l a b    m e m b e r s

Deanna Greene

Title: Principal Investigator | Email: deannagreene@ucsd.edu

I am an Associate Professor in the Department of Cognitive Science at UCSD, where I direct the Greene Developmental Cognitive Neuroscience Laboratory. My research seeks to understand how interacting brain systems develop and support cognitive, motor, and sensory functions. Using multimodal MRI and both precision functional mapping and group-level approaches, my lab studies how brain networks are organized and develop during childhood, how they vary across individuals, and how network organization differs in neurodevelopmental disorders, with a particular focus on Tourette syndrome. Ultimately, our goal is to bridge basic developmental cognitive neuroscience with clinically relevant questions by identifying individualized features of brain organization that may inform future precision approaches to diagnosis and treatment. I received my BA from UCSD and my PhD in Cognitive Neuroscience from UCLA. I completed postdoctoral training and later served as faculty at Washington University in St. Louis before returning to UCSD as faculty in 2020.

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Damion Demeter

Title: Postdoctoral Scholar | Email: ddemeter@ucsd.edu

I am a postdoc at UCSD and very happy to be working with Dr. Greene and everyone in the lab. I am a west coast native, a first gen college student, and recently "ended" my extremely non-linear academic journey by earning my PhD under the supervision of Dr. Jessica Church at UT Austin. My main research interests orbit around quantifying how functional brain networks organize during development. I am especially interested in how specific aspects of functional network organization may vary in clinical populations and in relation to cognitive performance. I am also very passionate about providing resources for other first gen students and being involved in the "brain hack" community. Outside of science, I enjoy home-roasting coffee beans, overly complex board games, and medium format photography.

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Sarah Chang

Title: Postdoctoral Scholar

I am a postdoctoral scholar in the Greene Lab. After I graduated from UCLA with a B.S. in Psychobiology, I worked as a neuroimaging research coordinator in Dr. Leanne Williams’ clinical neuroscience lab at Stanford University. Afterwards, I returned to UCLA to pursue my PhD in Neuroscience, where I investigated neural, behavioral, and genetic markers of attention lapses in adolescence, under the primary mentorship of Dr. Carrie Bearden. As a postdoc, I use precision functional mapping and traditional group-based methods to study subcortico-cortical functional connectivity in children. My work is funded by the Tourette Association of America and the American Academy of Neurology. Outside of lab, I enjoy dancing, trying new snacks from Trader Joe’s, and watching a moderate amount of reality TV.

Emily Koithan

Title: Graduate Student | Email: emkoithan@ucsd.edu

Before joining UCSD’s Cognitive Science PhD Program in 2022, I completed my Bachelor of Science in Mathematics and Psychology at the University of Minnesota. During and after college, I assisted with research that used fMRI to examine brain alterations in eating disorders and substance use disorders. I plan to learn more about neuroimaging and machine learning in graduate school, which I hope to use to gain insight into the functional organization of the brain, predict outcomes, and uncover the neural bases of psychiatric and neurological disorders and symptoms. In my free time, I like to read, travel, and run.

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Sujin Park

Title: Graduate Student | Email: sup031@ucsd.edu

I am a Ph.D. student in Cognitive Science department. Before joining Greene Lab, I did my master in psychology at Sungkyunkwan University, South Korea. The overarching goal of my research is to find biomarkers of neuropsychiatric disorders during development. I am particularly interested in using precision functional mapping and diverse prediction models. Outside of lab, you can find me reading, watching sunsets, and craving for good ice cream.

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Jonathan Ahern

Title: Graduate Student | Email: jahern@ucsd.edu

I am a PhD student in the Developmental Cognitive Neuroscience Lab at UCSD. Before beginning my PhD, I completed a BS in Cognitive Science at UCSD followed by 2 years of post-baccalaureate research at the Population Neuroscience and Genetics (PNG) Center centered at the Laureate Institute for Brain Research. At PNG my research focused on using large population-based datasets, such as the UK Biobank and the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development (ABCD) Study, to understand the genetic, imaging, and environmental differences involved in neuropsychiatric outcomes ranging from Depression to Parkinson’s Disease. During my PhD, I hope to build upon those skills to increase our understanding of functional organization patterns' role in developmental disorders. Outside work, I enjoy hiking, listening to podcasts, and cooking.

