My research focusses on the identification of vulnerability, protection and resilience markers in young people who are at high risk of developing neurodevelopmental and mental health conditions, such as psychosis, autism spectrum disorders as well as suicidal thoughts and behaviours. I am also interested in the characterisation of biopsychosocial prognostic markers of clinical and functional outcome. I use cognitive neuroscientific and interdisciplinary methods to integrate neurobiological, psychological and psychosocial factors to better understand how youth vulnerability can influence and be influenced by neurodevelopmental and mental health conditions. 

I received my PhD in Psychiatry and Neuroimaging from the University of Edinburgh, where I worked on neurobiological markers of Glutamate and brain circuitries in individuals at high risk of schizophrenia. I undertook postdoctoral training at the McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), pursuing parallel translational stress research in post-traumatic stress disorder by combining behavioural and cognitive neuroscience. Then I advanced my interdisciplinary research in individuals with schizophrenia as the Project Lead of a nation-wide European Research Council – funded study in Ireland. I subsequently worked on neurobiological alterations that may be underlying youth suicidal thoughts and behaviours (University of Cambridge) and autism spectrum disorders (King’s College London).

BSc Psychology

MSc Cognitive Neurosciences and Psychology

PhD Psychiatry and Neuroimaging