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Joseph Therriault is currently pursuing his master’s in neuroscience at McGill University in Montreal, Canada under the supervision of Dr. Vasavan Nair and Dr. Pedro Rosa-Neto. His research focuses on using multimodal neuroimaging tools to understand the aging brain in health and disease. In particular, he is interested in understanding the factors that are protective against neurodegenerative conditions like Alzheimer’s Disease. To this end, he is currently studying the effects of meditation and yoga on the aging brain. He is also researching how levels of self-awareness are related to neurodegeneration in aging. Finally, his lab is evaluating tools to better understand and diagnose brain disorders so we can give people the best medical treatments possible. Outside of neurology, he is interested in the meaningful integration of Buddhist psychology and philosophy into modern Western meditation training programs designed for psychological well-being.