Last updated 2024/06/21

Positions & Education

2024 - Curr   Neuroimaging Research Associate - Psychiatry   University of Calgary
Supervisor: Dr. Daniel Kopala-Sibley

2018 - Curr   Director   Gettinglost.ca
Description: I administer a public-facing forum and maintain and develop the online testing platform. I manage student projects and external collaborations that make use of this platform.

2021 - 2024   Postdoctoral Associate & Lab Coordinator   University of Calgary
Supervisor: Dr. Giuseppe Iaria

2018 - 2020   Postdoctoral Fellow   Rotman Research Institute
Supervisor: Dr. Randy McIntosh

2014 - 2018   PhD Cognitive Neuroscience   University of Calgary
Thesis: Disambiguating the Role of the Retrosplenial Complex in Human Navigation   🔗
Supervisor: Dr. Giuseppe Iaria

2013 - 2014   Study Coordinator   University of Calgary
Project: Canadian Institute for Military and Veteran Health Research: Measuring Spatial Abilities... 🔗

2012 - 2013   MSc Cognitive Neuroscience   University of Calgary
Thesis: The Development of a Practical Measure of Environmental-Scale Spatial Ability: The Spatial Configuration Task  
Supervisor: Dr. Giuseppe Iaria

2005 - 2010   BSc Psychology   University of Calgary

Research Funding

2016 - 2026   Co-investigator   $944,000
Agency:   Canadian Space Agency
Project:   The detrimental effects of long duration spaceflight on human wayfinding: The behavioural and neural mechanisms

Honours & Awards

2019   CPA Certificate of Academic Excellence Doctoral Thesis
2018   NSERC PDF$90000 /2 years
2017   UCalgary Psychology Graduate Student Achievement Award
2017   HBI Trainee Publication Award$100
2016   Killam Pre-Doctoral Scholarship$66000 /2 years not cumulative with NSERC
2015   NSERC PGS-D$63000 /3 years
2015   Queen Elizabeth II Graduate Scholarship$15000 Declined
2014   UCalgary Psychology Graduate Student Achievement Award
2014   Queen Elizabeth II Graduate Scholarship$15000
2014   CPA Certificate of Academic Excellence Masters Thesis
2014   Alberta Graduate Student Scholarship$3000
2013   Queen Elizabeth II Graduate Scholarship$3600
2012   Cdn. Spring Conf. on Behavior and Brain Best Graduate Presentation
2010   Dean’s List – Faculty of Social Sciences

Research Skills

- Functional and structural analysis in EEG and MRI
- Experimental methodology and statistical analysis
- Machine learning for segmentation, classification, and dimensionality reduction
- 3D task design in Unity
- Field neuroscience
- Methods development
- Scripting in python, bash, & C#
- Front and backend linux webserver experience: CSS, HTML, PHP, LEMP stack, SQL and NoSQL DBs.

Teaching Experience

2020   Instructor   PSYC/NEUR 521: Cognitive & Clinical Neuroscience
2017   Co-Instructor   PSYC/NEUR 521: Cognitive & Clinical Neuroscience
2016   Co-Instructor   PSYC 619.22: Special Topic: Functional Neuroimaging
2016   Co-Instructor   PSYC 619.17: Special Topic: Neuroimaging Meta-analysis
2016   Co-Instructor   PSYC/NEUR 521: Cognitive & Clinical Neuroscience
2015   TA   PSYC 615: Analysis of Variance   UCalgary
2012   TA   PSYC 463: Memory   UCalgary
2012   TA   PSYC 205: Principles of Psychology   UCalgary

Publications   44

2025 Disorders of Human Spatial Navigation: Developmental Topographical Disorientation
by G Iaria, F Burles
inJ. Grafman (2nd Edition) Encyclopedia of The Human Brain. Elsevier🔗

2024 Preprint The Rapid Sense of Direction (RSOD) scale: a short and reliable measure of sense of direction
by T Jaswal, F Burles, G Iaria
inPsyArXiv🔗

2024 Preliminary evidence of high prevalence of cerebral microbleeds in astronauts with spaceflight experience
by F Burles, M Willson, P Townes, A Yang, G Iaria
inFrontiers in Physiology🔗

2024 Functional brain networks in Developmental Topographical Disorientation
by M Faryadras, F Burles, G Iaria, J Davidsen
inCerebral Cortex🔗

2024 Modern magnetic resonance imaging modalities to advance neuroimaging in astronauts
by L Berger, F Burles, T Jaswal, R Williams, G Iaria
inAerospace Medicine and Human Performance🔗

