
Present members

Valeria Della-Maggiore, Ph.D. (Principal Investigator)
I am a Biologist by training. I got a Ph.D. in Experimental Psychology and Neuroscience from the University of Toronto, and a postdoctoral from the Montreal Neurological Institute (McGill University). In 2006, I returned to Argentina, where I joined the Institute of Physiology and Biophysics (IFIBIO Houssay), School of Medicine, University of Buenos Aires (UBA). I am currently a Principal investigator of CONICET (National Research Council), and an Associate Professor at the ICICI, School of Science and Technology, University of San Martin (UNSAM), and an Adjunct Professor at the McConnell Brain Imaging Center, Montreal Neurological Institute, McGill.
Contact: vdellamaggiore (at) unsam.edu.ar

Gabriela De Pino (Researcher)
I am a Medical Physicist with a degree in Medical Physics from the Universidad de San Martín (UNSAM). I have extensive training in MRI and neuroimaging techniques, with a special emphasis on quality control and optimization of clinical and research MRI sequences. I have strong expertise in Diffusion and Functional MRI, which I have used to study brain connectivity and neuroplasticity, focusing on clinical applications of MRI. Currently, I am pursuing the role of the brainstem in motor learning using advanced multi-shell diffusion MRI techniques and state-of-the-art mathematical models like SANDI to characterize neuroplasticity at the cellular levels in a non-invasive manner (cell soma and cell processes). I have been a Lecturer in Medical Physics at UNSAM for over 20 years, and have supervised several undergraduate students.

Jorge Armony, Ph.D. (Adjunct Professor)
My research focuses on the neural processing of emotional information and its interaction with other cognitive processes (such as attention, memory, awareness and decision-making) in healthy individuals, as well as in neurological (epilepsy) and psychiatric (PTSD, schizophrenia, bipolar disorder) populations. To do so, I employ a variety of neuroimaging techniques, such as fMRI, fNIRS, EEG and MEG.
Postdoctoral researchers

Agustín Solano, Ph.D.
I earned my Bioengineering degree from the University of Entre Ríos (Argentina) in 2015, where I developed a strong foundation in the intersection of engineering and life sciences, working on projects involving human biosignals and agronomic data. After graduation, I worked in the design and development of an open-source biosignal acquisition device, which further solidified my interest in human-machine interfaces. I pursued my PhD at the Physiology of Action Lab (University of Buenos Aires-CONICET) under the mentorship of Dr. Valeria Della-Maggiore, focusing on the role of sleep in motor memory consolidation. Our findings revealed that sleep soon after training enhances motor memory retention by 30%, highlighting sleep’s active role in memory consolidation and its potential for improving motor rehabilitation. Currently, as a postdoctoral researcher in the same lab, I investigate hippocampal contributions to motor memory using intracranial EEG, with a focus on offline reactivation processes.
Contact: asolano (at) unsam.edu.ar
Ph.D. students

Álvaro Deleglise
I earned my degree in Psychology from the National University of Rosario (Argentina), where I developed a particular interest in magnetic resonance imaging, high-dimensional data analysis, and the application of machine learning techniques. In 2020, I began my Ph.D. at the University of Buenos Aires (UBA), supported by a CONICET doctoral scholarship. Since joining the Physiology of Action Lab, I have focused my work on the use of AI in multimodal magnetic resonance imaging data, particularly static and dynamic functional connectivity data, to identify the networks that support motor sequence learning at various temporal scales.
Contact: alvarodeleglise (at) gmail.com

Abraham Yeffal, M.D.
Medical graduate (with honors) from University of Buenos Aires (UBA). Awarded a stimulus scholarship by UBA in 2020 and a PhD scholarship by CONICET in 2024. My work involves the study of motor sequence learning using functional MRI.
Previously, I worked at Center for Morphology and Neuroscience under Prof. Gustavo Otegui (Department of Anatomy, School of Medicine, UBA) doing brain dissection, tractography, teaching and science communication. I also was a teaching assistant of Neurophysiology at the same university.
Contact: ayeffal (at) unsam.edu.ar
Undergraduate students

Pedro Martínez Viademonte
Third-year Biomedical Engineering student at the National University of San Martín, gaining experience in research on motor sequence learning and actively participating in related projects. Practical laboratory training, currently focused on the design and prototyping of innovative tools to facilitate research in the biomedical field.

Camila Belen Smith
Biomedical Engineering student in the third year at the National University of San Martín, involved in Motor Sequence Learning research and contributing to related projects. Training in the lab, gaining experience in research techniques and developing skills for a future scientific career.
Contact: cbsmith (at) estudiantes.unsam.edu.ar


Greta Perez Alsina
Third-year Biomedical Engineering student at the National University of San Martín (UNSAM) Currently serving as a Teaching Assistant in Computer Science at the same university. Within the laboratory, I am learning data processing and analysis.
Contact: gperezalsina (at) estudiantes.unsam.edu.ar

Previous Members

Luis Riquelme

Florencia Jacobacci

Pedro Caffaro

Jorge Villalta

Claire Landman

Sofia McCabe

Gonzalo Lerner

Guadalupe Cutrera

Matías Zazzali

Nicolás Vons

Agustín Petroni
Mariel Bernal
Collaborators
Jorge Jovicich | University of Trento |
Julien Doyon | McGill University |
Marco Palombo | Cardiff University |
Randy McIntosh | University of Toronto |
Reza Shadmehr | Johns Hopkins University |
Scott Albert | Post-doc at University of North Carolina Chapel Hill |
Susie Huang | Martinos Center, MGH, Harvard University |