Lab Personnel
Lab Director
Hannah J. Block, Ph.D.
Associate Professor IU website - Department of Kinesiology, School of Public Health - Program in Neuroscience, College of Arts and Sciences Indiana University, Bloomington In 2013 Dr. Block completed a postdoctoral fellowship in the Human Brain Physiology and Stimulation Lab under Dr. Pablo Celnik at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. She received her Ph.D. in Neuroscience in 2009 at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. Dr. Block did her thesis work in the Motion Analysis Lab under Dr. Amy Bastian. In another life: "If I couldn't be a neuroscientist, I would want to be some kind of historian or archeologist. Ancient civilizations fascinate me." |
"I pledge to be a #MentorFirst and will demonstrate my commitment to this pledge by putting into practice each of the action items in the #MentorFirst Commitments."
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Graduate and Postdoctoral Trainees
Kess Folco, PhD
Postdoctoral Fellow
Department of Kinesiology
Kess began her postdoctoral position after receiving her PhD in the Department of Psychology at IU in May 2023.
Which potato dish are you? "Heluski is a traditional family dish made of simple staple ingredients loved by all and involves the literal pulverizing of the potato but somehow the potato still comes out delicious."
Postdoctoral Fellow
Department of Kinesiology
Kess began her postdoctoral position after receiving her PhD in the Department of Psychology at IU in May 2023.
Which potato dish are you? "Heluski is a traditional family dish made of simple staple ingredients loved by all and involves the literal pulverizing of the potato but somehow the potato still comes out delicious."
Bashir Isa
PhD student
Program in Neuroscience
Bashir started the PhD program in January 2024 after completing a master's degree in medical electronics and undergraduate degree in biomedical engineering. He enjoys sports, reading, traveling and hanging out with friends.
In another life: "If I were to choose a different track, I would probably study civil engineering because I love to see complex building structures."
PhD student
Program in Neuroscience
Bashir started the PhD program in January 2024 after completing a master's degree in medical electronics and undergraduate degree in biomedical engineering. He enjoys sports, reading, traveling and hanging out with friends.
In another life: "If I were to choose a different track, I would probably study civil engineering because I love to see complex building structures."
Maner Wang
PhD student
Department of Kinesiology, Program in Neuroscience
Maner began a dual Kinesiology and Program in Neuroscience PhD program in Fall 2024. She is an occupational therapist who recently completed a master's degree in biomedical engineering.
In another life: "I think I'll still be working as a therapist in the clinical field, as that's a common tract for my former colleagues after obtaining a Master's degree."
PhD student
Department of Kinesiology, Program in Neuroscience
Maner began a dual Kinesiology and Program in Neuroscience PhD program in Fall 2024. She is an occupational therapist who recently completed a master's degree in biomedical engineering.
In another life: "I think I'll still be working as a therapist in the clinical field, as that's a common tract for my former colleagues after obtaining a Master's degree."
Undergraduate research assistants
Reece Watterson
Senior in Neuroscience
Which potato dish are you? "I am most like a baked potato because of the variety. A baked potato can be as simple as no toppings cooked up quick in a microwave or can be dressed up with bacon, cheese, and butter after crisping up in the oven. This reflects how I live a varied lifestyle."
Senior in Neuroscience
Which potato dish are you? "I am most like a baked potato because of the variety. A baked potato can be as simple as no toppings cooked up quick in a microwave or can be dressed up with bacon, cheese, and butter after crisping up in the oven. This reflects how I live a varied lifestyle."
Jonathan Matten
Junior in Neuroscience
Jonathan is majoring in neuroscience and minoring in epidemiology and plans to attend medical school. He enjoys reading, traveling, and trying new food.
In another life: "I would be a chef and running my own restaurant. Food is one of those things that makes everyone happy!"
Junior in Neuroscience
Jonathan is majoring in neuroscience and minoring in epidemiology and plans to attend medical school. He enjoys reading, traveling, and trying new food.
In another life: "I would be a chef and running my own restaurant. Food is one of those things that makes everyone happy!"
Sophia Piersanti
Sophomore in Neuroscience
"In another life, I would want to be an astronaut. I love physics and traveling, and I think being the first woman on Mars would be pretty sick."
Sophomore in Neuroscience
"In another life, I would want to be an astronaut. I love physics and traveling, and I think being the first woman on Mars would be pretty sick."
Sophia Piersanti
Freshman in Biology
"In another life, I would probably go into finance or economics and do something business related."
Freshman in Biology
"In another life, I would probably go into finance or economics and do something business related."
Faculty collaborators
Department of Kinesiology, IU Bloomington
- Dr. David Koceja
- Dr. Georgia Frey
- Dr. Bill Hetrick
- Dr. Hu Cheng
- Dr. Kate Bonnen
- Dr. David Ostry, McGill University
- Dr. Jurgen Konczak, University of Minnesota
- Dr. Sharlene Newman, University of Alabama
Graduate and Postdoctoral Alumni
Najmeh Hoseini, PT, PhD, 2013-2015
Ph.D. in Motor Control/Learning, 2015. Department of Kinesiology.
