Sabrina Sghirripa

Research Interests

Neuroscience, Behaviour and Brain Health Biological Psychology Brain Cognitive Science Developmental Psychology and Ageing Neurocognitive Patterns and Neural Networks Neurosciences Physiology Psychology Psychology and Cognitive Sciences

Teaching Strengths

Neuroscience and Human Physiology
Cognitive Neuroscience

Dr Sabrina Sghirripa

NHMRC Grant-Funded Research Fellow

School of Computer Science and Information Technology

College of Engineering and Information Technology

Eligible to supervise Masters and PhD (as Co-Supervisor) - email supervisor to discuss availability.

Available For Media Comment.

I am a cognitive neuroscientist interested in understanding brain changes related to cognitive impairment or dementia, and developing new and improved methods to analyse data collected from the human brain (MRI, EEG). I am based at the Australian Institute for Machine Learning (AIML) and South Australian Health and Medical Research Institute (SAHMRI).

I am an expert in analysing data collected from humans to answer questions about how people think and behave. I am particularly interested in applying neuroimaging techniques in the context of healthy cognitive ageing and exploring how varied life experiences shape brain and cognitive function across the lifespan.

Beyond my own research, I'm passionate about helping researchers make the most of the brain data they've collected. I consult with researchers across a range of clinical and non-clinical contexts to refine their aims, select the right processing and analytical approaches, and turn what could be under-utilised brain data into meaningful results. This work has led to collaborations across diverse fields including psychiatry, stroke, neurodegeneration, chronic pain and audiology. 

I'm equally passionate about education. I've taught 1000+ students across several medical and health science courses, and actively engage in STEM outreach.

Date Position Institution name
2023 - ongoing Adjunct Research Fellow University of South Australia
2023 - ongoing Postdoctoral Research Fellow University of Adelaide
2022 - 2023 Human Performance Scientist Defence Science and Technology Organisation
2021 - 2022 Casual Teaching Academic University of South Australia
2019 - 2022 Casual Teaching Academic University of Adelaide

Language Competency
English Can read, write, speak, understand spoken and peer review

Date Institution name Country Title
2019 - 2022 University of Adelaide Australia Doctor of Philosophy
2018 - 2018 University of Adelaide Australia Bachelor of Health and Medical Sciences (Honours)
2015 - 2017 University of Adelaide Australia Bachelor of Psychological Science

Year Citation
2025 Sghirripa, S., Bhalerao, G., Griffanti, L., Gillis, G., Mackay, C., Voets, N., . . . Jenkinson, M. (2025). Evaluating Traditional, Deep Learning and Subfield Methods for Automatically Segmenting the Hippocampus From MRI. Human Brain Mapping, 46(5), e70200-1-e70200-20.
DOI Scopus2 WoS2 Europe PMC1
2025 Graetz, L., Goldsworthy, M., Pope, K., Sghirripa, S., Sayed, T., O'Loughlin, R., & Shekhawat, G. S. (2025). Electroencephalographic features of chronic subjective tinnitus: A scoping review. Hearing Research, 467, 15 pages.
DOI WoS1 Europe PMC1
2024 Williams, E. E. R., Sghirripa, S., Rogasch, N. C., Hordacre, B., & Attrill, S. (2024). Non-invasive brain stimulation in the treatment of post-stroke aphasia: a scoping review. Disability and Rehabilitation, 46(17), 3802-3826.
DOI Scopus10 WoS10 Europe PMC8
2023 Merkin, A., Sghirripa, S., Graetz, L., Smith, A. E., Hordacre, B., Harris, R., . . . Goldsworthy, M. (2023). Do age-related differences in aperiodic neural activity explain differences in resting EEG alpha?. Neurobiology of Aging, 121, 78-87.
DOI Scopus73 WoS75 Europe PMC105
2022 Sghirripa, S., Graetz, L., Rogasch, N. C., Semmler, J. G., & Goldsworthy, M. R. (2022). Does predictive cueing of presentation time modulate alpha power and facilitate visual working memory performance in younger and older adults?. Brain and Cognition, 159, 105861-1-105861-10.
DOI
2021 Sghirripa, S., Graetz, L., Merkin, A., Rogasch, N. C., Semmler, J. G., & Goldsworthy, M. R. (2021). Load-dependent modulation of alpha oscillations during working memory encoding and retention in young and older adults. Psychophysiology, 58(2), 1-15.
DOI Scopus18 WoS18 Europe PMC21
2021 Sghirripa, S., Graetz, L., Merkin, A., Rogasch, N. C., Ridding, M. C., Semmler, J. G., & Goldsworthy, M. R. (2021). The role of alpha power in the suppression of anticipated distractors during verbal working memory. Brain Topography: journal of functional neurophysiology, 34(1), 102-109.
DOI Scopus10 WoS10 Europe PMC10

