Dr Julien Besle

I completed completed a PhD in cognitive neuroscience in Lyon, France in 2007. I then worked as a research scientist at Columbia University in New York (2007-2009), at the University of Nottingham (2009-2012) and at the MRC Institute of Hearing Research in Nottingham (2012-2016). From 2017 to 2022, I held an Assistant Professorship at the American University of Beirut, in Lebanon.

I am interested in the neural underpinnings of sensory perception (hearing, vision and touch), which I study using a range of neuroimaging techniques, from EEG, MEG and intracranial EEG to structural and functional MRI.

Teaching interests

Perception

Cognitive Neuroscience

Brain Imaging

Research methods

Research interests

- Auditory, tactile and visual perception

- Neuroimaging (functional and anatomical MRI, EEG, MEG, intracranial EEG)

Research degrees awarded to supervised students

2019         Master student co-supervision “Single-subject, in vivo parcellation of human auditory cortex using functional, structural and diffusion MRI”,

Candidate: Iman Nassar, MSc in Brain Imaging, Lebanese University

2015 – 2019   PhD student co-supervision “Towards the detection of tonotopic re-organization in the human auditory cortex”,

PhD candidate: Ben Gurer, School of Psychology, University of Nottingham

2013 – 2014   Undergraduate project student supervision “In-Vivo Parcellation of the Core Human Auditory Cortex”

BSc Neuroscience (3rd year), University of Nottingham

Grants & contracts

2021 – 2023  American University of Beirut Research Board Faculty Research Grant ($29,880) "Connectivity-based parcellation of tonotopically-organized human auditory cortex” Role: Principal investigator.

2021 – 2023  American University of Beirut Research Board Faculty Research Grant ($29,400) "Neural circuits for visual object recognition in readers of Arabic script” Role: Co-investigator. Principal Investigator: Dr Zahra Hussain, American University of Beirut.

2018 – 2022  Medical Research Council (UK) Program Grant (£1,800,000) "Fundamentals of human hearing: from basic cochlear processing to cortical representations." Role: Co-investigator (£25,000). Principal Investigator: Dr Katrin Krumbholz, University of Nottingham.

2019 – 2021  American University of Beirut Research Board Faculty Research Grant ($29,400) "Topographical organization of pitch representation in human auditory cortex” Role: Principal investigator.

2017 – 2019  American University of Beirut Research Board Faculty Research Grant ($19,400) "Single-subject, in vivo parcellation of human auditory cortex using functional, structural and diffusion MRI.” Role: Principal investigator.

2016        Erasmus Mundus Auditory Cognitive Neuroscience exchange grant (€9,500) "Plasticity of tonotopically-organized cortico-cortical projections in auditory cortex.” Collaboration with Marc Schönwiesner, BRAMS, Université de Montréal.

2011        University of Nottingham Bridging the Gap Feasibility Award (£10,000) “Neuroplasticity of the somatosensory cortex using ultra-high field fMRI.” Role: Co-principal investigator