Curriculum Vitae
Sharna Jamadar, PhD
Curriculum Vitae
Sharna Jamadar, PhD
BIOGRAPHY
I am a cognitive neuroscientist interested in how our life experiences shape our brains. I am interested in how these life experiences may convey risk or protection against the ageing process; and also how becoming a parent shapes our brains in the short and long term. I am highly interdisciplinary in my approach, and use multiple neuroimaging methods (fMRI, PET, EEG, optical imaging) together with cognitive, behavioural, and psychosocial measures, to understand brain-behaviour relationships.
I currently lead the Cognitive Neuroimaging program at the Turner Institute for Brain and Mental Health at Monash University, and work closely with my colleagues from engineering, physics, radiography, epidemiology, philosophy and social science to understand the multiple facets of the human brain and its interaction with the world. I am a recognised advocate for diversity and accessibility in STEM, and an advocate for early career researchers in neuroscience.
CURRENT POSITION
2022- Associate Professor (Research) | NHMRC Emerging Leader Fellow
Turner Institute for Brain and Mental Health
Monash Biomedical Imaging
Monash University, Australia
2021- Head, Clinical Support Team
Monash Biomedical Imaging
Monash University, Australia
EDUCATION
2020 Graduate Certificate Business Administration, Victoria University, Australia
2005-2010 PhD, University of Newcastle, Australia
2001-2004 Bachelor of Psychology (Hons I), University of Newcastle, Australia
SELECTED AWARDS & HONOURS
From 31 total awards & Honours since 2004.
2023 Australian Academy of Technical Sciences & Engineering (ATSE) Elevate Leadership Scholar.
2023 Australasian Cognitive Neuroscience Society (ACNS) Young Investigator Award
2018-2020 Superstars of STEM program. Science & Technology Australia.
2016 Society for Psychophysiological Research (SPR, USA) Distinguished Early Career Contribution to Psychophysiology
2011 Travel Award. Society for Neuroscience, Washington DC
2011 Travel Award. American College of Neuropsychopharmacology, USA
2011 Molecular Neuroanatomy. Allen Brain Institute & Okinawa Institute of Science & Technology – Course Admission & Living Allowance
2009 Multimodal Neuroimaging Training Program. Center for Neural Basis of Cognition, Carnegie Mellon University and University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh – Full Travel Scholarship & Stipend
2007 Graduate Students Award. Cognitive Neuroscience Society New York
2005 University Medal, University of Newcastle.
2005 Faculty of Science & IT Medal, University of Newcastle
GRANTS [Total Career Funding as CI: $9,001,703; as CI & AI*: $11,648,878]
Selected highlights include
2023 Cain, McGlashan, Sundram, Jamadar (CI-D), et al. Modulation of sensitivity to light as a mechanism for antidepressant treatment efficacy. Wellcome Trust.
2022 Garrido, Grayden, Johnston, Bellgrove, Mattingley, Sah, Sowman, Lin, Jamadar (CI-I), Varlet, Grootswagers, Johnstone, Breakspear. Whole-head optically-pumped room-temperature magnetoencephalography. ARC Linkage, Infrastructure, Equipment Funding
2022 Anderson, Maruff, Dresler, Riedner, Jamadar (AI*), Lim (AI), McDonald (AI), Naismith (AI). Sleep disruption and Alzheimer’s disease pathology – investigating mechanisms via acoustic stimulation of slow-wave sleep. NHMRC Ideas Grant,
2020 Jamadar Neural metabolic connectivity in ageing and neurodegeneration. NHMRC Emerging Leader Fellowship
2020 Karayanidis (CI-A), Fabiani, Gratton, Jamadar (CI-B), Levi, Steyvers. Linking arterial, brain and cognitive integrity in healthy older adults. Australian Research Council Discovery Project
2020 Cain, Phillips, Drummond, Jamadar (AI*), Sundram (AI). Circadian mechanisms for antidepressant medication treatment. NHMRC Ideas Grant,
2018 Egan (CI-A), Jamadar (CI-B), Chen, Premaratne, Fornito, Schmitt (Partner- Siemens), Gaass (Partner – Siemens), Shah (Partner – Forschungszentrum Julich GmbH). Simultaneous to synergistic MR-PET: integrative brain imaging technologies. Australian Research Council Linkage Grant.