Year Citation
2025 Graetz, L., Goldsworthy, M., Pope, K., Sghirripa, S., Sayed, T., O’Loughlin, R., & Shekhawat, G. S. (2025). Electroencephalographic features of chronic subjective tinnitus: A scoping review.
DOI
2025 Saywell, I., Sghirripa, S., Walls, A., Dwyer, A., Child, B., Salamon, J., . . . Baetu, I. (2025). Lifetime experiences as proxies of cognitive reserve predict cognition and motor function beyond multimodal MRI brain measures in healthy adults.
DOI
2025 Sghirripa, S., Graziano, A., & Goldsworthy, M. (2025). The relationship between task-related aperiodic EEG activity, neural inefficiency and verbal working memory in younger and older adults.
DOI
2025 Sghirripa, S., Beu, N., Burns, N., Collins-Praino, L., Cohen-Woods, S., Jenkinson, M., & Baetu, I. (2025). Cognitive Reserve Buffers the Impact of Traumatic Events and Post-Traumatic Stress Symptoms on Mid- to Late-Life Cognitive Performance.
DOI
2023 Sghirripa, S., Graetz, L., Semmler, J., Sutton, R., Williams, E. E. R., & Goldsworthy, M. (2023). Age-Related Differences in Alpha Power for Distractor Inhibition During Visual Working Memory.
DOI
2022 Sghirripa, S., Semmler, J., & Goldsworthy, M. (2022). Age-Related Changes in Visual Working Memory Consolidation.
DOI

Scholarships

2019: Research Training Program Stipend

2018: Adelaide Medical School Honours Scholarship. $4000

2015: The University of Adelaide Principal's Choice Award. $5000

University of Adelaide:

Tutor, Marker and Lab Demonstrator for ANAT SC 1120 : Human Anatomy and Physiology IA (2020, 2021, 2022)

Tutor, Marker and Lab Demonstrator for ANAT SC 1130: Human Anatomy and Physiology IB (2020, 2021)

Tutor, Marker and Practical Demonstrator for HLTH SC 3201: Human Motor Behaviour and Learning (2019, 2020, 2021)

Placement Supervisor for HLTH SC 3009A: Research Placement Part 1 (2020, 2021)

Placement Supervisor for HLTH SC 3009B: Research Placement Part 2  (2020, 2021)

UniSA:

Tutor and Practical Demonstrator for HLTH 2026: Motor Control and Learning (2021, 2022)

Online Tutor and Marker for UOHLTH 1055: Lifespan Growth and Motor Development (2021, 2022)

Date Role Research Topic Program Degree Type Student Load Student Name
2025 Co-Supervisor Developing a clinician-informed model for predicting cognitive trajectories in individuals with schizophrenia using machine learning methods. Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Miss Shamini Thirugnana Sambandam
2025 Co-Supervisor Development of a New Cognitive Reserve Measure: Implications for Parkinson’s Disease and Traumatic Brain Injury Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Mr Isaac Calvin Saywell
2025 Co-Supervisor Development of a New Cognitive Reserve Measure: Implications for Parkinsons Disease and Traumatic Brain Injury Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Mr Isaac Calvin Saywell
2025 Co-Supervisor Developing a clinician-informed model for predicting cognitive trajectories in individuals with schizophrenia using machine learning methods. Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Miss Shamini Thirugnana Sambandam
2024 Co-Supervisor Using Explainable Machine Learning to Explore Risk Signatures for Parkinson's Disease in Integrated Medical Imaging and Clinical Data Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Mr Ankush Gajanan Arudkar
2024 Co-Supervisor Using Explainable Machine Learning to Explore Risk Signatures for Parkinson's Disease in Integrated Medical Imaging and Clinical Data Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Mr Ankush Gajanan Arudkar
2023 Co-Supervisor Neurophysiology of Cognitive Reserve and Working Memory in Ageing Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Ms Victoria Prowse
2023 Co-Supervisor Neurophysiology of Cognitive Reserve and Working Memory in Ageing Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Ms Victoria Prowse

Date Role Research Topic Location Program Supervision Type Student Load Student Name
2025 - 2025 Co-Supervisor Investigating White Matter Structural Alterations Associated with Mood Dysfunction Following Traumatic Brain Injury The University of Adelaide Bachelor of Health and Medical Sciences (Honours) Honours Full Time Yaroslava Leonova
2025 - 2025 Co-Supervisor The Interaction Between Cognitive Reserve and Tremor in Parkinson’s Disease The University of Adelaide Bachelor of Psychological Science (Honours) Honours Full Time Zac Wilinski
2025 - 2025 Co-Supervisor White Matter Tract Integrity and Reinforcement Learning in Obesity The University of Adelaide Bachelor of Psychological Science (Honours) Honours Full Time Lily Baxter
2024 - 2024 Co-Supervisor White Matter Tract Integrity in Sub-clinical Autism and Anxiety The University of Adelaide Bachelor of Psychological Science (Honours) Honours Full Time Bill Kazis
2024 - 2024 Co-Supervisor Exploring Aperiodic EEG Activity and Cognitive Function in Major Psychoses The University of Adelaide Bachelor of Health and Medical Sciences (Honours) Honours Full Time Velouria Indigo Phoenix Wild
2021 - 2022 Co-Supervisor Age Differences in Distractor Inhibition During Visual Working Memory The University of Adelaide Bachelor of Health and Medical Science (Honours) Honours Full Time Rebecca Sutton
2021 - 2021 Co-Supervisor The Influence of Cognitive Reserve on Age-Related Changes in Neural Noise The University of Adelaide Bachelor of Health and Medical Science (Honours) Honours Full Time Emilia Ek
2020 - 2020 Co-Supervisor How Brain Oscillations Shape Working Memory Capacity The University of Adelaide Bachelor of Health and Medical Science (Honours) Honours Full Time Jay Manion

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