2024 Medial positioning of the hippocampus and hippocampal fissure volume in Developmental Topographical Disorientation
by A Fragueiro, C Cury, F Santacroce, F Burles, G Iarira, G Committeri
inHippocampus🔗

2023 Anxiety and Depressive Traits in the Healthy Population Does Not Affect Spatial Orientation and Navigation
by I Zafar, F Burles, L Berger, M McLaren-Gradinaru, A David, I Dhillon, G Iaria
inBrain Sciences🔗

2023 Neurocognitive Adaptations for Spatial Orientation and Navigation in Astronauts
by F Burles, G Iaria
inBrain Sciences🔗

2023 Sex and menstrual cycle influence human navigation strategies and performance
by A Brown, F Burles, G Iaria, G Einstein, M Moscovitch
inScientific Reports🔗

2023 The unresolved methodological challenge of detecting neuroplastic changes in astronauts
by F Burles, R Williams, L Berger, B Pike, C Lebel, G Iaria
inLife🔗

2023 The cognitive effects of playing video games with a navigational component
by M McLaren-Gradinaru, F Burles, A Protzner, G Iaria
inTelematics and Informatics Reports🔗

2022 Sex differences in the relationship between age, performance, and BOLD signal variability during spatial context memory processing
by H Wang, F Burles, S Subramaniapillai, S Pasvanis, N Rajah, A Protzner
inNeurobiology of Aging🔗

2022 The structure of prior knowledge enhances memory in experts by reducing interference
by E Wing, F Burles, J Ryan, A Gilboa
inPNAS🔗

2022 Investigating the relationship between spatial and social cognitive maps in humans
by J Parmar, F Burles, C MacInnis, G Iaria
inJournal of Environmental Psychology🔗

2021 Evaluation of APOE ɛ2/ɛ3/ɛ4 Alleles in a Cohort of Individuals Affected by Developmental Topographical Disorientation
by SF Barclay, K Potocki, F Burles, T Bech-Hansen, G Iaria
inJournal of Alzheimer's Disease Reports🔗

2021 How Does Dementia Begin to Manifest in Bipolar Disorder? A Description of Prodromal Clinical and Cognitive Changes
by B Callahan, M McLaren-Gradinaru, F Burles, G Iaria
inJournal of Alzheimer's Disease🔗

2021 Definition: Topographical disorientation
by G Iaria, F Burles
inCortex🔗

2020 Behavioural and cognitive mechanisms of Developmental Topographical Disorientation
by F Burles, G Iaria
inScientific Reports🔗

2020 Egocentric navigation abilities predict episodic memory performance
by G Committeri, A Fragueiro, M Campanile, M Lagatta, F Burles, G Iaria, C Sestieri, A Tosoni
inFrontiers in Human Neuroscience🔗

2020 Aerobic fitness is unrelated to the acquisition of hippocampal-dependent memory in college-aged adults
by M Chandler, A McGowan, F Burles, C Scavuzzo, K Mathewson, M Pontifex
inJournal of Sport & Exercise Psychology🔗

2020 A pilot study evaluating the effects of concussion on the ability to form cognitive maps for spatial orientation in adolescent hockey players
by L McFarlane, F Burles, K Yeates, K Schneider, G Iaria
inBrain Injury🔗

2020 The emergence of cognitive maps for spatial navigation in seven- to ten-year-old children
by F Burles, I Liu, C Hart, K Murias, S Graham, G Iaria
inChild Development🔗

2020 A Novel Training Program to Improve Human Spatial Orientation: Preliminary Findings
by M McLaren-Gradinaru, F Burles, I Dhillon, A Retsinas, A Umiltá, J Hannah, K Dolhan, G Iaria
inFrontiers in Human Neuroscience🔗

2019 Revisiting mental rotation with stereoscopic disparity: a new spin for a classic paradigm
by F Burles, J Lu, E Slone, F Cortese, G Iaria, A Protzner
inBrain and Cognition🔗

2018 Expedition cognition: a review and prospective of subterranean neuroscience with spaceflight applications
by N Mogilever, L Zuccarelli, F Burles, G Iaria, G Strapazzon, L Bessone, E Coffey
inFrontiers in Human Neuroscience🔗

2018 Sleep quality and its association with the insular cortex in emotional empathy
by V Guadagni, F Burles, M Ferrara, G Iaria
inEuropean Journal of Neuroscience🔗

2018 Ventral - dorsal functional contribution of the posterior cingulate cortex in human spatial orientation: A meta-analysis
by F Burles, A Umiltá, L McFarlane, K Potocki, G Iaria
inFrontiers in Human Neuroscience🔗

