Fumiko Hoeft

Professor, Psychological Sciences

Campus Dean and Chief Administrative Officer of UConn Waterbury

Psychological Sciences

---

Additional Appointments

For questions related to the UConn Waterbury campus, please email Waterbury Leadership.

• Director, Laboratory for Learning Engineering and Neural Systems (brainLENS)
• Professor (by courtesy), Departments of Computer Science and Engineering, Educational Psychology, Mathematics, Neuroscience, Pediatrics, and Psychiatry
• Professor (Adjunct), Yale University School of Medicine, Child Study Center

---

Education

• MD, Keio University School of Medicine (1995)
• PhD, Neuroscience/Neurophysiology, Keio University School of Medicine (2003)

---

Research Interests

For questions related to Dr. Hoeft’s research, please email brainLENS@Uconn.edu.

Dr. Hoeft is a physician-neuroscientist, neurophysiologist, and developmental cognitive neuroscientist whose research examines the neurobiological mechanisms underlying individual differences in brain development and learning. Her work focuses particularly on how children acquire literacy skills, why some experience dyslexia and other learning differences, and which neural, cognitive, socio-emotional and environmental factors contribute to resilience, compensation and positive outcomes. She uses multimodal neuroimaging and other interdisciplinary approaches to study brain development, reading acquisition, and individual variation in learning.

She is also the lab director of the Laboratory for Learning Engineering and Neural Systems (brainLENS), a collaboration between researchers at UConn and the University of California, San Francisco.

---

Teaching

Neuroimaging, neuromodulation techniques, grant writing and science outreach

---

Publications

Representative

Mercier A, Paquette B, Hoeft F, Richter CG. Caregiver perceptions of onlinepeer mentoring for youth with learning differences. Sci Rep. 2026 Jun5;16(1):17512. doi: 10.1038/s41598-026-44538-w.

Ren J, Wang H, Landi N, Joanisse MF, Gracco V, Kleinman D, Mahaffy K, Bajracharya A, Hancock R, Pugh K, Hoeft F. Audiovisual integration in reading among school-aged children: Evidence from combined fMRI and EEG. Dev Cogn Neurosci. 2026 Jun;79:101729. doi: 10.1016/j.dcn.2026.101729. Epub 2026 Apr 28.

Lasnick OHM, Luo J, Kinnie B, Kamal S, Low S, Marrouch N, Hoeft F. Modeling differences in neurodevelopmental maturity of the reading network using support vector regression on functional connectivity data. Dev Cogn Neurosci. 2026 Jun;79:101716. doi: 10.1016/j.dcn.2026.101716. Epub 2026 Mar 25.

Kepinska O, Bouhali F, Degano G, Berthele R, Tanaka H, Hoeft F, Golestani N. Intergenerational transmission of the structure of the auditory cortex and reading skills. Dev Cogn Neurosci. 2026 Jun;79:101702. doi: 10.1016/j.dcn.2026.101702. Epub 2026 Mar 3.

Arrington CN, Bledniak E, Kinnie B, Farkas E, Morris R, Hoeft F. White Matter Diffusivity Predicts Change in Sight Word Reading Following Continuous Theta Burst Stimulation to the Left Temporal Parietal Junction. Neurobiol Lang (Camb). 2026 Feb 20;7:NOL.a.217. doi: 10.1162/NOL.a.217.

Marks RA, Bouhali F, Sun X, Caballero JF, Kepinska O, Uchikoshi Y, Beltz A, Kovelman I, Hoeft F. Functional Connectivity Fingerprints of Emerging Reading Skill in the First Months of Schooling. Dev Sci. 2026 Mar;29(2):e70142. doi: 10.1111/desc.70142.

Clement-Lam SS, Lasnick O, Kinnie B, Mitra A, Lyon C, Kearns D, Hoeft F. Event-related potentials in the “Triangle” framework of reading and developmental dyslexia: a systematic review. Ann Dyslexia. 2026 Apr;76(1):156-205. doi: 10.1007/s11881-025-00353-y. Epub 2025 Dec 13.

Luo J, Lay CM, Richter CG, Turnbull A, Richlan F, Park CL, Hoeft F. Human neural correlates of emotional well-being (EWB): a preliminary systematic review and meta-analysis of MRI studies based on a recent consensus definition. Front Hum Neurosci. 2025 Nov 10;19:1669164. doi: 10.3389/fnhum.2025.1669164.

Yang Y, Liu Z, Wong BWL, Huo S, Wang J, Lee T, Hoeft F, Maurer U. Deviant functional connectivity patterns in the EEG related to developmental dyslexia and their potential use for screening. Biol Psychol. 2025 Oct;201:109130. doi: 10.1016/j.biopsycho.2025.109130. Epub 2025 Sep 26.

