While conducting research at the Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology, Shagun Ajmera has been balancing her love for machine learning, brain science and creativity while working to make sense of complex auditory disorders like tinnitus (ringing in the ears), misophonia (a condition where certain sounds can trigger strong negative emotional responses) and hyperacusis (increased sensitivity to everyday noise).
As she pursues her Ph.D. in neuroscience, Ajmera has taken her research across disciplines and continents. Originally from India, she began her academic journey in computer science, earning her undergraduate degree at SASTRA University in 2013. Ajmera then earned her M.S. in computer science at Chennai Mathematical Institute in 2017, before working as a data analyst for a few years.
Soon after, Ajmera decided to pursue her interest in a computational approach to brain operations. After nearly a decade of academic exploration spanning fields like machine learning and neuroscience, Ajmera has found her place at the intersection of technology and the human mind. As a trained computer scientist and mathematician, she hopes her research can be used to unlock insights into how the human mind processes sound.
How did you become a researcher?
It’s been a long journey of hopping around. After I finished my undergraduate degree in computer science engineering, I worked as a data analyst for a few years. That’s when I started feeling the urge to study more and explore deeper questions. I pursued my master’s in theoretical computer science, and during that time, I took a class in reinforcement learning. We looked at how mathematical models of reward processing relate to dopamine function in the brain, and that completely shifted my perspective.
I realized there are so many parallels between how computers learn models and how the brain actually works. It sparked my interest in neuroscience, and I started thinking more seriously about working at the intersection of the two fields. Eventually, I joined a computational neuroscience lab in India, where I got hands-on experience applying machine learning models to brain data. That’s when it clicked that this is the path I wanted to follow, so I applied for my Ph.D. and ended up here at Beckman, which was actually my first venture outside of home.
What is the most important question you want to answer through your research?
Right now, I am focused on auditory cognitive neuroscience. We study the human brain in individuals with hearing-related conditions and diseases. We study not just what is happening in the ear, but what is happening in the brain after sound is processed.
A lot of my work focuses on conditions like tinnitus, hyperacusis and misophonia. I look at human brain data for someone suffering from one of these conditions, for example, and try to make sense of the neural patterns. Even the emotional responses of individuals with hyperacusis and misophonia differ, which suggests that different underlying mechanisms are at play. We are slowly beginning to unravel those distinctions, and my current research is centered on that, particularly by studying functional connectivity, or how different regions of the brain exchange information.
In the short term, my goal is to better understand these auditory disorders through that lens. In the long term, I am interested in how different systems in the brain interact, not just in the context of hearing, but more generally. I am especially curious about how we can use brain data to uncover broader principles of information flow in the brain.
How could your research be applied in real-life scenarios?
One application we are exploring is neurofeedback intervention. The idea is to show people a live feed of their brain activity, from an EEG or MRI, for example, and train them to modulate it themselves. So, if someone has tinnitus, and we know certain brain regions are hyperactive or poorly connected, we can show them that activity in real time and let them try mental strategies to shift it.
This kind of approach has already been used in disorders like PTSD and depression, and it holds promise for auditory disorders too. It's non-invasive, and it puts control in the hands of the patient. If we can validate this for conditions like tinnitus or misophonia, it could be an accessible and empowering treatment strategy.
How does your research support Beckman’s mission of building a better world?
Because my research focuses on human conditions, I have the opportunity to help people better understand what they are experiencing. At one of Beckman’s open houses, I spoke with someone who had misophonia and wanted to understand what was happening in their brain. I shared a few research papers and pointed them toward studies that validated their experience.
Before we even begin talking about treatments, simply helping someone understand what is going on in their brain can be incredibly empowering. That knowledge alone can improve someone’s sense of control, reduce anxiety and enhance their quality of life.
Engaging in scientific outreach at the open house and the Brain Awareness Week has been both fulfilling and motivating. Conducting high-impact neuroscientific research in my Ph.D. program has been equally rewarding, and I’m grateful for the strong support I’ve received from Beckman through the Nadine Barrie Smith Award and the Beckman Graduate Fellowship.
What advice would you give to someone who wants to become involved in research similar to yours? What advice would you give to yourself 5 years ago?
Read a lot and be persistent. Read research papers with an invested mindset, like you would read your favorite novel, and make sure to ask questions while you are reading. The more you read, your form opinions (and hunches!) that are well-informed, you get better at when to trust and when to critique. Then subconsciously, you will become a better researcher by learning to always ask questions.
Do you have any hobbies, interests or accomplishments you would like to discuss or highlight?
I’ve always been creatively inclined. I enjoy 3D art, paper quilling and recently picked up crochet. I like having something totally different to focus on because it helps me unwind.
I also love percussion. I have never trained formally, but after moving to Urbana, I joined a Brazilian-inspired community music group. We all get together and play different gigs in town, and I got to perform with instruments like the djembe and the shekere.
