Tarana Nigam

Systems neuroscientist | Biotechnology engineer | Multi-modal Neural Data analysis | Electrophysiology | fMRI | Non-human primates | Human intra-cranial recordings ECoG | Non-invasive neuromodulation | Vision | Language

Greater Houston

About

I’m a systems neuroscientist and engineer driven by two core passions: (a) uncovering the building blocks of intelligence, including the neural and computational mechanisms supporting rapid learning, abstraction, generalization, cognitive flexibility, and contextual or learning-dependent effects on perception. (b) translating these principles into neurotechnologies and brain–computer interfaces that can meaningfully impact human health and cognition. I am especially motivated by opportunities to translate this knowledge into impactful innovations in the neurotech sphere. Skilled in designing and executing neuroscience experiments involving multi-channel electrophysiology and fMRI in awake non-human primates, and intracranial electrophysiology (ECoG) in humans. Strong expertise in neural decoding and multimodal data integration, applying machine learning and signal processing to high-dimensional neural time-series data, behavioral models, and physiological measures (eye tracking, pupillometry) to decode sensory and cognitive variables from the brain https://tarananigam.github.io/TaranaNigam/index.html

Experience

  • Neuroscientist: Postdoctoral research scientist at Baylor College of Medicine
    Mar 2026 - Present · 4 mos

    • Advanced research on flexible cognition and language in the human brain under the guidance of Dr. Ben Hayden and Dr. Sameer Sheth. • Conducted human intracranial recordings to study single neuron activity at Baylor St. Luke's Hospital and Texas Children's Hospital. • Collaborated with a multidisciplinary team to enhance understanding of cognitive processes as well as clinical research with patients

  • Neuroscientist - Postdoctoral research scientist at Ruhr University Bochum
    Apr 2025 - Mar 2026 · 1 yr

    In the lab of Dr. Caspar Schwiedrzik Flexibility and optimization of neural codes for face perception in the primate sensory cortex Working in German Primate center, European Neuroscience institute and Ruhr University Bochum

  • Neuroscientist - Postdoctoral research scientist at European Neuroscience Institute Göttingen (ENI-G)
    Jul 2024 - Mar 2026 · 1 yr 9 mos

    In the lab of Dr. Caspar Schwiedrzik Flexibility and optimization of neural codes for face perception in the primate sensory cortex Working in German Primate center, European Neuroscience institute and Ruhr University Bochum

  • Deutsches Primatenzentrum GmbH (7 yrs 6 mos)
    • Neuroscientist- Postdoctoral Research Scientist
      Jul 2024 - Mar 2026 · 1 yr 9 mos

    • Neuroscientist - Doctoral Researcher
      Aug 2019 - Jun 2024 · 4 yrs 11 mos

      International Max Planck Research School for Neuroscience, Georg-August Universitat, Goettingen, Germany (Advisor: Caspar M. Schwiedrzik) - Neuroscience Research: Systems neuroscience of visual perception across humans and non-human primates | Multi-channel electrophysiology | Non-human primate Functional MRI | fMRI-guided surgical planning, electrode placement and electrophysiology | Intracranial electrophysiology in human epilepsy patients | Cross-species experimental design | Vision models for face and object recognition | Eye-tracking (Gaze and pupil size) | Assisted in NHP surgeries - Data Science & Analysis: Programming in MATLAB, Python, and R for analysis of high-dimensional neural and neuroimaging datasets | Applied statistics | Hypothesis testing | Machine learning: regression, classification, dimensionality reduction | Signal processing | Integration of custom and commercial analysis pipelines -Presentation & Communication: Invited talks and poster presentations at multiple international conferences (Peer-reviewed conference proceedings in Cosyne 2022, 2024), Talks at Cosyne (Object - centric representations https://toliaslab.org/workshop/cosyne-object-centric/ , Princeton, Stanford, MIT, Rockefeller University etc. | Experience communicating complex neuroscience concepts to both expert and lay audiences - Scientific Writing: Author or co-author on multiple peer-reviewed publications in high-impact journals like Nature Communications - End-to-end Hardware to software development for experimental control: Teensy | Experimental control and stimulus design for vision research and Non-human primate training and neurophysiology and fMRI | Psychtoolbox | mWorks | Presentation | CAD designing for implants , recording trajectory - Mentoring & Teaching: Supervised 1 Neuroscience PhD student | 1 Computer Science Master’s student | Organized and led teaching modules for Masters students on Intracranial electrophysiology data analysis

    • Masters Research
      Oct 2018 - Aug 2019 · 11 mos

      Studying gaze and dyadic interactions in a social decision making context in non-human primates and humans Supervisor: Dr.Igor Kagan/ Dr. Sebastian Moeller, Decision Making and Awareness Group, Cognitive Neuroscience Lab; Dr. Alexander Gail

  • Visiting Research Scientist at The Rockefeller University
    Aug 2024 - Jan 2025 · 6 mos

    Neural Systems Laboratory headed by Dr. Winrich Freiwald Neural flexibility in the macaque face patch system