Rate My Professor Bryan Paton

Dr Bryan Paton serves as Research Associate in the School of Medicine and Public Health (Psychology) at the University of Newcastle, Australia, part of the College of Health, Medicine and Wellbeing. As Deputy Stream Leader for Brain Cancer Imaging at the MHF Centre for Brain Cancer Research, he employs a wide array of neuroimaging methods including TMS, tDCS, EEG, and fMRI. Collaborating internationally, Paton develops innovative instrumentation, models, and signal processing techniques to probe brain mechanisms. Drawing on his multidisciplinary background in computer engineering, psychology, neuroscience, and philosophy, he integrates neuroscience and behavioral methodologies to explore brain structure and function. His research, conducted within the Newcastle Systems Neuroscience Group and the MHF Centre, currently emphasizes image processing and hardware enhancements for brain imaging post-implants; novel approaches to image and treat primary brain cancers by targeting hypoxic and glutamate pathways; and investigations into brain biochemistry, excitability, plasticity, and learning alterations due to brain cancer and implants.

Paton earned his Doctor of Philosophy from Monash University and a Bachelor of Psychology (Honours) from the University of Newcastle. His professional trajectory includes ARC Centre of Excellence for Integrative Brain Function Postdoctoral Research Fellow at Monash University School of Psychological Sciences (2014-2015), where he advanced brain stimulation and neuroimaging integration; Bridging Post-Doctoral Research Fellowship in Monash Faculty of Medicine, Nursing & Health Sciences (2013); Facility Fellow at Monash Biomedical Imaging (2012-2015), managing clinical neuroimaging operations; Casual Research Assistant in Monash Discipline of Philosophy (2008-2015); and earlier roles as Sessional Academic and Casual Research Assistant in the University of Newcastle School of Psychology (2006-2008). His research interests include Bayesian Modelling, Computational Modelling, Consciousness, EEG, Hardware development, Perception, Psychophysics, Software development, and fMRI. Notable publications feature "Spurious correlations in surface-based functional brain imaging" (Jeganathan et al., 2025, Imaging Neuroscience), "The impact of spatial variance on precision estimates in an auditory oddball paradigm" (Yeark et al., 2023, Cortex), "Primacy biases endure the addition of frequency variability" (Yeark et al., 2022, Neuropsychologia), "Reduced Primacy Bias in Autism during Early Sensory Processing" (Goris et al., 2022, Journal of Neuroscience), and "The influence of variability on mismatch negativity amplitude" (Yeark et al., 2021, Biological Psychology).