Date: February – May 2025

Place: University New South Wales, Sydney – Black Dog Institute

URL: https://www.blackdoginstitute.org.au/research-centres/neuromodulation-research-centre/

Reflection: My time at Black Dog Institute has been an enriching and rewarding experience. Black Dog Institute is a leading research institute in Australia focused on mental health and the understanding of mood disorders, particularly depression. During my stay, I am collaborating on several exciting projects. One of them focuses on sensory stimulation, where we apply TMS, visual, and auditory stimulation to enhance memory function. Another project involves investigating the relationship between heart rate variability (HRV) and TMS in mental health. It’s inspiring to work alongside experts in the field and contribute to research that has the potential to improve treatments for mental health conditions. I look forward to continuing to learn and collaborate on these groundbreaking projects.

Date: February/March 2025

Reflection: I’m excited to have started the data analysis phase of my project. The process has been both challenging and rewarding as we dive deeper into the results. I’m particularly grateful to have begun collaborating with Gonzalo García, who has been instrumental in helping with the analysis of the fNIRS data. His expertise is a valuable addition to the project, and together, we are working to uncover meaningful insights that will advance our understanding of cognitive control in depression. I’m looking forward to seeing how the data will further inform our research.

Date: September 2024 – January 2025

Reflection: I’m thrilled to have completed the data collection phase of my project. It has been a challenging journey, especially in terms of recruiting participants, as finding the right individuals to meet the criteria took more time and effort than I initially expected. However, I’m proud that we managed to involve participants who are now going through the 10 days of stimulation as part of the study. The process has been demanding, but it’s incredibly rewarding to see everything coming together. I’m excited to move on to the next stages of analysis and continue advancing our understanding of cognitive control in depression.