Pilleriin Sikka
Senior Lecturer in Cognitive Neuroscience
School of Bioscience
Room G1253
Biography
Pilleriin Sikka is a Senior Lecturer in Cognitive Neuroscience at the University of Skövde (Sweden). Currently, she is also a Postdoctoral Research Fellow at Stanford Psychophysiology Laboratory, Stanford University where she performs research on emotions and emotion regulation together with prof. James J. Gross. Pilleriin is also affiliated with the University of Turku (Finland). Previously, she worked at the Department of Psychiatry, University of Oxford (UK). She holds a PhD degree in Psychology (University of Turku, Finland), MSc degree in Neuroscience (University of Oxford, UK), and MSc and BSc degrees in Psychology (University of Tallinn).
Courses
KU136G Basic Neuroscience (course coordinator; lecturer)
KU337G Central Topics in Cognitive Neuroscience (course coordinator; lecturer)
KU105G Positive Psychology and Well-Being (course coordinator; lecturer)
KU135G Psychology from a Cognitive Neuroscience Perspective (lecturer)
KU328G Miniconference in Positive Psychology (course coordinator; lecturer)
KU526G Tutorial in Cognitive Neuroscience (lecturer/supervisor; examiner)
KU523G Bachelor Degree Project in Cognitive Neuroscience (supervisor; examiner)
KU724A Master Degree Project in Cognitive Neuroscience (supervisor; examiner)
Merits and Awards
(2020) the Golden Apple (Guldäpplet) award 2020 for outstanding teaching, University of Skövde, Sweden
(2015) the Golden Apple (Guldäpplet) award 2015 for outstanding teaching, University of Skövde, Sweden
(2010) the Golden Apple (Guldäpplet) award 2010 for outstanding teaching, University of Skövde, Sweden
Education
Programme
Programme Coordinator
Research
My research
Publications
Projects
Pilleriin's main research interests include emotions and emotion regulation across the wake-sleep cycle and their relationship to health and well-being. More specifically, she studies (1) the nature and continuity of emotional experiences across different states of consciousness—from wakefulness to mind-wandering (or daydreaming) to sleep; (2) how emotions experienced during dreaming are associated with emotion regulation in wakefulness; and (3) the psychological and neurobiological correlates of peace of mind—an aspect of mental well-being—and its relation to emotion regulation.
In her research she uses a multidisciplinary and multilevel framework that draws on the concepts, theories, and research from philosophy, psychology, neuroscience, and (molecular) biology and integrates different research areas, such as emotion research, sleep and dream research, consciousness research, and well-being research.
2023
Health Psychology
2023. Article. https://doi.org/10.1037/hea0001268
Journal of Affective Disorders
2023. Article. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jad.2022.12.065
Journal of Affective Disorders
2023. Article. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jad.2023.01.036
Affective Science
2023. Article.
https://doi.org/10.1007/s42761-023-00204-2
Personality and Individual Differences
2023. Article.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.paid.2023.112378
Emotion
2023. Article.
https://doi.org/10.1037/emo0001255
2022
Scientific Data
2022. Article.
https://doi.org/10.1038/s41597-022-01383-6
Neurobiology of Language
2022. Article.
https://doi.org/10.1162/nol_a_00080
Frontiers in Behavioral Neuroscience
2022. Article.
https://doi.org/10.3389/fnbeh.2022.981289
Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews
2022. Article, review.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neubiorev.2022.104708
2021
2020
2019
2018
2017
2016
2014
2012
2011
2010
2009
2008
2005
Ongoing projects
Food – Gut – Brain – Mind – Health
The study is a human study for healthy volunteers who for three weeks replace their usual diet with a ketogenic diet. Metabolic, microbiotic, neurobiological and clinical parameters are measured before and after the study. This means that a whole-body perspective is taken into account when it comes to health, but also the mental part as well as how the mentally status linked to the dietary change.
September 2020 - December 2025 DHEAR