2018 Largely typical electrophysiological affective responses to special interest stimuli in adolescents with Autism Spectrum Disorder
by K Rivard, A Protzner, F Burles, M Schuetze, I Cho, K Ten Eycke, A McCrimmon, D Dewey, F Cortese, S Bray
inJournal of Autism and Developmental Disorders🔗

2018 Poor sleep quality affects empathic responses in experienced paramedics
by V Guadagni, E Cook, C Hart, F Burles, G Iaria
inSleep and Biological Rhythms🔗

2017 Dorso-medial and ventro-lateral functional specialization of the human retrosplenial complex in spatial updating and orienting
by F Burles, E Slone, G Iaria
inBrain Structure and Function🔗

2016 The effects of selective amygdalo-hippocampectomy on different spatial orientation skills
by G Iaria, G Wentzel, J Boon, F Burles, I Liu, P Federico
inCurrent Trends in Neurology

2016 Familial aggregation in developmental topographical disorientation (DTD)
by SF Barclay, F Burles, K Potocki, K Rancourt, M Nicolson, T Bech-Hansen, G Iaria
inCognitive Neuropsychology🔗

2016 Poor sleep quality affects spatial orientation in virtual environments
by S Valera, V Guadagni, E Slone, F Burles, M Ferrara, T Campbell, G Iaria
inSleep Science🔗

2016 Developmental Topographical Disorientation
by G Iaria, F Burles
inTrends in Cognitive Sciences🔗

2016 The relationship between quality of sleep and emotional empathy
by V Guadagni, F Burles, S Valera, E Hardwicke-Brown, M Ferrara, T Campbell, G Iaria
inJournal of Psychophysiology🔗

2016 Environmental layout complexity affects neural activity during navigation in humans
by E Slone, F Burles, G Iaria
inEuropean Journal of Neuroscience🔗

2016 Getting lost: Topographic skills in acquired and developmental prosopagnosia
by J Corrow, E Lee, S Corrow, R Pancaroglu, F Burles, B Duchaine, G Iaria, J Barton
inCortex🔗

2015 Neural Basis of Human Spatial Orientation
by A Arnold, I Liu, K Murias, E Slone, F Burles, V Guadagni, G Iaria
inJ. Wright (2nd Edition) International Encyclopedia of the Social & Behavioral Sciences. Elsevier.🔗

2014 The effects of sleep deprivation on emotional empathy
by V Guadagni, F Burles, M Ferrara, G Iaria
inJournal of Sleep Research🔗

2014 Developmental topographical disorientation and decreased hippocampal functional connectivity
by G Iaria, A Arnold, F Burles, I Liu, E Slone, SF Barclay, T Bech‐Hansen, R Levy
inHippocampus🔗

2014 Neuroticism and self-evaluation measures are related to the ability to form cognitive maps critical for spatial orientation
by F Burles, V Guadagni, F Hoey, A Arnold, R Levy, T O’Neill, G Iaria
inBehavioural Brain Research🔗

2014 Floor plan connectivity influences wayfinding performance in virtual environments
by E Slone, F Burles, K Robinson, R Levy, G Iaria
inEnvironment and Behavior🔗

2014 Differential neural network configuration during human path integration
by A Arnold, F Burles, S Bray, R Levy, G Iaria
inFrontiers in Human Neuroscience🔗

2013 Cognitive mapping in humans and its relationship to other orientation skills
by A Arnold, F Burles, T Krivoruchko, I Liu, C Rey, R Levy, G Iaria
inExperimental Brain Research🔗

Posters   19

2023 The unresolved methodological challenge of detecting neuroplastic changes in astronauts
by F Burles, R Williams, L Berger, B Pike, C Lebel, G Iaria
atNASA Human Research Program IWSin Galveston   🔗

2022 New magnetic resonance imaging scans to detect neuroplastic changes in astronauts
by L Berger, F Burles, R Williams, C Lebel, B Pike, G Iaria
atThe Canadian Space Health Research Symposium​in Calgary

2022 Investigating wayfinding, sense of place, and environmental familiarity in the International Space Station as experienced in virtual reality
by L Berger, M Walsh, R Banerjee, S Banik, F Burles, L McCunn, G Iaria
atThe Canadian Space Health Research Symposium​in Calgary

2020 The varied influence of prior knowledge on perception, retention, and new learning
by E Wing, F Burles, J Ryan, A Gilboa
atCNSin virtual

