Nicola Burns

Biography

Background

I am a PhD researcher in Cognitive Neuropsychology at the University of Edinburgh, specialising in spatial representation, spatial attention, and advanced cognitive neuroscience methods. My doctoral research investigates the neural mechanisms of spatial representation, spatial attention and location reproduction, using a combination of experimental behavioural psychophysics, neuroimaging (fMRI), and neurostimulation (TMS). Using line bisection and endpoint reproduction paradigms, I aim to uncover the cognitive and neural processes underlying spatial attention and biases in both healthy (pseudoneglect) and clinical (spatial neglect) populations. I am a strong advocate for Open Science and reproducible research, with key interests in spatial attention, experimental neuropsychology, neuroimaging and neurostimulation methods, eye-tracking and pupillometry, behavioural psychophysics, cognitive neuroscience, and statistical programming in R.

Qualifications

MSc Human Cognitive Neuropsychology - Distinction.

BSc (Hons) Psychology with Specialism in Clinical Health - First Class. 

Responsibilities & affiliations

Member of the British Neuropsychological Society (September 2024 - Present).

Postgraduate Research Representative for Psychology (August 2025 - Present). 

Tutor Representative for Psychology (August 2025 - Present). 

eCOST Action: Extended Reality Neurorehabilitation of Spatial Neglect and Related Disorders After Brain Injury (neuroXRehab) active member: working groups 1, 2, and 5.

Undergraduate teaching

Current:

  • DAPR2: Intro to linear model for correlational and experimental designs; Some more advanced topics (binary logistic regression, power analysis).
  • DAPR3: Intermediate/advanced statistics course using R. Linear regression; introduction to multilevel models (random intercepts, random slopes); extending multilevel models (GLMM, within-between effects, crossed and nested random effects). Principal component analysis and Factor analysis.
  • Psychology Honours Course: Perception, Action, Cognition marking

Previous:

  • DAPR1: fundamental R programming, statistical concepts, tests (t-tests, chi-squared tests, covariance and correlations) and hypothesis testing. Marked RMarkdown reports ensuring accuracy and clarity in statistical coding and reporting.
  • Research and Evidence Based Medicine (REBM): For Edinburgh Medical School, facilitate small-group tutorials guiding through statistical analysis and scientific reporting; support R data analysis, interpreting results, and producing reproducible research reports. 
  • Trained and supervised a group of Undergraduate students in fNIRS data collection and analyses as part of my Carnegie Trust Research Fellowship.

 

Postgraduate teaching

Previous:

  • Multivariate Statistics and Methodology using R (MSMR): advanced course in statistics using R. Mixed effects models (polynomial growth curves, crossed and nested random effects); and structural equation models (building from PCA/FA, through path analysis to full SEM models).
  • Psychological Research Skills (PRS): Deliver weekly tutorials to MSc students on topics such as scientific writing, writing grant proposals, power analyses, advanced literature searching, systematic review methodology, and evidence-based research practices.

Research summary

Open research, advanced cognitive neuroimaging (pupillometry, eyetracking, fMRI, TMS, EEG, fNIRS), spatial attentional biases, spatial representation, location reproduction, neuropsychological deficits and conditions,  systematic review and meta-analysis, statistics, R and RStudio.

Current research interests

Open research, fMRI, TMS, spatial attentional biases, spatial representation, location reproduction, neuropsychological deficits and conditions,  systematic review and meta-analysis, statistics, R and RStudio.

Knowledge exchange

  • Burns, N. E., Grigoraș, V., Barrie, J. G., & McIntosh, R. D. (2025). Does pupillometry provide a valid measure of spatial attentional bias (pseudoneglect)? Cortex : A Journal Devoted to the Study of the Nervous System and Behavior., 190, 21–37. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cortex.2025.06.004
  • Burns, N. E., McIntosh, R. D., & Silson, E. H. (2025) Neural correlates of line bisection and landmark tasks in healthy people: A systematic review and SDM-PSI meta-analysis of fMRI studies. Registered Report - In Principle Acceptance https://doi.org/10.17605/OSF.IO/3K9XV
  • Burns, N. E., Silson, E. H., & McIntosh, R. D (2026) Two places at once: the hemispheric basis of simultaneous spatial representation. Registered Report - In Principle Acceptance https://osf.io/stbc8/overview
  • Wilson, J. & Burns, N. (2025) usheR: Some helper functions for teaching. R Package (v0.4.0)
  • Submitted for review at Neuroscience: “Grasp the meaning and shake it: The role of prefrontal cortex in creative and critical reading of poeticised verb metaphors"
  • Lisa DeBruine, Rebecca Lai, Benedict Jones, Gaby Mahrholz, Rifah Abdullah, Nicola Burns. (2021). Experimentum Web-based Software for Psychological Studies (v.0.2). https://doi:10.5281/zenodo.2634355

Project activity

  • Burns, N. E., Grigoraș, V., Barrie, J. G., & McIntosh, R. D. (2025). Does pupillometry provide a valid measure of spatial attentional bias (pseudoneglect)? Cortex : A Journal Devoted to the Study of the Nervous System and Behavior., 190, 21–37. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cortex.2025.06.004
  • Burns, N. E., McIntosh, R. D., & Silson, E. H. (2025) Neural correlates of line bisection and landmark tasks in healthy people: A systematic review and SDM-PSI meta-analysis of fMRI studies. Registered Report - In Principle Acceptance https://doi.org/10.17605/OSF.IO/3K9XV
  • Burns, N. E., Silson, E. H., & McIntosh, R. D (2026) Two places at once: the hemispheric basis of simultaneous spatial representation. Registered Report - In Principle Acceptance https://osf.io/stbc8/overview
  • Wilson, J. & Burns, N. (2025) usheR: Some helper functions for teaching. R Package (v0.4.0)
  • Submitted for review at Neuroscience: “Grasp the meaning and shake it: The role of prefrontal cortex in creative and critical reading of poeticised verb metaphors"
  • Lisa DeBruine, Rebecca Lai, Benedict Jones, Gaby Mahrholz, Rifah Abdullah, Nicola Burns. (2021). Experimentum Web-based Software for Psychological Studies (v.0.2). https://doi:10.5281/zenodo.2634355

 

Other:

  • VR Study evaluating the usefulness and efficacy of a VR assessment of stroke survivors.
  • eCOST Action: Extended Reality Neurorehabilitation of Spatial Neglect and Related Disorders After Brain Injury (neuroXRehab) systematic review; assessment of spatial neglect and related disorders using XR technologies.

Current project grants

PPLS fMRI Pilot Fund

Conference details

British Neuropsychological Society Autumn Meeting 2024: presented "Assessing spatial attention biases by pupillary constriction: A registered replication". 

Cognitive Science Conference Rotterdam 2024: presented "Effect of fatigue on word production in aphasia” and “Effects of ease of comprehension and individual differences on the pleasure experienced while reading novelized verb-based metaphors”.

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