In 2024, we welcomed new postdocs, Dr Brandon Munn and Dr Matthew Rahimi. In addition, we welcomed two international PhD students, Victor Vidal and Clara Tan. Finally, we would like to thank Dr Gabriel Wainstein for his contribution to the SIESTA program and wish him all the best for the future!
Take a look at each of these new additions below.
Dr Brandon Munn
Brandon is a Postdoctoral Research Fellow at the University of Sydney, working with A/Prof Mac Shine in the Shine Lab. He iscontributing to Stream 1 of SIESTA, focusing on complex imagingstudies to deepen understanding of the brain’s locus coeruleus and glymphatic system and their roles in sleep and brain health.
Dr Matthew Rahimi
Matthew, a Postdoctoral Research Fellow from the Woolcock Institute of Medical Research and Macquarie University, has joined SIESTA to contribute to Stream 3, focusing on digital health technologies. Working alongside Associate Professor Chris Gordon, Dr. Rahimi is currently scoping wearable devices to enhance research and outcomes in this innovative field.
Dr Gabriel Wainstein
Gabriel worked with us throughout 2024 as a postdoctoral fellow. He has taken a leading role in advancing our research on the brain’s locus coeruleus (LC) and has been instrumental in driving forward this initiative. In January, he will be travelling to Boston for 6 months to build upon our collaboration with A/Prof Heidi Jacobs.
Victor Vidal
We welcome Victor, our newest PhD student! Victor is a medical technologist specialising in MRI, with eight years of experience in imaging acquisition and processing. During his Master’s in Neuroscience, he researched white matter lesions and subcortical nuclei, leading to publications in Alzheimer’s and Dementia and Scientific Reports. He now aims to investigate the interplay between neurodegeneration and sleep, specifically focusing on how subcortical nuclei contribute to this relationship.
Clara Tan
We also welcome Clara, our new PhD student. Clara graduated with a Master of Science in Psychology (Research-based) from Sunway University in Malaysia. She has also been a lecturer at HELP University since 2022. Her project will involve exploring lifestyle determinants and social interaction and their associations with sleep quality and sleep-dependent memory consolidation among people diagnosed with mild cognitive impairment.