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UNIWARSAW TEAM

Project Coordinator
dr hab. Agnieszka Pluta
PI for the University of Warsaw

I am a psychologist working at the Faculty of Psychology at the University of Warsaw and the Scientific Center for Biomedical Imaging at the Institute of Physiology and Pathology of Hearing. My research interests primarily revolve around topics in social neuroscience, clinical neuropsychology, and the use of modern biomedical imaging techniques (mainly functional magnetic resonance imaging and functional near-infrared spectroscopy) to study the neural correlates of social perception. I am particularly interested in why most people easily understand others’ emotions, intentions, beliefs, and desires, while others find this more challenging. I am passionate about sharing my research interests by teaching psychology and cognitive science students.
I am a recipient of scholarships from the Foundation for Polish Science and a two-time Fulbright Commission scholar (Junior Research Grant 2009/2010, Senior Award 2022/23). I lead research projects funded by the National Science Centre and the European Commission, among others. I am the co-author of several dozen scientific publications in national and international journals, as well as conference presentations both in Poland and abroad.

 

SCIENTIFIC TEAM MEMBERS:

 

Prof. Ewa Pisula
I am a professor at the Faculty of Psychology at the University of Warsaw. I have been a recipient of the Foundation for Polish Science scholarship. My main research interests include the development of children, adolescents, and adults on the autism spectrum, the psychological situation of families with children facing developmental difficulties, as well as stress and coping strategies in children and adolescents. I am the author of numerous monographs and scientific articles, and I actively work towards developing standards for the diagnosis and therapy of autism spectrum disorders in Poland. 

Dr Izabela Chojnicka
I graduated from the Faculty of Psychology and the Faculty of Biology at the University of Warsaw. I co-authored Polish adaptations of ADOS-2 (Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule, Second Edition), ADI-R (Autism Diagnostic Interview Revised) and SSP-2 (Short Sensory Profile, Second Edition). Certified ADOS-2 trainer. I’m the head of the AutismLabUW research team. In addition to research on the autism spectrum, the team initiated the Autism Spectrum Diagnosis Club, bringing together specialists from all over Poland. As part of the Club, in cooperation with Agata Bujnik, we carry out professional development workshops focused on increasing competence in the use of the ADOS-2 in the professional practice of specialists working with people with autism. My research interests include the diagnosis and etiopathogenesis of neurodevelopmental disorders, particularly autism spectrum. My ongoing scientific projects are devoted to: the standardization of the ASD diagnostic process in Poland; as well as the analysis of social communication using computational methods in cooperation with the Institute of Computer Science of the Polish Academy of Sciences. I also cooperate with the Department of Medical Genetics, Medical University of Warsaw. As an expert, I support the GeneBe.net platform – the genetic data aggregator that helps scientists analyze genetic information and draw conclusions about genetic diseases, diagnosis, and therapy.

Dr Alicja Niedźwiecka
I am a psychologist specializing in early human development, with a focus on parent-child interactions. My recently published monograph (Niedźwiecka, 2021) is a review of current knowledge on parent-child interactions. It also serves as a guide to the analysis of data on parent-child interactions. I have expertise in conducting eye-tracking and behavioral studies (e.g. Niedźwiecka et al., 2018).

Prof. Jarosław Żygierewicz
I am a physicist. My research centers on the analysis of biosignals, particularly EEG and MEG. I developed a statistical methodology for analyzing event-related synchronization and desynchronization in these signals. Additionally, I contributed to the design of brain-computer interfaces and the validation of psychological models related to emotions and working memory. My work also involves exploring realistic neuronal network models to better understand the mechanisms underlying the effects observed in EEG and MEG data. 

Prof. Maciej Kamiński
I am a physicist who proposed, along with Blinowska (Kaminski and Blinowska, 1991), a functional connectivity measure based on a multichannel extension of Granger causality known as the Directed Transfer Function (DTF). The DTF and its variants have become a standard procedure for connectivity estimation and are included in both public and commercial EEG data processing packages. I have expertise in analyzing biosignals measured by EEG, fNIRS, magnetoencephalography (MEG), and other techniques.

