My research interests lie at the intersection of working memory, somatosensory cognition, and predictive processing. I am particularly interested in how tactile and spatial information is represented and maintained in working memory, and how the brain continuously generates and updates predictions about incoming sensory input.

In my prospective research, I plan on investigating the neural mechanisms of tactile-spatial working memory using electrophysiological and neuroimaging methods. In particular, I will study how sensory expectations influence working memory representations and how violations of these expectations are reflected in neural signals, such as mismatch responses. More generally, I aim to understand how predictive mechanisms contribute to efficient information processing, learning, and adaptive behaviour.

To address these questions, I plan to combine behavioural experiments with multimodal neuroimaging techniques, including EEG and functional MRI, as well as non-invasive brain stimulation methods such as transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS). In the future, I also aim to integrate computational approaches to better characterize the mechanisms underlying working memory and predictive sensory processing.

Nguyen, U., Alfieri, F., Veneziano, A., Licht, A., & Nyakatura, J. A. (2026). Whole‐Epiphysis Trabecular Bone in Tamarin Limbs Suggests Effects of Leaping Distance Alongside Non‐Biomechanical Factors. American Journal of Biological Anthropology, 190(2), e70293. https://doi.org/10.1002/ajpa.70293