2017 Karayanidis (CI-A), Forstmann, Steyvers, Jamadar (CI-B), Hawkins, Lenroot, Michie. Modelling trajectories of cognitive control in adolescents and young adults. Australian Research Council Discovery Project.
2015 Jamadar (CI-A) Cognitive Compensation in Ageing. Australian Research Council Discovery Early Career Researcher Award (DECRA)
SERVICE TO SCIENTIFIC COMMUNITY
Service highlights include: establishing the Australasian Cognitive Neuroscience Society (ACNS) ECR Committee in 2015; establishing the ACNS Equity & Diversity Committee in 2019; co-founding the Australasian Women in Neuroscience network in 2016 with Prof Lindy Fitzgerald; and an invitation to service on the Australian Academy of Science Equity and Diversity Reference Group in 2019.
2024 Organization for Human Brain Mapping Diversity & Equity Committee, Chair
2023 Bionics Institute Girls In STEM Mentor
2021 Australian Institute for Nuclear Science & Engineering Mentor
2021-present ISCBFM International PET Connectivity Working Group
2020-2024 Australasian Cognitive Neuroscience Society, Secretary [Elected position]
2020-2022 ARC Centre of Excellence for Integrative Brain Function Gender Equity and Diversity Committee, Chair
2019-2022 Australian Academy of Science Equity and Diversity Reference Group, Member
2018-2022 Society for Psychophysiological Research Young Investigator Award Committee
2019-2019 Australasian Cognitive Neuroscience Society, Chair, Equity & Diversity Committee
2018 Emerging Researchers in Ageing Conference, Chair, Local Organising Committee,
2018 Australasian Cognitive Neuroscience Society, General Member [Elected position]
2017-2019 Australasian Neuroscience Society Gender Equity and Diversity Committee Member
2017-2019 ARC Centre of Excellence for Integrative Brain Function Gender Equity and Diversity Committee, Member
2017-present Australasian Women in Neuroscience, Co-founder
2015-2016 Australian Cognitive Neuroscience Society Early Career Researcher Committee
2015-2016 ARC Centre of Excellence for Integrative Brain Function Early Career Researcher Committee
2015 Australian Cognitive Neuroscience Society Meeting ECR workshop coordinator
2012-2016 Abstract Reviewer, Organisation for Human Brain Mapping.
EDITORIAL ROLES
Editorial Board – Imaging Neuroscience
Associate Editor – Human Brain Mapping
STUDENT SUPERVISION
See People page for current students.
COMPLETIONS
Dr Winnie Orchard (2022), PhD (Psychology), Monash University
Dr Maria Soloveva (2019), PhD Psychology, Monash University (co-supervised with Nellie Georgiou-Karistianis & Govinda Poudel)
Dr Kelsey Perrykkad (2021), PhD Philosophy, Monash University (co-supervised with Jakob Hohwy)
Daria Gutteridge (2023) PhD (Psychology), University of South Australia (co-supervised with Hannah Keage)
Psychology Honours: 12 completions, 9 Hons Class 1, 3 Class 2A
MEDIA
I have been featured in over 100 media pieces since 2016, including features on Radio National (Drive program), New Scientist, Channel 9,10, SBS nightly news, Fairfax media (e.g., The Age, Sydney Morning Herald), and News Ltd media (e.g. Herald Sun).
I have also completed training in media communication in the Superstars of STEM program, and 1-on-1 training with a journalist from SBS World News.
Selected Links:
New Scientist, ‘Some women feel fetal kicks years after they’ve given birth’, https://tinyurl.com/tkpjamp
Herald Sun/NewsLtd media; AM News Radio, ‘Mums’ better brain’ https://tinyurl.com/yxy925s8
Herald Sun, ‘Secrets of the agers’ https://tinyurl.com/m4e2tss
Adelaide Advertiser, ‘Unlocking age old secrets of the brain’ https://tinyurl.com/kcd594w
Herald Sun/Courier Mail/Gold Coast Bulletin/Adelaide Now/Daily Telegraph newspapers ‘Australia’s ‘super agers’ have brain scans to unlock health secrets’ https://tinyurl.com/m4fauug
Radio National ‘The Drawing Room’ http://tinyurl.com/z6jbcnz
The Age and Sydney Morning Herald newspapers http://tinyurl.com/j3bq8rl
PUBLICATIONS
See the Papers page.
CONFERENCE PRESENTATIONS
I don't always keep track of all presentations but an incomplete list is found here.