Hi there! I'm a PhD student in the Motivated Cognition Lab and the Brain, Attention, and Reality Lab at the University of British Columbia (department profile), working with Dr. Rebecca Todd, Dr. Alan Kingstone, and Dr. Catharine Winstanley. I am also a sessional lecturer teaching UBC's Cognitive Neuroscience course, PSYC 365.
Currently, I'm interested in:
Recently, I've also:
I have programming experience with Python (PsychoPy, Django, TensorFlow, PyTorch, DeepLabCut), R, JavaScript, Bash (Linux, high performance computing including SLURM, PBS, and Azure), C# (Unity, .NET), and HTML/CSS. I've also worked extensively with fMRI preprocessing and analysis software, including fMRIprep, AFNI, FSL, tedana, CONN, and fMRI-CPCA, and I help organize and co-teach an annual, week-long fMRI brain imaging workshop at UBC.
Forys, B. J., Qi, E., Todd, R. M., & Kingstone, A. (2025). Hear it here: Built environments predict ratings and descriptions of ambiguous sounds. PLOS ONE, 20(1), e0316187. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0316187
Ehlers, M. R., Kryklywy, J. H., Beukers, A. O., Moore, S. R., Forys, B. J., Anderson, A. K., & Todd, R. M. (2024). Valenced tactile information is evoked by neutral visual cues following emotional learning. Imaging Neuroscience, 2, 1-16. https://doi.org/10.1162/imag_a_00320
Forys, B. J., Winstanley, C. A., Kingstone, A., & Todd, R. M. (2024). Short-term memory capacity predicts willingness to expend cognitive effort for reward. eNeuro, 11(7). https://doi.org/10.1523/ENEURO.0068-24.2024
Kryklywy, J. H., Forys, B. J., Vieira, J. B., Quinlan, D. J., Culham, J. C., & Mitchell, D. G. V. (2023). Dissociating representation of affect and motion in visual cortices. Cognitive, Affective, & Behavioural Neuroscience, 1-24. https://doi.org/10.3758/s13415-023-01115-2
Forys, B. J., Tomm, R. J., Stamboliyska, D., Terpstra, A. R., Clark, L., Chakrabarty, T., Floresco, S. B., & Todd, R. M. (2023). Gender impacts the relationship between mood disorder symptoms and effortful avoidance performance. eNeuro, 10(2). https://doi.org/10.1523/ENEURO.0239-22.2023
Xiao, D., Forys, B. J., Vanni, M. P., & Murphy, T. H. (2021). MesoNet: automated scaling and segmentation of mouse mesoscale cortical maps using machine learning. Nature Communications, 12(1), 5992. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-021-26255-2
Hamden, J.E., Salehzadeh, M., Gray, K. M., Forys, B. J., & Soma, K. K. (2021). Isoflurane stress induces glucocorticoid production in mouse lymphoid organs. Journal of Endocrinology, 251(2), 137-148. https://doi.org/10.1530/JOE-21-0154
Hamden, J. E., Gray, K., Saledzadeh, M., Kachkovski, G. K., Forys, B. J., Ma, C., Austin, S., Soma, K. K. (2021). Steroid profiling of glucocorticoids in microdissected mouse brain across development. Developmental Neurobiology, 81(2), 189-206. https://doi.org/10.1002/dneu.22808
Forys, B. J., Xiao, D., Gupta, P., & Murphy, T. H. (2020). Real-time selective markerless tracking of forepaws of head-fixed mice using deep neural networks. eNeuro, 7(3). https://doi.org/10.1523/ENEURO.0096-20.2020
Tomm, R. J., Forys, B. J., Kalenteridis, L., Daly, I., Terpstra, A. R., Clark, L., Chakrabarty, T., Floresco, S. B., & Todd, R. M. (under review). Depression levels are associated with reduced capacity to learn to actively avoid aversive events in young adults.
Forys, B. J., Winstanley, C. A., Kingstone, A., & Todd, R. M. (2024). What predicts the choiceto expend effort for reward? A translational study. Presented at Neuroscience 2024, Chicago, IL.
Forys, B. J., Tomm, R. J., Kryklywy, J. H., Clark, L., Chakrabarty, T., Floresco, S. B., & Todd, R. M. (2023). Using a novel form of pattern component modeling with representational similarity analysis to model information learned in active and inhibitory avoidance and reward-seeking. Presented at International Conference on Learning and Memory, 2023, Huntington Beach, CA.
