Welcome to the Music and Neuroscience Lab! The lab is run by Dr. Jessica Grahn, a cognitive neuroscientist who studies music. Dr. Grahn is a Professor in Brain and Mind and the Department of Psychology at Western University, in London, Ontario.

Before that, she was at the MRC Cognition and Brain Sciences Unit in Cambridge, England, and an Associate Lecturer in Biological Psychology with the Open University. 

Dr. Grahn is a member of the Royal Society of Canada's College and recipient of NSERC's EWR Steacie Award.

(And a little tip: Grahn rhymes with "on", not "an").

Research Interests

  • Why do we move to music? 
  • How is musical rhythm processed in the brain? How do brain responses to musical rhythm differ from similar types of movement and timing? 
  • How and why do other animals' brain responses to music differ from ours? 
  • Can musical rhythm have therapeutic benefit? (more information). 

Other areas in which I have expertise include:
  • the use of real-time fMRI scanning to examine if people can change their own brain activity (neurofeedback)
  • the effects of training on cognitive function (brain training, musical training)
  • how listening to different types of music affects memory

  • Want to participate in neuroscience research at Western? Check out: OurBrainsCAN

Research Opportunities

If you are interested in research opportunities in the Music and Neuroscience lab, please get in touch. Students may want to read about important traits I look for in both undergrads and grads.  

Undergraduate students should send Dr. Grahn a CV, transcript, writing sample, as well as a short description of why they are interested in this area of research and the time commitment they are able to make.

Graduate Students should examine OGS and NSERC/CIHR funding, if eligible.

All grads may be interested in the Collaborative Specialization in Music Cognition.

Post-docs. We are considering postdoctoral position applications.
Postdocs may want to look at the Banting Fellowships, Marie Curie fellowships (Europeans to come here), CIHR Fellowships, NSERC Fellowships, or other lists of fellowships. This list, too.

International students interested in doing a placement in the lab should send similar materials as undergraduate students (as above), and should look at Western's procedures.

News

- Here are our recent publications
​March 2025
  • Congratulations to MSc student Caitlin Fitzpatrick for winning Best Poster Award at Neuroscience Research Day.
February 2025 November 2024
  • Welcome postdoc Jesse Mark to the lab!
August 2024
  • Congratulations to Josh Hoddinott on successfully defending his PhD thesis!
  • Congratulations to Adam Cotton on successfully defending his MSc thesis!
April 2024
  • Congratulations to Marina Emerick on receiving an NSERC CGS-D award!
December 2023 September 2023
  • Welcome to new MSc Neuroscience student Caitlin Fitzpatrick, and new MsOT/PhD student Sarah Park!
August 2023
  • Congratulations to Ram Jagadeesan on successfully defending his MSc thesis! We look forward to his continued presence as a PhD student.
January 2023
  • We bid a sad adieu to Thibault Chabin, as he takes up a prestigious CNRS position in Dijon, France.
News Archive
Media Archive
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 Jessica Grahn                                                        [email protected]
 Brain and Mind at Western
 Department of Psychology
 Western Interdisciplinary Research Building, 5118
 Western University
 London, ON, CANADA