Ciara Treacy is an Associate Lecturer in Traumatic Stress Across the Lifespan at UniSC Thompson Institute. With previous experience working as a Postdoctoral Research Fellow in Trauma and Ageing (2025-2026), Research Assistant in Healthy Brain Ageing (2021-2025) and a Virology Scientist at QML Pathology (2020-2021), Ciara brings a diverse skill set to her teaching and research.
In June 2025, she was awarded her PhD in cognitive neuroscience, which investigated the neurobiology subserving sustained attention and inhibitory functioning in healthy older adults using advanced MRI techniques (including MRS). Prior to her doctorate, Ciara completed an accelerated undergraduate degree in biomedical science at UniSC in 2020, graduating with a commendation award for academic excellence.
Awards and memberships
- Best ECR Research Poster, 2025
- Best ECR Paper for Summer & Winter, 2025
- Best Debut Paper Award, 2025
- Fisher Student of the Year Award, 2023
- Young Science Ambassador, 2023
- Research Training Program PhD Scholarship, 2021
- Commendation Award for Academic Excellence, 2020
- International Golden Key Society, 2019
- Thompson Excellence Scholarship, 2018
- Dux of School, 2017
Research Grants:
2025-2026
TREACY, C., Schaumberg, M.A., & Brunet, A.
Role: Principal Investigator
UniSC LAUNCH Pilot Grant (Title: RAPID-W: Rapid application of menstrual cycle-timed PTSD intervention and delivery for women)
Value: $29,935
Research areas
- Healthy brain ageing
- Cognitive ageing
- Cognitive neuroscience
- Trauma
- Post traumatic stress disorder
- Sex differences
Ciara is available as a primary supervisor for Honours and Masters students, or as a co-supervisor for PhD students.
Teaching areas
- Mental health and neuroscience
- TREACY C., Andrews, S.C., & Levenstein, J.M. (accepted, 08 Sept 2025). Age-related Inhibitory Decline: Examining Inhibition Sub-Components and their Impact on Sustained Attention in Healthy Ageing. Neuropsychology (Q1, IF: 3). https;//doi.org/10.1101/2025.02.19.638971
- TREACY, C., Andrews, S.C., & Levenstein, J.M. (2025). Relationships Between GABA+ and Glx Concentrations with Age and Inhibition in Healthy Older Adults. Brain Structure and Function (Q1, IF: 2.9). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00429-025-03017-0
- Levenstein, J.M. TREACY, C., & Andrews, S.C., (2025). Neurophysiological Correlates of Modifiable Dementia Risk Factors in Cognitively Unimpaired Older Adults. Cerebral Cortex (Q1, IF: 2.9). 35(8). https://doi.org/10.1101/2025.02.20.639395
- Quigley, B.L., Wellington, N., Levenstein, J.l., , Dutton, M., Bouças, A.P., Forsyth, G., Gallay, C.C., Hajishafiee, M., TREACY, C., Lagopoulos, J., Andrews, S.C., Can, A.T., & Hermens, D.F. (2025). Circulating Biomarkers and Neuroanatomical Brain Structures Differ in Oder Adults With and Without Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. Sci Rep (Q1, IF: 3.9), 15, 7176. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-91840-0
- TREACY, C., Campbell, A. J., Anijärv, T. E., Lagopoulos, J., Hermens, D. F., Andrews, S. C., & Levenstein, J. M. (2024). Structural Brain Correlates of Sustained Attention in Healthy Ageing: Cross-Sectional Findings from the LEISURE Study. Neurobiol Aging (Q1, IF: 3.5), 144, 93-103. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neurobiolaging.2024.09.010
- Campbell, A. J., Anijärv, T. E., Pace, T., TREACY, C., Lagopoulos, J., Hermens, D. F., Levenstein, J. M., & Andrews, S. C. (2024). Resting-State EEG Correlates of Sustained Attention in Healthy Ageing: Cross-Sectional Findings from the LEISURE Study. Neurobiol Aging, 144, 68-77. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neurobiolaging.2024.09.005
- Pace, T., Levenstein, J. M., Anijärv, T. E., Campbell, A. J., TREACY, C., Hermens, D. F., & Andrews, S. C. (2024). Modifiable Dementia Risk Associated with Smaller White Matter Volume and Altered 1/f Aperiodic Brain Activity: Cross-Sectional Insights from the LEISURE Study. Age Ageing (Q1, IF: 7.1), 53(11), afae243. https://doi.org/10.1093/ageing/afae243
- TREACY, C., Levenstein, J. M., Jefferies, A., Metse, A. P., Schaumberg, M. A., Villani, A., Boucas, A. P., Hermens, D. F., Lagopoulos, J., & Andrews, S. C. (2023). The LEISURE Study: A Longitudinal Randomized Controlled Trial Protocol for a Multi- Modal Lifestyle Intervention Study to Reduce Dementia Risk in Healthy Older Adults. J Alzheimers Dis (Q1, IF: 3.1), 94(2), 841-856. https://doi.org/10.3233/jad-230193