2018 Age-related differences in the variability of BOLD signal manifest differently across tasks, and influence information processing capacity
by H Wang, M Rajah, F Burles, S Pasvanis, A Protzner
atSFNin San Diego

2018 Effect of Acute Exercise on Spatial Navigation
by D Olafson, F Burles, G Iaria, K Mathewson, C Scavuzzo
atBASICSin Banff

2018 Wayfinding: The Behavioural and Neurological Effects of Spaceflight on Astronauts' Spatial Orientation Skills
by F Burles, G Iaria
atNASA Human Research Program IWSin Galveston

2017 Ventrolateral-Dorsomedial Specialization of Human Posterior Cingulate Cortex in Spatial Processing
by F Burles, E Slone, A Umiltá, L McFarlane, K Potocki, G Iaria
atOHBMin Vancouver

2017 Sleep quality modulates activity and connectivity of the left anterior insula in emotional empathy
by V Guadagni, F Burles, C Hart, M Ferrara, G Iaria
atOHBMin Vancouver

2017 Tracking altitude-related changes in processing capacity with brain signal variability
by A Heard, J Hart, F Burles, S Hartmann, M Furian, M Lichblau, L Muralt, P Bader, S Ulrich, K Bloch, J Rawling, P Pexman, M Poulin, A Protzner
atHypoxiain Banff

2016 Functional specialization of the posterior cingulate in spatial updating and orienting
by F Burles, E Slone, G Iaria
atiNavin Bad Gastein

2016 The relationship between quality of sleep and emotional empathy
by V Guadagni, F Burles, S Valera, E Hardwicke-Brown, M Ferrara, T Campbell, G Iaria
atEuropean Sleep Research Societyin Bologna

2014 Environmental Connectivity Influences Wayfinding Performance and Neural Mechanisms in Virtual Environments
by E Slone, F Burles, G Iaria
atNeuroGamingin San Francisco

2014 Decreased functional connectivity between the hippocampus and prefrontal cortex is associated with lifelong history of getting lost
by G Iaria, A Arnold, F Burles, I Liu, E Slone, SF Barclay, T Bech-Hansen, R Levy
atCognitive Neuroscience Societyin Boston

2014 The behavioural and neurological effects of stereoscopic presentation of mental rotation stimuli
by F Burles, E Slone, J Lu, F Cortese, G Iaria, A Protzner
atHBI Research Dayin Calgary

2014 The Effects of Sleep Deprivation on Emotional Empathy
by V Guadagni, F Burles, M Ferrara, G Iaria
atHBI Research Dayin Calgary

2014 Evidence of a Genetic Basis for Developmental Topographical Disorientation
by SF Barclay, T Bech-Hansen, F Burles, G Iaria
atAmerican Society of Human Geneticsin San Diego

2012 Neural sources of behavioural variability in landmark orientation
by A Arnold, F Burles, A Protzner, S Bray, B Goodyear, R Levy, G Iaria
atFENSin Barcelona

2011 Developmental Topographical Disorientation: A Newly Discovered Cognitive Disorder
by A Arnold, F Burles, J Barton, G Iaria
atCognitive Neuroscience Societyin San Francisco

Presentations   10

2022 Spaceflight-related neuroplastic adaptations and wayfinding in astronauts
at theCanadian Space Health Research Symposium​ in Calgary

2022 Aerospace Medical Education Opportunities for Canadians - NASA
at theTAC Conference / Canadian Society for Aerospace Medicine in Montreal

2022 Wayfinding: How Space Flight Affects Astronauts’ Brains
at theTAC Conference / Canadian Society for Aerospace Medicine in Montreal

2021 Hazards of Spaceflight Panelist
at theWestern University - Space Day in London, Ontario   🔗

2018 The cartographer and the navigator: The retrosplenial cortex in spatial orientation and navigation
at theRotman Research Rounds in Toronto   🔗

2017 The cartographer and the navigator
at theUCalgary Dept. of Psychology Research Achievement Day in Calgary

2017 Functional specialization within the retrosplenial complex for spatial encoding versus orienting
at theHBI Advanced Imaging Seminar Series in Calgary

2015 Retrosplenial complex activity and connectivity in spatial updating and orienting
at theUCalgary Dept. of Psychology Cognitive Science Seminar in Calgary

2014 The behavioural and neurological effects of stereoscopic presentation of mental rotation stimuli
at theUCalgary Dept. of Psychology Cognitive Science Seminar in Calgary

2012 Dissecting human spatial orientation: The contribution of different cognitive strategies to orient in familiar and unfamiliar surroundings
at theCanadian Spring Conference on Behaviour and Brain in Fernie