Forys, B. J., Kryklywy, J. H., Ehlers, M. R., Moore, S. R., Beukers, A. O., Anderson, A. K., & Todd, R. M. (2022). Modelling representations of continuously shifting stimuli: a novel sliding window approach. Presented at Cognitive Neuroscience Society Annual Meeting, 2022, San Francisco, CA.
Zheng, J.**, Forys, B. J., & Todd, R. M. (2022). Maladaptive Transfer of Cognitive Effort in Emotional Situations. Presented at UBC Psychology Undergraduate Research Conference, 2022.
Forys, B. J., Tomm, R. J., Stamboliyska, D.**, Terpstra, A. R., Clark, L., Chakrabarty, T., Floresco, S. B., & Todd., R. M. (2021). Gender selectively moderates relationships between mood disorder symptoms and performance of effort related avoidance and reward-seeking tasks. Presented at Neuroscience 2021.
Tomm, R. J., Forys, B. J., Daly, I. D., Terpstra, A. R., Clark, L., Chakrabarty, T., Floresco, S. B., & Todd., R. M. (2021). Depressive and anxiety symptom clusters in humans are related to distinct avoidance profiles in a cross-species translation of a go/no-go avoidance task. Presented at Neuroscience 2021.
Daly, I. D., Tomm, R. J., Forys, B. J., Terpstra, A. R., Clark, L., Chakrabarty, T., Floresco, S. B., & Todd., R. M. (2021). Levels of depressive and anxiety symptoms in humans predict distinct patterns of reward-seeking: A cross-species translation of an appetitive go/no-go task. Presented at Neuroscience 2021.
Tomm, R. J., Daly, I. D., Forys, B. J., Floresco, S. B., & Todd, R. M. (2021). Anxiety and depressive symptoms in humans are related to distinct avoidance profiles in a cross-species translation of a go/no-go avoidance task. Presented at the International Behavioural Neuroscience Society Meeting, 2021.
Sidarth, A.**, Forys, B. J., & Todd, R. M. (2021). Cognitive control on reward-seeking behavior. Presented at UBC Multidisciplinary Undergraduate Research Conference, 2021, and UBC Parkinson's and Alzheimer's Targeted Hope and Support Conference, 2021.
Xiao, D., Gupta, P., Forys, B. J., & Murphy, T. H. (2020). Real-time forepaw movement coded auditory feedback promotes motor skill learning in mice. Presented at UBC Psychiatry Virtual Research Day, 2020.
Forys, B. J., Xiao, D., Gupta, P., Boyd, J. D., & Murphy, T. H. (2019). Short latency (~100 ms) markerless video tracking of body parts in mice using deep neural networks. Presented at Neuroscience 2019, Chicago, IL., and UBC Neuroscience Undergraduate Research Conference, 2020.
Xiao, D., Forys, B. J., Tandun, R., & Murphy, T. H. (2019). Automated alignment and segmentation of mouse mesoscale brain images using machine learning. Presented at Neuroscience 2019, Chicago, IL.; UBC Future of Health Research Day; UBC School of Biomedical Engineering Symposium, 2019.
Forys, B. J., Tobiansky, D. J., & Soma, K. K. (2019). A novel steroidogenic model for reward-seeking behaviour. Presented at UBC Psychology Undergraduate Research Conference, 2019.
Forys, B. J., Xiao, D., Gupta, P., Boyd, J. D., & Murphy, T. H. (2018). Real-time markerless video tracking of bodyparts in mice using deep neural networks. Presented at UBC Brain Circuits Cluster 2018; Neuroextravaganza 2018; UBC Undergraduate Neuroscience Conference 2019; UBC School of Biomedical Engineering Symposium 2019.
Tobiansky, D. J., Kachkovski, G., Enos, R. T., Schmidt, K. L., Ma. C., Forys, B., Hamden, J. E., Jalabert, C., Floresco, S. B., Murphy, E. A., Soma, K. K. (2018). Perinatal sucrose exposure in rats disrupts hormones, brain, and behavior in adulthood. Presented at Neuroscience 2018, San Diego, CA. (Credited on poster, not on abstract)
Forys, B., Phi, J., Shi, L., Yu, V. ZH. (2018). Emojinal perception: Emoji presence and perceived emotional valence. Presented at UBC Psychology Undergraduate Research Conference, 2018 (PSYC 217 Poster Award, 1st place winner).
Forys, B., Tandun, R., Cookson, J., & Xiao, D. (2018). Predicting facial and paw movement from cortical mesoscopic calcium activity in mice: A machine learning perspective. Presented at UBC Multidisciplinary Undergraduate Research Conference, 2018.
**Trainee
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