A multimodal approach to neuroscience in Gezelle Dali’s research on cognition and substance use
Dr Gezelle Dali has been awarded the ReWire Hines Early Career Research Award, recognising her outstanding research in neuroscience. At the Melbourne School of Psychological Sciences, her research investigates the cognitive and neural mechanisms that drive performance monitoring and impulse control, particularly in substance use disorders. Through the combination of cognitive-behavioural testing and the development of smartphone-based tools to monitor cognition and behaviour in real time, she is generating new insights into predicting substance use trajectories.
Gezelle was drawn to cognitive neuroscience during her undergraduate studies, where subjects such as Neuroscience and the Mind sparked her interest in the relationship between neurobiology and cognition. With a background in physiology, she became particularly fascinated by the complex interplay between cognitive functions and substance use—a theme that now defines her research career.
As a researcher at the Melbourne School of Psychological Sciences, Gezelle explores the cognitive and neural mechanisms behind performance monitoring and impulse control, with a particular focus on substance use. She seeks to answer research questions such as “What is the link between performance monitoring processes and daily life behaviours in healthy individuals and substance misuse cohorts?”
Collaboration has been central to Gezelle’s research journey. She has built upon the networks established during her undergraduate and postgraduate studies at MSPS, particularly within the Cognitive Neuroimaging Lab. Gezelle explains that “Both my experience in the school and these collaborations have provided a strong foundation for the research I want to pursue.” Her commitment to excellence was further demonstrated when her PhD thesis was nominated for the Chancellor’s Prize.
Gezelle’s research interests have expanded to include the innovative use of smartphones to track cognitive performance and related behaviours in real time. In collaboration with Dr Antoinette Poulton and Professor Rob Hester, she has helped develop tools that assess inhibitory control and working memory, while also tracking alcohol consumption. This work contributed to helping secure an NHMRC MRFF Early-to-Mid Career Researchers grant led by Dr Poulton.
She is now looking to extend this work to explore error detection processes in everyday life. Dr Dali is also involved in international collaborations with the IMAGEN and ABCD consortia, using large-scale longitudinal datasets to investigate cognitive predictors of substance use among adolescents and young adults.
Gezelle's approach to research is multifaceted. As she puts it, “I enjoy taking a multimodal approach by combining research methods such as behavioural testing, neuroimaging and ambulatory assessment to explore the mechanisms underlying cognition in healthy individuals and substance misuse.”
The ReWire Hines Early Career Award not only recognises Gezelle’s achievements but also provides “support for future research projects. Funds from this award will contribute to the development of a novel ecological design to examine error monitoring in daily life,” further advancing our understanding of cognitive processes and substance use.