Gillian Cooke completed her Ph.D. in Neuroscience from Trinity College Dublin (Ireland) in 2009. Her graduate training was supervised by Prof. Shane O’Mara and centered on using neuropsychological and MRI methods to investigate memory changes both across the lifespan and in adult-onset hypothyroidism. Following this Gillian spent two years working as a postdoctoral research associate at Northwestern University in Chicago before moving to the Beckman Institute. Currently, she is the lead postdoctoral research associate on the INSIGHT project working with Prof. Aron Barbey, as well as a postdoctoral research associate in the Lifelong Brain and Cognition Lab working with Prof. Art Kramer. Gillian is affiliated with the Human Perception and Performance Group.

Cognitive function changes across the adult lifespan for many reasons; this is seen in both healthy adults and in those who have been diagnosed with diseases such as Cancer and Hypothyroidism. Gillian Cooke investigates the impact that age and disease has on brain structure, function and connectivity. Of particular importance to Gillian is the whether we can alter these age and disease related changes using physical, cognitive and hormonal interventions.