Left to right: Lisa Koski, Rishanthi Sivakumaran, Victoria Orha,Melodie Lemay-Gaulin,Sarah Wicks


Lab director


Lisa Koski, PhD

Email: lisa.koski@mcgill.ca

Dr. Koski completed her Ph.D in clinical psychology at McGill University in 1999, specializing in the domains of neuropsychology and cognitive neuroscience. From 1999-2002, she pursued postdoctoral training at UCLA’s Brain Mapping Center, using techniques such as TMS and fMRI to explore the neural bases of motor control in humans. Dr. Koski’s interest in the field of neurorehabilitation grew out of her experiences as a clinical postdoc at UCLA’s inpatient neurorehabilitation unit.  She remained at UCLA for an additional two years to pursue research in the field of stroke rehabilitation, before returning to Canada to begin her career as a medical scientist at the Research Institute McGill University Health Centre.

Dr. Koski is Director of the Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation laboratory at the Royal Victoria Hospital.

Clinical Training

Dr. Koski received her PhD in Clinical Psychology at McGill University in 1999. She is a licensed member of the Ordre des psychologues du Québec. Her expertise as a clinical psychologist lies in the assessment and treatment of cognitive impairment in neurological disorders. She has also trained in the development of cognitive-behavioural interventions for treatment of anxiety disorders.

Dr. Koski’s primary clinical role is to perform neuropsychological assessments within the MUHC. She also contributes to the clinical training of McGill students in Clinical Psychology.

Appointments

  • Psychologist, Montreal General Hospital
  • Assistant Professor, Neurology Department, McGill University
  • Neuropsychologist Consultant, Geriatric Cognitive Disorders Clinic, McGill University Health Centre

Research assistants



Rishanthi Sivakumaran, MD

Research Assistant: April 2015 - present

Email: rishanthi.sivakumaran@rimuhc.ca

Rishanthi received her B.Sc. in Psychology from McGill University. This is where she first became interested in research, and worked as a research assistant at the McGill Communication Sciences and Disorders. She then went on to study medicine and obtained her MD degree. During her clinical clerkships, Rishanthi particularly enjoyed her electives in Psychiatry and Neurology. After completing her degree, in addition to research, Rishanthi has taken part in externships and observerships at hospitals in Canada and the USA. Aside from medicine and research, Rishanthi enjoys cooking, reading, and working out.


Melina Longo, B.A.

Research Assistant: July 2019 - present

Email: melina.longo@rimuhc.ca

Melina received her B.A. in Psychology from the University of Ottawa. She spent the majority of her undergraduate degree on research involving social development and positive emotions. From this stemmed her interest in clinical research. Having worked with a pediatrician and a psychiatrist in assessing patients, reinforced her goal of working with those affected with mental health issues and helping them reach their full potential. Melina is currently completing a Master’s in Counseling Psychology, and she is also passionate about dancing, travelling and reading.


Undergraduate Students and Volunteers


Zoe Karkossa

Jun 2019 - present

Victoria Orha

Sept 2018 - present


Past Undergraduate volunteers


Sarah Wicks

Sept 2018 - May 2019

Marcus Sefranek

May 2017 - May 2018

Seara Chen

April 2016 - Dec 2016


Past Lab Members: Postdoctoral Fellows


Jidan Zhong, PhD
Dec 2012 - Dec 2015

Project title: The relationship between functional connectivity, cortical integrity, and motor disability in multiple sclerosis.

Johanne Higgins, PhD, OT
Jan 2008 - Dec 2009

Project titles: Enhancing the response to rehabilitation after stroke using rTMS; A pilot study of the effects of a mirror on modulation of the neural motor pathways after stroke.
Funding: Focus on Stroke – Training Award (CIHR, Canadian Stroke Network and Heart & Stroke Foundation).

Mathieu Raux, MD, PhD
Nov 2006 - Oct 2008

Project title: Supplementary motor area stimulation with rTMS modifies corticomotor excitability. Funding: Boursier Société Française d’Anesthésie et de Réanimation; Subventions du legs Poix de la Chancellerie des Universités de Paris; French Foreign Affairs Grant.

Abdellatif El Ourzadi, MD
Oct 2006 - Dec 2008

Project title: Evaluating rTMS for treatment of neuropathic pain.


Past lab members: Doctoral Students and Trainees


Julia Nantes, B.Sc.
Jun 2012 - Jun 2017

Project title: Potential compensatory neural mechanisms that allow patients to function at a high level despite persisting glial and neural damage in Multiple Sclerosis.

