Brain and Language Lab

People

The Brain and Language Lab functions as a highly collaborative group of individuals from Georgetown and other institutions in the US and other countries. 

Positions:

Currently the Brain and Language Lab does not have any paid positions available. 

LAB DIRECTOR

Michael Ullman

Professor

Director, Brain and Language Lab

Director, Georgetown EEG/ERP Laboratory

Director, Medical Neuroscience, Georgetown University Medical School

Departments: 

Primary: Neuroscience

Secondary: Psychology and Neurology

Campus Address: New Research Building, Room EP-07

Mailing Address: 

Department of Neuroscience

Georgetown University

Box 571464

Washington, DC 20057-1464

Email: michael@georgetown.edu

Tel: (202) 687-6064

Fax: (202) 687-0617 

CV: Click here to view

Michael Ullman

CO-DIRECTOR: AGING AND LANGUAGE PROJECTS

JANA REIFEGERSTE

Dr. Reifegerste is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Neurology at Georgetown University Medical Center. Her main research focus lies in aging and the effects of age-related cognitive changes on language learning and processing. She is particularly interested in the role of learning and memory and how different developmental trajectories for different memory systems may (or may not) explain the lifespan development of different language abilities, such as lexical and grammatical processing. To this end, she studies behavioral and brain data from a broad range of healthy monolingual and bilingual participants as well as people with neurodegenerative diseases, including Parkinson's disease and Mild Cognitive Impairment. She uses psycholinguistic, cognitive, neuroimaging, neurological, and genetic approaches. Jana co-wrote a National Science Foundation grant with Michael Ullman on language and aging, and is co-directing this and other projects with him.  

AFFILIATES/COLLABORATORS

Australia

Austria

Brazil

Belgium 

Canada

China

France

Germany

Hong Kong

Hungary

Israel

Portugal

Sweden

Turkey

United Kingdom

United States

POSTDOCTORAL FELLOWS

JOSHUA BUFFINGTON

Dr. Buffington is a Postdoctoral Fellow in the Aging & Alzheimer's Research Training Program at Georgetown University. Guiding questions in his work concern how adults acquire language— both foreign languages and continued learning in one’s native language(s) (e.g., ‘Ozempic’)— as well as why adult language learning seems so much more challenging than child language learning. Understanding adult language learning is important for developing interventions for age-related challenges with language and for designing effective instructional environments for adult second language learning, which may be neuroprotective. Dr. Buffington’s work on these issues focuses on neurocognitive processes of language learning, primarily as motivated by the declarative/procedural model of language.

MASTER'S STUDENTS

ELISA YANNI

Elisa is pursuing a Master’s degree in Integrative Neuroscience at Georgetown and has completed degrees in Neuroscience and Philosophy at the University of Scranton. Her research interests primarily involve behavioral neuroscience, specifically in regard to language acquisition, neurodegenerative diseases, and sleep disorders. 

UNDERGRADUATE ASSISTANTS

ELLA FATHI

School: Georgetown College, 2026

Major: Linguistics, Pre-Medical Track

InterestsFluent in four languages herself, Ella’s curiosity lies in the cognitive processes involved in language learning. Specifically, she is fascinated by the interconnection between language acquisition/maintenance and memory systems. Her research interests include investigating the role of bilingualism in preserving memory function as well as the impact of code-switching on memory consolidation.

JIMIN LEE

School: Georgetown College, 2024

Major: Neurobiology, Pre-Medical Track

Interests: Jimin is interested in the function of the brain on the molecular level and the effects of multilingualism on the brain. She would like to explore the causes behind neurodegenerative diseases and its relationship with language and memory.

ESHA MANDUVA

School: Georgetown College, 2025

Major: Psychology, Pre-Medical Track

Interests: Esha is interested in behavioral responses and neurological pathways. She would like to explore the relationship between physiology and memory through neuroscience.

MASON SERMARINI

School: Georgetown School of Health, 2025

Major: Human Science, Pre-Medical Track

Interests: Mason is fascinated by neurophysiology as it pertains to human health and wellness. He would like to explore the relationship between extracurricular involvement and cognitive decline in the aging brain.

LAB PHOTOS

photo of lab students
photo of 2 working in the lab
group photo showing lab collaborations
photo of 2 working in the lab
photo showing 2 collaborators in the lab

ALUMNAE AND ALUMNI

Research Assistants/Lab Managers 

Post-doctoral fellows

Visiting Scholars 

PhD Students 

PhD Student Research Rotations 

Visiting Graduate Students 

Masters and Medical Students 

Undergraduate Students 

Associated Researchers 

Undergraduate Assistants

Past Collaborators