Principal Investigator
Carly Demopoulos, Ph.D.
Associate Professor in Residence
Carly Demopoulos Ph.D. is a clinical neuropsychologist and developmental neuroscientist with expertise in multimodal neuroimaging, particularly magnetoencephalography (MEG). She is an Associate Professor at UCSF in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences and the Department of Radiology and Biomedical Imaging. Her research focuses on autism spectrum disorders (ASD) and related neurodevelopmental disorders. She completed her postdoctoral fellowship at UCSF in the Biomagnetic Imaging Laboratory (BIL) and Sensory Neurodevelopment and Autism Program (SNAP). Her clinical training at UCSF focused on pediatric epilepsy, movement disorders, and the neonatal intensive care unit follow up program. She has over 20 years of experience working with children with ASD and other developmental disabilities in assessment, home-based treatment, and educational settings.
Staff
Cristian Preciado
Staff Research Associate
Cristian Preciado has an interest in neuroimaging and autism research. He graduated from UC Davis with a degree in Neurobiology, where he did undergraduate research at the Spatial Cognition Lab. In his free time, Cristian enjoys photography, hiking, and playing the piano. You can ask him about his cat named Mazikene.
Zoey Zhang
Staff Research Associate
Zoey Zhang graduated from UC Davis before completing her Masters of Science in Biomedical Engineering at San Jose State University. She has experience with EEG data and signal processing and is excited to learn more about the benefits of MEG data at NAIL. In her free time, she enjoys spending time with her cat, Simba.
Graduate Practicum Training Program
Dr. Demopoulos recognizes the significant need for more clinicians with expertise in diagnosing and treating children with Autism Spectrum Disorder. In 2018 she started a training program that accepts clinical psychology doctoral graduate students in the Bay Area for intensive training in autism diagnostics and neuropsychological assessment of children with neurodevelopmental disorders.
Current Students
Danya Lebell
Danya Lebell joined the lab as a clinical psychology Psy.D. student for training in autism diagnostics and neuropsychological assessment in 2023. She co-led the Association of Neuropsychology Students & Trainees interest group at the Wright Institute from 2021-2023. Outside of the lab, Danya enjoys running the Bay Area trails, baking, and dog sitting.
Grace Lilly
Grace joined the lab as a clinical psychology Ph.D. student for training in autism diagnostics and neuropsychological assessment in 2023. She is a member of the Palo Alto Addictions Research Center at Palo Alto University where she is investigating the cultural validity of certain psychological assessment measures. In her free time, Grace loves to camp, hike, play volleyball, cook, and eat ice cream.
Abbey Robbins
Abbey joined the lab as a clinical psychology Ph.D. student for training in autism diagnostics and neuropsychological assessment in 2022. She is a member of the Trauma and Personality Studies lab at Palo Alto University and is interested in studying psychopathy. In her free time, Abbey loves to cook, paint, and play with her cats.
Previous Lab Members
Yelena Markiv
Yelena Markiv joined the lab as a clinical psychology Ph.D. student for training in autism diagnostics and neuropsychological assessment in 2021. When not in the lab, Yelena tries to take advantage of everything that the Bay Area has to offer. You can find her exploring nature, checking out new eateries, or visiting summer festivals.
Valerie Lam - Clinical Research Coordinator
Valerie Lam graduated from UC Berkeley as a Regents' and Chancellor's scholar with a bachelor’s degree in Psychology and in Integrative Biology. Her interest in helping children with neurodevelopmental disorders began when she was a teacher for low income, first generation students and was further enhanced at the Stanford SPARK lab where she studied social and emotional learning in preschoolers. Valerie is also part of the Bishop Lab and plans on pursuing a Ph.D. in behavioral neuroscience. You can find her in the dance studio or bouldering when she isn't spending time with her cat, Nyx.
Katherine Brogan - Clinical Research Coordinator
Katherine Brogan graduated with her B.S. in Cognitive Sciences from UC Irvine. She worked as a research assistant and completed her thesis examining how religion affects children's fairness behaviors within the Development of Social Cognition Lab at UC Irvine before joing NAIL in 2021. Katherine currently works in the Department of Anesthesia at UCSF.
Linnea Lampinen - Clinical Research Coordinator
Linnea Lampinen graduated from UC Berkeley with a bachelor’s degree in Psychology and Integrative Biology. She worked as a research assistant at the UC Berkeley Golden Bear Sleep and Mood Research Clinic, examining the link between mood disorders and sleep. Linnea became interested in autism spectrum disorders (ASD) while working with adults with developmental disorders in Dublin, Ireland, and assisted with research on ASD at UCSF. She left in 2023 to begin her clinical psychology Ph.D. program at Rutgers University.
Alison Bai - Volunteer
Alison Bai is a senior at Mission San Jose High School. She is interested in gaining clinical and research experience in the fields of neuroscience and psychology, and hopes to pursue these fields in the future. She enjoys trying new foods, hiking near the ocean, and going on walks with her two brothers and her Labrador, Max (pictured above).
Alaa Sakallah
Alaa Sakallah joined the lab as a clinical psychology Ph.D. student for training in autism diagnostics and neuropsychological assessment in 2018. She was hired as a Staff Research Associate in 2020. She left the Bay Area to begin her clinical internship in pediatric neuropsychology at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia in 2021 and continues to work with the lab for her dissertation research which focuses on evaluating the relationship between cognitive flexibility and the presentation of restricted patterns of interest and repetitive behaviors in individuals with ASD.
Sara Markuson
Sara Markuson joined the lab as a clinical psychology Ph.D. student for training in autism diagnostics and neuropsychological assessment in 2018. Sara is also working in the lab for her dissertation research, which focuses on relations between motor skills and facial affect production in children with ASD. She loves adventuring outdoors. She recently began racing SUP and is training her pup, Lillie, to ride along with her on the water.
Levi Cole
Levi Cole joined the lab as a clinical psychology Ph.D. student for training in autism diagnostics and neuropsychological assessment in 2021. Levi enjoys spending time exploring the outdoors with his two rescue pups and trying to find the best ice cream in town.
Seemran Kansara
Seemran Kansara was the lab’s first volunteer during her undergraduate term at UC Berkeley. She worked in the lab for 3 years and completed an independent study course with Dr. Demopoulos. She graduated from UC Berkeley in 2021 and left the lab to begin medical school at Rowan University School of Osteopathic Medicine.
Afik Faerman
Afik Faerman joined the lab as a clinical psychology Ph.D. student for training in autism diagnostics and neuropsychological assessment in 2019. In 2021, he began his internship in neuropsychology at Baylor College of Medicine.
Laura Fry
Laura Fry joined the lab as a clinical psychology Ph.D. student for training in autism diagnostics and neuropsychological assessment in 2020. In 2021, she began her internship in neuropsychology at UCLA.
Saige Portera
Saige Portera joined the lab as a clinical psychology Ph.D. student for training in autism diagnostics and neuropsychological assessment in 2020. In 2021, she began her internship in pediatric psychology at Geisinger School of Medicine.
Yasmine Bensidi-Slimane
Yasmine Bensidi-Slimane joined the lab as a clinical psychology Ph.D. student for training in autism diagnostics and neuropsychological assessment in 2020. She enjoys watching superhero movies and working on art and craft projects.
Sophia Rougraff - Volunteer
Sophia Rougraff is studying Psychology and Criminology at the University of Florida. She is volunteering over the summer to gain experience and plans to apply to Clinical Psychology Ph.D. programs this fall. She enjoys spending time with her 15-year-old yellow lab, Sandy.