Molly S. Hermiller

Molly S. Hermiller is a cognitive neuroscientist interested in the spatial and temporal dynamics of the human brain that support cognition – especially how the hippocampus interacts with a distributed network of brain regions to support episodic memory. In the Hermiller Lab, researchers design task paradigms to tease apart how memories are formed, consolidated and retrieved. The research uses neuroimaging (functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging; fMRI) to map regions of the brain that support memory and how their connectivity, interactions, and activity patterns contribute to various memory processes. They also employ noninvasive brain stimulation (e.g., transcranial magnetic stimulation; TMS) to modulate the hippocampal-cortical network to causally test its role in supporting long-term episodic memory processes. Through these combined approaches, the Hermiller Lab aims to elucidate the mechanisms underlying memory processes that allow people to store information, integrate their life experiences, mentally travel back in time to reimagine prior events and reminisce with others.