Dr hab. Jacek Rogala
I am a physicist specializing in network neuroscience and neurostimulation. I am the Principal Investigator on two projects awarded by the National Center for Research and Development. My latest project focuses on personalized EEG neurofeedback aided by machine learning methods.


Dr. Joanna Duda-Goławska
I am a data scientist with a background in neuroinformatics and a PhD in Physics from the University of Warsaw, where my doctoral research focused on advanced signal processing techniques, specifically the matching pursuit algorithm for analysing biosignals. My current research explores infant motor development and caregiver-infant interactions using wearable technology. I have also investigated the impact of emotions on cognitive tasks and neural activation, primarily using EEG, and have experience working with MEG and eye-tracking technologies.


MA Julia Zaborowska
I am a psychologist currently pursuing a PhD at the Doctoral School of Social Sciences of the University of Warsaw. I hold a Master’s degree in Psychology from the Nicolaus Copernicus University in Toruń (2023). During my studies, I was a recipient of the Grants4NCUStudents grant, awarded for an individual experimental research project in social sciences. My research experience includes conducting studies using behavioral methods and neuroimaging techniques (EEG). My scientific interests revolve around clinical psychology, neurodiversity, and the third-wave of cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT). In addition to my research work, I undertook a clinical internship at a Day Care Unit for Neurotic, Behavioral and Personality Disorders. I am actively developing my clinical skills by participating in trainings on diagnosis, counseling, and psychotherapy while working towards obtaining the European Certificate in Psychology (EuroPsy).

BA Mateusz Wawrzyniak
I am a cognitive science and neuroinformatics student. Currently, theoretical computational neuroscience is my main scientific interest – I am working on modeling the thalamocortical loop in somatosensory processing. I have been volunteering at the Nencki Institute of Experimental Biology for 2.5 years now, in which I have gained some experience in in-vivo extracellular electrophysiological procedures. Apart from that, designing tools for experimental settings, such as electronic devices and data analysis methods brings me the most joy.

BA Maciej Padarz

 

MANAGMENT TEAM MEMBERS:

project manager – administration
dr Ewa Komorowska
I am a linguist specialising in second and heritage language acquisition and multilingualism. I obtained my PhD from the Faculty of Polish Studies at the Jagiellonian University in Krakow, and my dissertation was devoted to teaching Polish as a foreign language for business purposes. My interests include language teaching and learning, as well as Polish emigration in the world and, more recently, attitudes towards language learning and multilingualism. From 2015-2019 I was a Polish language teacher at the University of Lisbon, Portugal. Since 2020 I have been working at the Faculty of Psychology at the University of Warsaw as a scientific project manager, until September 2024 in the PolkaNorski project, and since October 2024 I have the pleasure to be part of the SYNCC-IN project.

project manager – press and media
dr Joanna Beck
I am a psychologist specializing in neurobiology and neuropsychology, currently working at the Institute of Physiology and Pathology of Hearing within the Scientific Center for Biomedical Imaging. I earned a Ph.D. in Biological Sciences from the Nencki Institute of Experimental Biology at the Polish Academy of Sciences. My research primarily focuses on the integration of letters and speech sounds in both typical and atypical reading development, encompassing dyslexia, blindness, and lip-reading. I utilize neuroimaging techniques such as functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) and fMRI neurofeedback to study cognitive brain functions. Throughout my career, I have led and contributed to numerous projects investigating cognitive activities under both typical developmental conditions and in disorders. My scientific endeavors also include supporting students with disabilities at the University of Warsaw, and researching and monitoring mental health among Ph.D. candidates and within the academic community. In addition to my research, I am deeply committed to education, teaching bioinformatics and statistics at the Medical Faculty of Łazarski University. I am the co-author of scientific publications in international journals, and have presented my work at conferences in Poland and internationally.