We are proud to recognize Dr. Vanessa Frei, a postdoctoral researcher in Dr. Natalie Ebner’s lab, who has been named a Gator NeuroScholar by the McKnight Brain Institute.
Dr. Frei’s research focuses on uncovering the neural mechanisms underlying speech perception, language processing, and socio-emotional cognition in aging. Using a combination of EEG, MRI, and psychophysiological approaches, her work aims to identify early biomarkers and modifiable risk factors linked to cognitive decline, Alzheimer’s disease, and related dementias.
Her interdisciplinary approach bridges neuroscience, psychology, and aging research to better understand how social and emotional processes interact with brain function over time — with the long-term goal of informing interventions that promote healthy cognitive aging.
Learn more about her work: Gator NeuroScholar: Dr. Vanessa Frei