Roy E, Guillaume M, Van Rinsveld A; Project iLead Consortium; McCandliss BD. Tablet-based arithmetic fluency assessment reveals developments in math cognition and math achievement from childhood to adolescence. NPJ Sci Learn. 2025 Apr 24;10(1):19. doi: 10.1038/s41539-025-00314-5.

Goldstein BL, Arciero O, Santos S, Grasso DJ, Eigsti IM, Hoeft F, Williams CJ, Mohan A, Mohler E, McCarthy KJ, Briggs-Gowan MJ. Neurophysiological Differences in Auditory Threat Processing in Young Children Exposed to Intimate Partner Violence: a Pilot Study. Dev Psychobiol. 2025 May;67(3):e70045. doi: 10.1002/dev.70045.

Blockmans L, Hoeft F, Wouters J, Ghesquière P, Vandermosten M. Impact of COVID-19 School Closures on White Matter Plasticity in the Reading Network. Neurobiol Lang (Camb). 2025 Jan 10;6:nol_a_00158. doi: 10.1162/nol_a_00158.

Stein B, Hoeft F, Richter CG. Stress, resilience, and emotional well-being in children and adolescents with specific learning disabilities. Curr Opin Behav Sci. 2024 Aug;58:101410. doi: 10.1016/j.cobeha.2024.101410. Epub 2024 May 29.

Bouhali F, Dubois J, Hoeft F, Weiner KS. Unique longitudinal contributions of sulcal interruptions to reading acquisition in children. bioRxiv [Preprint]. 2024 Jul 30:2024.07.30.605574. doi: 10.1101/2024.07.30.605574.

Schneider D, Bouhali F, Richter CG, Costache R, Costache C, Kirchhoffer K, Sheth V, MacDonald I, Hoeft F. Perinatal influences on academic achievement and the developing brain: a scoping systematic review. Front Psychol. 2024 Jun 19;15:1352241. doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2024.1352241.

Richter CG, Li CM, Turnbull A, Haft SL, Schneider D, Luo J, Lima DP, Lin FV, Davidson RJ, Hoeft F. Brain imaging studies of emotional well-being: a scoping review. Front Psychol. 2024 Jan 5;14:1328523. doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1328523.

Lasnick OHM, Hoeft F. Sensory temporal sampling in time: an integrated model of the TSF and neural noise hypothesis as an etiological pathway for dyslexia. Front Hum Neurosci. 2024 Jan 3;17:1294941. doi: 10.3389/fnhum.2023.1294941.

Lasnick OHM, Hancock R, Hoeft F. Left-dominance for resting-state temporal low-gamma power in children with impaired word-decoding and without comorbid ADHD. PLoS One. 2023 Dec 29;18(12):e0292330. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0292330.

Wat EK, Jangraw DC, Finn ES, Bandettini PA, Preston JL, Landi N, Hoeft F, Frost SJ, Lau A, Chen G, Pugh KR, Molfese PJ. Will you read how I will read? Naturalistic fMRI predictors of emergent reading. Neuropsychologia. 2024 Jan 29;193:108763. doi: 10.1016/j.neuropsychologia.2023.108763.

Jangraw DC, Finn ES, Bandettini PA, Landi N, Sun H, Hoeft F, Chen G, Pugh KR, Molfese PJ. Inter-subject correlation during long narratives reveals widespread neural correlates of reading ability. Neuroimage. 2023 Nov 15;282:120390. doi: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2023.120390.

Younger JW, O’Laughlin KD, Anguera JA, Bunge SA, Ferrer EE, Hoeft F, McCandliss BD, Mishra J, Rosenberg-Lee M, Gazzaley A, Uncapher MR. Better together: novel methods for measuring and modeling development of executive function diversity while accounting for unity. Front Hum Neurosci. 2023 Jul 24;17:1195013. doi: 10.3389/fnhum.2023.1195013.

Marks RA, Labotka D, Sun X, Nickerson N, Zhang K, Eggleston RL, Yu CL, Uchikoshi Y, Hoeft F, Kovelman I. Morphological awareness and its role in early word reading in English monolinguals, Spanish-English, and Chinese-English simultaneous bilinguals. Biling (Camb Engl). 2023 Mar;26(2):268-283. doi: 10.1017/s1366728922000517. Epub 2022 Aug 18.

Landi N, Kleinman D, Agrawal V, Ashton G, Coyne-Green A, Roberts P, Blair N, Russell J, Stutzman A, Scorrano D, Frazier N, Pugh KR, Hoeft F. Researcher- practitioner partnerships and in-school laboratories facilitate translational research in reading. J Res Read. 2022 Aug;45(3):367-384. doi: 10.1111/1467-9817.12392. Epub 2022 Apr 5.

Gallen CL, Schaerlaeken S, Younger JW; Project iLEAD Consortium; Anguera JA, Gazzaley A. Contribution of sustained attention abilities to real-world academic skills in children. Sci Rep. 2023 Feb 15;13(1):2673. doi: 10.1038/s41598-023-29427-w.