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Abigail Baim

Title: Staff Research Associate | Email: abaim@ucsd.edu

I was born near Gießen, Germany and lived in 9 different places across the US and Germany before ending up in San Diego. I graduated from UCSD in 2022 with a B.S. in Cognitive and Behavioral Neuroscience. Before joining the Greene Lab I worked in two other labs on campus where I learned more about both typical and atypical development. These experiences grew my interest in learning about development through neuroimaging, and led me to the Greene Lab! In my free time I like to climb, go on walks, crochet, and read.

Ben Ahn

Title: Staff Research Associate | Email: beahn@ucsd.edu

I am a staff research associate in the Greene Lab at UCSD. I was born in South Korea and moved to Southern California around age five. I graduated from UCLA in 2025 with a B.A. in Psychology where I developed an interest in brain networks and neuroimaging, an interest that ultimately led me to the Greene Lab. Outside of lab, I like to spend time with my family and read.

Emily Bihun

Title: Clinical Research Coordinator

I grew up in Clayton, Missouri, blocks from Forest Park, with ample opportunity to explore its amazing museums and bounteous gardens. I graduated from Clayton High School and studied psychology as an undergrad at UW-Madison. Several years and a lot of real-world experience later, I attended UM-SL to obtain a graduate degree in counseling. At Washington University, I am a Clinical Research Coordinator for the Greene and Black Labs. I am especially interested in movement disorders, somatic awareness approaches, and maximizing quality of life for people of all ages. Outside of work, I am thoroughly entertained by my three kids and their crested gecko, Mordecai.

Stella Hale

Title: Undergraduate Research Assistant | Email: sthale@ucsd.edu

I am a third year studying Cognitive Science with a specialization in Neuroscience. My research interests include exploring triadic associations between Tourette syndrome and other tic disorders, OCD, and ADHD in developmental populations through fMRI. I am also interested in the neural correlates underlying tic presentation and suppression and how they relate to canonical functional networks, with a primary focus on the interplay between subcortical structures and prefrontal cortex. My main focuses within the lab are behavioral coding for tic disorders, assisting with data collection, and other side projects related to my interests. Outside of the lab, you can find me curled up with a cup of hot tea, an interesting paper, and my two rabbits!

Jayda Lee

Title: Undergraduate Research Assistant | Email: jdl014@ucsd.edu

I am a senior at UCSD majoring in Cognitive Science with a specialization in Neuroscience. My interests lie in atypical neurodevelopment in pediatric populations and Alzheimer’s disease. Being a part of the Greene Lab has deepened my appreciation for neuroimaging and inspired me to explore how precision mapping can be applied to research on Autism Spectrum Disorder and obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), with a particular interest in understanding the neural mechanisms underlying their comorbidity. Outside the lab, I enjoy playing hockey, volunteering with children and older adults, and watching Pride and Prejudice for the hundredth time.

Naomi Gu

Title: Undergraduate Research Assistant | Email: yig033@ucsd.edu

I am a junior at UC San Diego majoring in Clinical Psychology and Cognitive & Behavioral Neuroscience. I am currently volunteering in the Greene Lab, where I work with Emily Koithan on a neuroimaging project investigating anorexia nervosa. My research interests are in neuroimaging and cognitive neuroscience, especially understanding the neural mechanisms underlying neurological and psychiatric disorders. Through my research experiences during college, I realized that I want to pursue graduate school and a career in neuroscience research. Outside of the lab, I enjoy watching movies and TV shows, traveling to new places, and trying local restaurants wherever I go.

Manasa Pooni

Title: Undergraduate Research Assistant | Email: mpooni@ucsd.edu

I am an undergraduate at UC San Diego double majoring in Math–Computer Science and Cognitive Science with a specialization in Neuroscience. I collaborate across the Greene and Voytek Labs, where I contribute to research on pediatric neurodevelopment, including projects investigating cortical excitation–inhibition (E/I) balance in Tourette syndrome using analyses of aperiodic EEG activity. My work includes EEG data collection, preprocessing, and analysis, and I am currently gaining experience with fMRI preprocessing and developmental neuroimaging methods in the Greene Lab. I am fascinated by how functional brain organization develops and gives rise to cognition and behavior. I am especially interested in applying computational and neuroimaging approaches to better understand the underlying neural mechanisms of neurodevelopmental conditions such as autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and Tourette syndrome. Ultimately, I hope to combine research with compassionate clinical care to improve the lives of children and their families. Outside of the lab, I enjoy singing, teaching music lessons to children, and embracing my slight obsession with all things elephant-related.