Scott Holmes, B.Sc.
Sept 2012 - Oct 2017

Project title: Understanding central nervous system plasticity following injury and disease while applying novel methods of assessment.

Ben Whatley, B.Sc.
Jan 2009 - Dec 2010

Project title: Neurophysiological abnormalities in MS: Disease process or functional compensation? Funding: Canadian Institutes of Health Research.

Avinash Vaidya, B.Sc. (IPN rotation program)
Aug 2010 - Dec 2010

Project title:: Effects of fatiguing exercise on muscle strength and corticomotor excitability.


Past Lab Members: Master's Students


Mei Huang, B.Sc.
Sept 2013 - Sept 2015

Sue Konsztowicz, B.Sc.
Sept 2008 - Aug 2010

Project title: Development of a method for quantifying cognitive ability in the elderly using adaptive testing. Funding: CIHR.

Ka Wai Leong, B.Sc., PT
Sept 2006 - May 2009

Project title: Predicting the response to neural stimulation in rehabilitation of stroke-related motor impairment. Funding: FRSQ Bourse de formation Research Institute and McGill Department of Medicine Graduate Studentships.

Yasmine Chemrouk, B.Sc.
July 2007

Project title: Recognition and management of dementia in geriatric clinical settings in Montreal.

Nicolas Nicolas Thibodeau-Jarry, B.Sc.
June 2006–Aug 2006

Project title: Characterizing mild cognitive impairment in a geriatric outpatient population. Funding: McGill Faculty of Medicine Summer Research Bursary.


Past Lab Members: Undergraduate Trainees


2013-2014

Elias Chalet

2009-2010

Jerine Anton, Project title: Effects of cognitive interventions on memory abilities in individuals with mild cognitive impairment.

Anne-Marie Latour, Project title: The validity of the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) test in acute stroke.

2008-2009

Lisa Palladini, Project title: Validating items on the MOCA and MMSE screening tests.

2006-2008

Shuwei Wang, Project title: The MOCA test: Validity of individual items as indicators of domain-specific cognitive impairment.

Alan Nyquist, Project title: Development of an adaptive test to screen for cognitive impairment.

Hannah Oatley, Project title: Influences of visual feedback on corticomotor excitability.

Jennifer Mateshaytis, Project title: Cortical control of breathing.

Valerie Coton, Project title: Development of safe and effective protocols for brain stimulation.

Kristina Moffat, Project title: Brain stimulation for treatment of chronic pain.

Sophia Koessel, Project title: Analysis of corticomotor excitability during low-frequency rTMS.

Ka Wei Leong, Faculty of Medicine Summer Research Student, McGill University.


Past Lab Members: Research Assistants


2013-2015: Serge Gallant, M.Sc.: Research Assistant, McGill University

2010-2013: Elena Lebedeva, PhD: Research Assistant, McGill University

2009-2011: Roslyn Tetteh, MPH: Research Assistant, McGill University

2008-2009: Aisha Bassett: Research Assistant, McGill University

2006-2008: Haiqun Xie: Senior Research Assistant, McGill University

2005-2007: Erika Leung: Undergraduate research assistant, McGill University

2005-2007: Ailis Cournane: Undergraduate research assistant, McGill University


Collaborators


Guylaine Bachand, RN
Geriatric Assessment Clinics
Montreal General Hospital

Yves Bacher, MD
Geriatric Cognitive Disorders Clinic
Royal Victoria Hospital

Marie-Josée Brouillette, MD
Psychiatry Department, McGill University
Website

Lesley Fellows, MD, CM, DPhil
RI-MUHC, Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery
Montreal Neurological Institute and Hospital

Website

Paul Fitzgerald, MBBS, FRANZCP, MPM, PhD
Monash Alfred Psychiatry Research Centre
Website

Gary Inglis, MD
Geriatric Cognitive Disorders Clinic
Montreal General Hospital

Behzad Mansouri, MD, PhD
Division of Neurology, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg

Nancy Mayo, PT, PhD
James McGill Professor, MUHC Research Institute
Website

Colleen Millikin, PhD, C.Psych.
Geriatric Clinical Psychologistc
University of Manitoba

Website

Melanie Mondou, MD
Faculty of Engineering, Department of Electrical & Computer Engineering
University of Manitoba

Zahra Moussavi, PhD
Geriatric Clinical Psychologistc
University of Manitoba

Website

Assunta Pietrantonio, RN
Geriatric Assessment Clinics
Royal Victoria Hospital

Alain Ptito, PhD
Montreal Neurological Institute
Director of the department of Psychology, McGill University Health Centre
Website