Twain is a PhD student in the Brain Plasticity Lab led by A/Prof Jennifer Rodger. She completed her master’s degree in Biomedical Science (Neuroscience) with Distinction at the University of Western Australia in 2022. Her master's research project involved massive data analysis regarding automation of animal behaviours for 270 video recordings and MRI (structural and resting-state functional MRI) data acquired from 162 imaging sessions in an animal model of depression and rTMS treatment. She established both the behavioural automation and batch processing pipelines for MRI and finalised their analysis within two months, with only broad guidance and minimal technical help from her supervisors. She is a fast and independent learner.

Twain's current PhD project will explore a precision medicine approach to identify clinically useful MRI biomarkers that predict susceptibility and guide precision rTMS for depression. Her project will take a novel approach of studying in parallel: (1). preclinical animal models of depression in which the onset of depression-like symptoms can be controlled and followed-up; and (2). human patients in clinical trials. The parallel approaches will apply modern data processing and analytic pipelines to identify, classify, and correlate MRI biomarkers and phenotypic data in both rodents and humans. Findings from these analyses will be used to develop algorithms that predict rTMS response and assign specific treatment parameters to individuals. The main aim of her research is to build an evidence base for applying multimodal MRI to guide prevention and precision rTMS for depression through integrating preclinical and clinical streams.