I am a cognitive and computational neuroscientist. My research focuses on how the brain encodes, stores, and organizes information in memory. I approach these questions by studying unique learning states (e.g., during sleep, or in patients with psychiatric disorders) to elucidate the general underlying mechanisms involved.
My research interests include: The effects of sleep on learning; hippocampal-dependent memory and its involvement in Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD); the brain mechanisms behind creativity and insight; associative processes in semantic memory in healthy and schizophrenic individuals; and language acquisition.
Please visit my lab's website at: lerner.sleepmemory.lab.utsa.edu
Potential Graduate students interested in sleep and memory research are welcome to apply by email.
My research interests include: The effects of sleep on learning; hippocampal-dependent memory and its involvement in Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD); the brain mechanisms behind creativity and insight; associative processes in semantic memory in healthy and schizophrenic individuals; and language acquisition.
Please visit my lab's website at: lerner.sleepmemory.lab.utsa.edu
Potential Graduate students interested in sleep and memory research are welcome to apply by email.
| Curriculum Vitae |
Education
Ph.D., Hebrew University of Jerusalem, 2013. Computational Neuroscience. Advisors: Dr. Shlomo Bentin, Dr. Oren Shriki.
B.S., Hebrew University of Jerusalem, 2002. Psychobiology. Magna Cum Laude
B.S., Hebrew University of Jerusalem, 2002. Psychobiology. Magna Cum Laude
Research Grants
2024 - 2025 Office of Research INTRA Award (Lerner, PI) $5,000
The Relationship between Real-Life Stress and Physiological Measurements of Sleep and Physical Activity
2023 – 2028 NSF/CAREER 2237419 (Lerner, PI) $725,000
CAREER: Longitudinal study of the effects of baseline sleep on emotional regulation in the context of real-life stressors
2023 – 2027 NSF/EFRI 2317706 (Lerner, Co-PI; 20%) $2,000,000
EFRI BRAID: Efficient Learning of Spatiotemporal Regularities in Humans and Machines through Temporal Scaffolding
2023 – 2027 NSF/ExpandAI 2332744 (Lerner, Co-I; $16,135 share) $2,800,000
PARTNER: Neuro-Inspired AI for the Edge at UTSA (NAIAD)
2021 – 2022 SWCOEH NIH/NIOSH 5T42OH008421 (Lerner, PI) $19,947
Investigating Objective Measures of Habitual Pre-Trauma Sleep as Potential Risk Factors for Future PTSD
2021 – 2021 HCaP Jump-Start Seed Grant (Lerner, PI) $4,975
The Effects of Sleep on the Formation of False Composite Memories
2019 – 2021 NIH/NIMH 1R21MH119020-01A1 (Lerner, Co-PI; 32% share) $442,094
Enhancing the Efficiency of Non-REM Sleep Temporal Dynamics to Improve Insight Learning
2015 – 2019 NSF/BCS 1461009 (Lerner, Co-PI) $586,326
Neurocognitive Studies of Sleep and the Generalization of Emotional Learning and Threat Detection.
2016 – 2018 DoD W911NF-16-C-0018 (Lerner, Co-PI) $465,435
IMPACTS: Improving Memory Performance by Augmenting Consolidation with Transcranial Stimulation
2012 – 2016 NSF/SHB:EXP 1231515 (as effective co-PI) $552,307
Long-Term Mobile Monitoring and Analysis of Sleep-Cognition Relationship.
The Relationship between Real-Life Stress and Physiological Measurements of Sleep and Physical Activity
2023 – 2028 NSF/CAREER 2237419 (Lerner, PI) $725,000
CAREER: Longitudinal study of the effects of baseline sleep on emotional regulation in the context of real-life stressors
2023 – 2027 NSF/EFRI 2317706 (Lerner, Co-PI; 20%) $2,000,000
EFRI BRAID: Efficient Learning of Spatiotemporal Regularities in Humans and Machines through Temporal Scaffolding
2023 – 2027 NSF/ExpandAI 2332744 (Lerner, Co-I; $16,135 share) $2,800,000
PARTNER: Neuro-Inspired AI for the Edge at UTSA (NAIAD)
2021 – 2022 SWCOEH NIH/NIOSH 5T42OH008421 (Lerner, PI) $19,947
Investigating Objective Measures of Habitual Pre-Trauma Sleep as Potential Risk Factors for Future PTSD
2021 – 2021 HCaP Jump-Start Seed Grant (Lerner, PI) $4,975
The Effects of Sleep on the Formation of False Composite Memories
2019 – 2021 NIH/NIMH 1R21MH119020-01A1 (Lerner, Co-PI; 32% share) $442,094
Enhancing the Efficiency of Non-REM Sleep Temporal Dynamics to Improve Insight Learning
2015 – 2019 NSF/BCS 1461009 (Lerner, Co-PI) $586,326
Neurocognitive Studies of Sleep and the Generalization of Emotional Learning and Threat Detection.
2016 – 2018 DoD W911NF-16-C-0018 (Lerner, Co-PI) $465,435
IMPACTS: Improving Memory Performance by Augmenting Consolidation with Transcranial Stimulation
2012 – 2016 NSF/SHB:EXP 1231515 (as effective co-PI) $552,307
Long-Term Mobile Monitoring and Analysis of Sleep-Cognition Relationship.