Kepinska O, Caballero J, Oliver M, Marks RA, Haft SL, Zekelman L, Kovelman I, Uchikoshi Y, Hoeft F. Language combinations of multilinguals are reflected in their first-language knowledge and processing. Sci Rep. 2023 Feb 2;13(1):1947. doi: 10.1038/s41598-023-27952-2. Erratum in: Sci Rep. 2025 Sep 18;15(1):32594. doi: 10.1038/s41598-025-17838-w.

Richter CG, Siegelman N, Mahaffy K, Van Den Bunt M, Kearns DM, Landi N, Sabatini J, Pugh K, Hoeft F. The impact of computer-assisted technology on literacy acquisition during COVID-19-related school closures: Group-level effects and predictors of individual-level outcomes. Front Psychol. 2022 Dec 2;13:1001555. doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2022.1001555.

Haft SL, Greiner de Magalhães C, Hoeft F. A Systematic Review of the Consequences of Stigma and Stereotype Threat for Individuals With Specific Learning Disabilities. J Learn Disabil. 2023 May-Jun;56(3):193-209. doi: 10.1177/00222194221087383. Epub 2022 Apr 30.

Lasnick O, Feng J, Quirion A, Hart S, Hoeft F. The Importance of Family History in Dyslexia. Read Leag J. 2022 May-Jun;3(2):35-42.

Xia Z, Yang T, Cui X, Hoeft F, Liu H, Zhang X, Liu X, Shu H. Atypical Relationships Between Neurofunctional Features of Print-Sound Integration and Reading Abilities in Chinese Children With Dyslexia. Front Psychol. 2022 Jan 25;12:748644. doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2021.748644. PMID: 35145448; PMCID: PMC8822058. 34: Xia Z, Yang T, Cui X, Hoeft F, Liu H, Zhang X, Shu H, Liu X. Neurofunctional basis underlying audiovisual integration of print and speech sound in Chinese children. Eur J Neurosci. 2022 Feb;55(3):806-826. doi: 10.1111/ejn.15597. Epub 2022 Jan 31.

Jones C, Collin E, Kepinska O, Hancock R, Caballero J, Zekelman L, Vandermosten M, Hoeft F. Auditory Processing of Non-speech Stimuli by Children in Dual-Language Immersion Programs. Front Psychol. 2021 Oct 18;12:687651. doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2021.687651.

Feng L, Hancock R, Watson C, Bogley R, Miller ZA, Gorno-Tempini ML, Briggs- Gowan MJ, Hoeft F. Development of an Abbreviated Adult Reading History Questionnaire (ARHQ-Brief) Using a Machine Learning Approach. J Learn Disabil. 2022 Sep-Oct;55(5):427-442. doi: 10.1177/00222194211047631.

Hossain B, Chen Y, Bent S, Parenteau C, Widjaja F, Haft SL, Hoeft F, Hendren RL. The role of grit and resilience in children with reading disorder: a longitudinal cohort study. Ann Dyslexia. 2022 Apr;72(1):1-27. doi: 10.1007/s11881-021-00238-w. Epub 2021 Jul 29.

Xia Z, Wang C, Hancock R, Vandermosten M, Hoeft F. Development of thalamus mediates paternal age effect on offspring reading: A preliminary investigation. Hum Brain Mapp. 2021 Oct 1;42(14):4580-4596. doi: 10.1002/hbm.25567. Epub 2021 Jul 4.

Borghesani V, Wang C, Watson C, Bouhali F, Caverzasi E, Battistella G, Bogley R, Yabut NA, Deleon J, Miller ZA, Hoeft F, Mandelli ML, Gorno-Tempini ML. Functional and morphological correlates of developmental dyslexia: A multimodal investigation of the ventral occipitotemporal cortex. J Neuroimaging. 2021 Sep;31(5):962-972. doi: 10.1111/jon.12892. Epub 2021 Jun 11.

Li H, Kepinska O, Caballero JN, Zekelman L, Marks RA, Uchikoshi Y, Kovelman I, Hoeft F. Decoding the role of the cerebellum in the early stages of reading acquisition. Cortex. 2021 Aug;141:262-279. doi: 10.1016/j.cortex.2021.02.033. Epub 2021 May 8.

---

Honors and Awards

• International Dyslexia Association (IDA; 2014, 2022)
• Learning & the Brain Foundation (2015)
• University of California Office of the President (2016)
• Int’l Mind Brain & Education Society (IMBES; 2018)
• Society for Neuroscience (SfN; 2018)
• Eye to Eye (2019)
• UConn College of Liberal Arts & Sciences (2021)

Served on boards of:

• National Center for Learning Disabilities (NCLD)
• Bay Area Discovery Museum’s (BADM) Center for Childhood Creativity (CCC)
• International Dyslexia Association (IDA)