
Meet the Team
Please let us introduce us to the MBIG team with diverse backgrounds that highlights our intrinsically multidisciplinary work

Georgia Doumou
For my PhD I map the human brain development at new spatial resolutions using artificial intelligence and, 7T MRI. I work on image enhancement of the brain using deep learning and adapting code to various datasets.

Fraser Aitken
I have a particular interest in how the function of very fine scale anatomy in the epileptic brain, such as in cortical layers, differs from the healthy brain. This can be used to map areas of epileptic tissue that can be very difficult or treat and are impossible to locate using existing neuroimaging tools such as structural MRI or PET. Crucially, improving the mapping of altered brain function within these layers can potentially inform pharmaceutical intervention and surgical planning.

Zachary Cohen
In my PhD project, I am investigating the Neuromodulation of Epileptogenicity by Autonomic Training known as NEAT. This involves training individuals to modulate their skin conductance as a surrogate measure for their autonomic nervous system activity.
Subsequently, I utilise ultra-high-field 7T MRI and EEG to examine the impact of this modulation on global brain dynamics and epileptogenicity.

Jyoti Mangal
l am currently in the third year of my PhD, l am working on methods to accurately visualise the cortex in order to detect epileptic lesions while simultaneously conducting multi-parametric imaging within clinically acceptable scan duration.

Rory Piper
l am a neurosurgery registrar and currently studying for a PhD in paediatric epilepsy surgery as part of GOSH children charity programme. The 7-Tesla Temporal Lobe epilepsy study is a prospective case-control neuroimaging study for children and adults being considered for epilepsy surgery.
Neo Baker
I am 3rd year BSc Psychology student at King's College London. As part of my professional placement year, I've joined the School of Biomedical Engineering and Imaging Sciences as a research assistant. I am currently working under Dr Michael Eyre, focusing on a study that aims to develop advanced neuroimaging techniques for the clinical evaluation of autoimmune encephalitis. The significance of this research lies in its potential to improve treatment strategies, thereby enhancing patient outcomes.
Oliver Sherwood
I am currently starting my PhD working as a research assistant and completing my masters in computational neuroimaging. i am currently working on the development of the real-time analysis method. This method can be used to optimise cognitive neurosciences studies in real time. This allows for automatic task-selection from a sample space from which it can progressively learn - and use this knowledge to optimise subsequent task selection.
This will hopefully prove useful in studying Epilepsy and we aim to use this method in both intracranial EEG (icEEG) and simultaneous EEG-fMRI, to improve both the classification and treatment of epilepsy.

Michael Eyre
I’m a Consultant Paediatric Neurologist at Evelina London Children’s Hospital (GSTT) and Visiting Research Fellow in the School of Biomedical Engineering and Imaging Sciences (KCL). I’m currently funded by Action Medical Research and the British Paediatric Neurology Association to develop advanced MR for autoimmune encephalitis in children and young people, combining EEG-fMRI, quantitative relaxometry and 7 Tesla MRI/MRS with cognitive tests. Clinically I work in acute paediatric neurology, neuroinflammation and general neurology, with research interests applying data science and neuroimaging methods in these populations. Feel free to get in touch!
Rebecca Meagher
I am a third year PhD student studying simultaneous EEG-fMRI at 7T for better localisation of epilepsy surgery. Specifically, my project in partnership with Brain Products GmbH focuses on designing and testing EEG configurations for use at 7T so it can be used in patient populations.

Rania Imān Virjee
I am a second year PhD student at UCL and King's College London on the London Interdisciplinary Doctoral programme (LIDo). My project aims to develop a more optimised approach for deriving the Heartbeat Evoked Potential (HEP) - an electrophysiological marker reflecting the cortical processing of heartbeats - and to investigate the HEP in different clinical populations. This research involves professors and collaborators from UCL and King's College London, along with clinicians from the National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery and the UCL & Barts Heart Centre.
Shang Shi
I am currently starting my PhD in the Advanced Engineering for Personalised Surgery & Intervention (PSI) CDT, where I am working on the development of AI-driven digital twins for epilepsy. My research focuses on combining EEG-fMRI with deep learning and cortical surface modelling to classify epileptic events, localise epileptogenic lesions, and simulate surgical interventions.

Xiaoying Ding
I am a third-year Psychology student at King's College London, currently doing my placement year at the School of Biomedical Engineering and Imaging Sciences. Under the supervision of Dr Fraser Aitken, I'm using laminar analysis to study brain activity patterns in patients with epilepsy. My research builds on previous work by Dr Zachary Cohen, aiming to better understand what happens in the motor area of the epileptic brain during skin conductance modulation.
Janesha Puvirajan
As part of my BSc Psychology course at King’s College London, I am a third-year student currently completing my professional placement year with the School of Biomedical Engineering and Imaging Sciences. My work involves examining simultaneous EEG-fMRI data, with a focus on identifying activation clusters associated with spike wave discharges in patients with genetic generalised epilepsy, alongside contributing to website redevelopment.

Anna Sadilova
I’m in my first year PhD at King’s College London. In combination with EEG and 7T fMRI, I am developing neuromodulation methods (specifically temporal interference stimulation) to study sleep in healthy and epilepsy patients.