Science with a concentration in the Biological Foundations of Cognition and a minor in Linguistics at Carleton University in 2022.
Tyler is interested in how sensory information is encoded in the brain, what can hinder or improve sensory encoding, and how these changes might be initiated. He also has an interest in the roles of neural immunology and neuropharmacology on brain development and their ultimate cognitive effects. Outside of the lab, Tyler enjoys the iterative process of brewing good espresso, appreciates quality game design, and loves taking walks with his goldendoodle, Leo. |
Jiayue Yang, Master student
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Jiayue Yang is a master's student working on developing Parkinson’s Disease biomarkers using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) and behavioral analyses. She has completed her bachelor's degree in Neuroscience at McGill in the Winter of 2023.
Jiayue is interested in the dynamics of brain networks in disease models, the relation of neurophysiology to specific behaviors, and the implementation of machine learning in neuroscience research. Before starting her master, she has completed an undergraduate research course within the SSBM lab using machine learning (DeepLabCut) to detect and analyze animal behaviors. Outside of the lab, she can be found cooking new recipes. |
Constance Dollet, Research Assistant
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Constance Dollet is a research assistant. She obtained a master in engineering of biotechnologies in 2019, from SupBiotech (Engineering School of Biotechnologies, Paris, France). During her last year, she was also a research student in Neuroscience at Waseda University (Tokyo, Japan). She then joined the Central Institute for Experimental Animals (CIEA, Kawasaki, Japan) where she worked as a research assistant until 2023. There, she discovered marmosets’ research under the supervision of Dr. Erika Sasaki. She is now putting her expertise to contribute to the growth of the SSBM lab.
She also became interested in learning about social interactions and the development of theirs mechanisms from childhood, especially involved in vocal communication. She is interested in understanding how these mechanisms are or could be disrupt in mental health disorders, and autism spectrum disorder. Outside the lab, she enjoys hikes, skiing, and hanging out with friends. |
Jason Ausmann, Undergraduate Student
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Jason Ausmann is a research assistant who will graduate in April 2025 with a B.Sc. in Neuroscience from McGill University. He is interested in using machine learning methods to understand marmoset behaviour and family dynamics. With these behaviours, he hopes to strengthen the use of marmosets as models of social cognition and in translational studies of conditions such as autism spectrum disorder.
Outside of the lab, Jason volunteers in the Mental Health Department at St-Mary’s Hospital. He also enjoys reading; exercise; and walking his dog, Bella. |
Past trainees
Jiayue Yang, Undergraduate student, Jan 2023-August 2023