Najmeh began her PhD at Indiana University in 2009 and started working with Dr. Block in the Sensorimotor Neurophysiology lab in 2013. Her thesis addressed the effect of peripheral and central stimulation of hand muscles on manual dexterity and motor cortex physiology. She defended June 9, 2015 and now holds a faculty position at Westcoast University.
Ph.D. in Motor Control/Learning, 2015. Department of Kinesiology.
Najmeh began her PhD at Indiana University in 2009 and started working with Dr. Block in the Sensorimotor Neurophysiology lab in 2013. Her thesis addressed the effect of peripheral and central stimulation of hand muscles on manual dexterity and motor cortex physiology. She defended June 9, 2015 and now holds a faculty position at Westcoast University.
Felipe Munoz, PhD, 2014-2016
Programs in Neuroscience and Cognitive Science, Department of Statistics
Felipe completed a PhD under Dr. Karin James with a double major in Neuroscience and Cognitive Science, as well as a Master's degree in Statistics. Felipe accepted an Assistant Professor position at Austral University of Chile in fall 2017.
Programs in Neuroscience and Cognitive Science, Department of Statistics
Felipe completed a PhD under Dr. Karin James with a double major in Neuroscience and Cognitive Science, as well as a Master's degree in Statistics. Felipe accepted an Assistant Professor position at Austral University of Chile in fall 2017.
Jasmine Mirdamadi, PhD, 2015-2020
Department of Kinesiology, Program in Neuroscience
Jasmine began her PhD in the Kinesiology Department in fall 2015. She earned her BS at the University of Michigan, with a double major in kinesiology and neuroscience. Her dissertation focused on somatosensory factors in motor skill learning. Jasmine graduated in February 2020 and went on to a postdoctoral position at Emory University.
Department of Kinesiology, Program in Neuroscience
Jasmine began her PhD in the Kinesiology Department in fall 2015. She earned her BS at the University of Michigan, with a double major in kinesiology and neuroscience. Her dissertation focused on somatosensory factors in motor skill learning. Jasmine graduated in February 2020 and went on to a postdoctoral position at Emory University.
Yang Liu, PhD, 2014-2020
Department of Kinesiology, Program in Neuroscience
Yang entered the Kinesiology Department's PhD program in 2014 after completing her MS at Springfield College, MA. Her PhD dissertation focused on the influence of sequence learning on sensorimotor adaptation. Yang graduated in the spring of 2020 and went on to a software developer position at Pinterest.
Department of Kinesiology, Program in Neuroscience
Yang entered the Kinesiology Department's PhD program in 2014 after completing her MS at Springfield College, MA. Her PhD dissertation focused on the influence of sequence learning on sensorimotor adaptation. Yang graduated in the spring of 2020 and went on to a software developer position at Pinterest.
Trevor Lee-Miller, PhD, 2021-2022
Postdoctoral Fellow, Department of Kinesiology
Trevor completed his Ph.D. in Kinesiology, with concentration in Motor learning and control, at Columbia University in the City of New York under the supervision of Prof. Andrew Gordon in the Sensorimotor Neuroscience Lab. His thesis work examined the sensorimotor control of hand-object interactions. This work further reinforced the need to understand multisensory integration and its neurological foundations, which is one of the reasons that lead him to Dr. Block’s lab for a postdoctoral fellowship.
Postdoctoral Fellow, Department of Kinesiology
Trevor completed his Ph.D. in Kinesiology, with concentration in Motor learning and control, at Columbia University in the City of New York under the supervision of Prof. Andrew Gordon in the Sensorimotor Neuroscience Lab. His thesis work examined the sensorimotor control of hand-object interactions. This work further reinforced the need to understand multisensory integration and its neurological foundations, which is one of the reasons that lead him to Dr. Block’s lab for a postdoctoral fellowship.
Reshma Babu, PhD, 2019-2024
Department of Kinesiology, Program in Neuroscience
Reshma's PhD dissertation focused on proprioception and motor skill learning with different kinds of performance feedback. After graduating she went on to a postdoctoral fellowship at UC Davis.
Department of Kinesiology, Program in Neuroscience
Reshma's PhD dissertation focused on proprioception and motor skill learning with different kinds of performance feedback. After graduating she went on to a postdoctoral fellowship at UC Davis.
Manasi Wali, PhD, 2019-2025
Department of Kinesiology, Program in Neuroscience
Manasi's PhD dissertation focused on the roles of frontal and posterior parietal cortex in proprioception and motor skill learning. She used TMS over these regions to assess their contributions to learning a complex maze-tracing skill. She graduated in early 2025 and began a postdoctoral position at Penn State.
Department of Kinesiology, Program in Neuroscience
Manasi's PhD dissertation focused on the roles of frontal and posterior parietal cortex in proprioception and motor skill learning. She used TMS over these regions to assess their contributions to learning a complex maze-tracing skill. She graduated in early 2025 and began a postdoctoral position at Penn State.