Post-doc
Choi Deblieck, PhD
Fascinated by the intricacies of functional brain research, I pursued my PhD in Cognitive Neurosciences and functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI) at the University of Milan, Bicocca, Italy, subsequent to earning my Psychology degree from the University of California, Los Angeles.
My academic trajectory took a significant turn in 2005 when I joined the laboratory of Prof. MarcoIacoboni, a renowned authority in the field of Mirror Neurons and Empathy. I delved deeply into the theory and practice of functional brain imaging, while also immersing myself in in the study of repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (rTMS) – a non-invasive tool for probing and modulating brainactivity. My years as a supervisory senior researcher were marked by extensive collaboration with experts across diverse domains, including Mal de Débarquement Syndrome, autism, musicology, decision-making under threat, sexual behaviour to name a few. This period of interdisciplinary collaboration enriched my understanding of the biological underpinnings of human behavior, particularly in relation to mirror neurons, imitation, and empathy. In 2015, UPCKU Leuven offered me the role of TMS expert, and I applied my expertise in TMS and transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (tDCS) to provide alternative care to treatment-refractory individuals grappling with a wide array of psychiatric and neurological health challenges, ranging from obsessive-compulsive disorder, addiction, major depressive disorder to neuropathic pain or functional neurologic disorder.
I find fulfilment in integrating various modalities, from quantitative electroencephalography (qEEG) and fMRI, to deepen our understanding of the questions we seek to answer. Additionally, I am keen on investigating causal brain-behavior relations that complement the correlational findings of brain imaging. This pursuit aligns with my passion for unraveling the biological underpinnings of human behavior and understanding the brain's remarkable capacity for neuroplasticity. My main goal at LEIA is to evaluate alternative treatment methods for vestibular disorders, with a focus on neuro-vestibular-stimulation in MdDS, and to investigate the effect of microgravity as a function of psychocognitive states in spaceflight analogs.
