Dr. Schweizer’s area of interest is in Cognitive Neuroscience and Neuroimaging, focusing on understanding the neural bases for human cognitive and real-world functioning using experimental cognitive paradigms, neuroimaging and neuropsychology. A better understanding of the complex neural systems supporting various cognitive and real-world functions and their breakdown after brain damage (e.g. Stroke, Traumatic Brain Injury, Alzheimer’s Disease) is essential in educating physicians, patients and families and critical in designing effective treatment strategies. Dr. Schweizer and his team have developed a novel and fully immersive driving simulator and touch tablet placed in a 3.0 Tesla functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) system. The MRI compatible equipment can capture brain activity during real world tasks. Dr. Schweizer and his group are also investigating novel approaches to image processing and data analysis in functional neuroimaging, in order to improve the reliability and interpretability of fMRI findings, particularly in clinical and aging populations. Dr. Schweizer is an Ontario Early Researcher Award holder and is supported by a New Investigator Award from the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada and research awards from the Ministry of Transportation Ontario and other National peer-reviewed funding agencies including Canadian Institutes for Health Research.
