Shira Cohen-Zimerman, PhD

Shira Cohen-Zimerman, PhD

Research Scientist
Research Assistant Professor of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation

My Lab

Cognitive Neuroscience Laboratory

We focus on executive function and social cognition, their representations in the brain, and ways to improve these functions in patients with brain damage.

view lab

About Me

Dr. Cohen-Zimerman is a cognitive neuroscientist with a clinical-neuropsychology background. Her research strives to map brain areas that underlie social and cognitive functions, and identify predictors of long term cognitive outcomes following brain injury.

To address these questions Dr. Cohen-Zimerman is studying several clinical populations including individuals with penetrating traumatic brain injury, stroke, and cancer, as well as healthy older and younger adults. She is using various tools and methodologies such as lesion-symptom mapping techniques and neuropsychological testing.

In her work, Dr. Cohen-Zimerman is linking recent advances in cognitive neuroscience with personality and social psychology, and her goal is to develop evidence-based interventions to maintain and improve cognitive functioning for patients with neurological and mental disorders.

Location

355 E. Erie Street

Chicago, IL 60611

Education & Training

  • Education

    2015

    PhD, Hebrew University of Jerusalem,Israel

    2010

    MA, Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Israel

    2004

    B.SC., Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Israel

  • LICENSES

    2017

    Licensed Rehabilitational Psychologist, Israel

  • FELLOWSHIP

    2008 – 2009

    Visiting Graduate Student
    Baycrest Center, Toronto, Canada

Recent Publications

Neural underpinning of a personal relationship with God and sense of control: A lesion-mapping study.
Cohen-Zimerman S, Cristofori I, Zhong W, Bulbulia J, Krueger F, Gordon B, Grafman J
Cognitive, affective & behavioral neuroscience
doi: 10.3758/s13415-020-00787-4
Childhood socioeconomic status predicts cognitive outcomes across adulthood following traumatic brain injury.
Cohen-Zimerman S, Kachian ZR, Krueger F, Gordon B, Grafman J
Neuropsychologia
doi: 10.1016/j.neuropsychologia.2019.01.001
Implicit motivation improves executive functions of older adults.
Cohen-Zimerman S, Hassin RR
Consciousness and cognition
doi: 10.1016/j.concog.2018.06.007

Honors & Awards

  • Travel award, Big Data in Neuroscience Conference
    2019
  • Israel association of university women award
    2012
  • The Myers-JDC-Brookdale Institute award
    2011
  • The Eric and Fuga Neuberger award
    2011
  • Hoffman Leadership and Responsibility Fellowship
    2009 - 2012
  • Graduate program fellowship, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem
    2005 - 2008

Research Interests

  • Social Cognitive Neuroscience
  • Motivation and Rewards
  • Cognitive Rehabilitation