Members

 

Mission Statement 


“We are empowering clinicians-researchers to address language disorders across etiologies, cognitive frameworks, and societal contexts.”

Dr. Sladjana Lukic

I received my Ph.D. in Communication Sciences and Disorders (CSD) and Cognitive Science Specialization from Northwestern University under the supervision of Dr. Cynthia K. Thompson and completed postdoctoral training in Cognitive Neuroscience under the supervision of Dr. Maria Luisa Gorno-Tempini at the University of California San Francisco (UCSF) - Memory and Aging Center. I specialize in both acquired and primary progressive aphasias and I examine the neurocognitive mechanism of language impairments, particularly with respect to lexical access and (morpho)syntax. 

In the experience over the course of my career, I have come to notice that the broader community of patients with neurodegenerative syndromes and their families lack easy access to available resources from research and clinical hubs. I aim to bridge this gap by disseminating my expertise and knowledge toward a better understanding of these syndromes, particularly in communities that lack the necessary clinical resources and support.

Please check my full CV.

the Staff & Students

Hemish Naidoo (Research Assistant, January 2024-present)

Hello! I am a sophomore undergraduate at Adelphi University, majoring in Molecular Neuroscience with minors in Biology and Asian Studies. I am also a member of the Honors College and an aspiring medical student with ambitions to obtain a dual MD-PhD degree. After witnessing firsthand the effects that degenerative neurological diseases can have on an individual, I wanted to learn about and be involved in the clinical processes that could lead to change for those suffering from these disorders. Therefore, I am eager to conduct clinical lab research with Dr. Lukic in the NoLaB on neurological disorders such as primary progressive aphasia and will gather pathologically connected speech data. I will operate Hume.ai, an artificial intelligence software designed to convert human emotions into spoken words.

Sadiqa Taaseen (Research Assistant, January 2024-present)

I am a first-year graduate student in Communication Science Disorders interested in cognitive neuroscience and understanding language impairments. I am eager to expand my research skills in order to gain knowledge and further provide clinical expertise to help the neurodegenerative community. In NoLab, I am working on the auditory and perceptual rating of connected speech in aphasia in understudied contexts (e.g., rural settings).


Sarah Azarfar (Research Assistant, January 2023-present)

I am in the first year of my graduate degree in Communication Science Disorders. My curiosity about aphasia superseded my personal expectations on learning about the speech-language pathology field. I have unwillingly found myself absorbed in research and hope to continue as long as I can. I live learning. I always have, and I can't go on to be a certified clinician without having my questions answered. I feel grateful to be starting my research journey alongside Dr. Lukic as I hope to pursue a PhD in the future. I look forward to learning more about aphasia with Dr. Lukic and discovering the impacts of VNeST in primary progressive aphasia.  

Nicholas Strada (Research Assistant, January 2023-present)

I am a Sophomore at Adelphi University. I am dual majoring in Psychology and Molecular Neuroscience. Currently, I am also working as an Emergency Medical Technician. I aspire to go to medical school after I complete my undergraduate degree. Throughout high school and college, I developed a passion for learning about different medical conditions. Mainly, I have taken a particular interest in neurological disorders. That being said, I am proud to be able to assist Dr. Lukic's research - investigating neural patterns of language recovery in those with PPA! In my spare time, I enjoy reading and listening to music.

Alecia Sclafani (Research Assistant, July 2022-2023)

I graduated from St. John’s University with a B.A. in Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology and a minor in English in May 2021. I am in the second year of my graduate degree in Communication Science Disorders at Adelphi University. In the Fall 2022 semester, I started my externship at Transitions of Long Island. In this position, I primarily work with clients recovering from neurological illness or injury in an outpatient rehabilitation setting. With Dr. Lukic, I am designing a new testing online platform to be used in clinical practice across neurological disorders in an effort to utilize better accurate diagnoses and understanding of language deficits in clinical practice.  

Betty Li (Research Assistant, July 2023)

I am a junior at Brooklyn Tech High School in the Biological Sciences major with a keen interest in the field of language processing and neurological disorders. Previously, my fascination with science has led me to involve myself in independent research and participate in STEM-related internships that have furthered my passion for the sciences. With that being said, I am excited to assist in Dr. Lukic’s research in studying the relationships between neurological disorders, brain networks, and language processing. 


You? Are you interested in our research? Get in touch!

Collaborators

Dr. Cynthia Thompson, Northwestern University

Dr. Nina Dronkers, University of California, Berkley 

Dr. Maria Luisa Gorno-Tempini, University of California, San Francisco

Dr. Virginia Sturm, University of California San Francisco

Dr. Edward Huey, Brown University 

Dr. Valentina Borghesani, University of Geneva