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Developmental Neuroscience Unit
The Anna Freud Centre-UCL Developmental Neuroscience Unit conducts cutting-edge research in developmental psychology, combining methods derived from social science with the latest technologies and methodologies from neuroscience. The Lab represents a scientific collaboration between AFC-UCL and Yale University’s Child Study Center, which is home to a sister laboratory equipped with identical facilities. The lab is led by Professor Pasco Fearon (AFC-UCL), Professor Peter Fonagy (AFC-UCL) and Professor Linda Mayes (AFC-Yale).
Our mission
Our overarching mission is to understand the fundamental mechanisms driving human emotional and cognitive development and how social and biological factors contribute to individual differences and risk for psychological disorder. The Unit focuses on two key phases of development—infancy and adolescence—because these represent periods of rapid change, both psychologically and biologically, and appear to be important windows during which development is most plastic, and risk of disorder, as well as the potential for positive adaptation, may be greatest.
Our equipment
The Unit is equipped with a state-of-the-art high density EEG system for measuring electrical brain responses in infants, children and adults. We also have sophisticated eye-tracking technology, facilities for habituation experiments with infants and observation rooms for studying children’s behavior and interactions.
Our research is currently funded by the Economic and Social Research Council, The Leverhulme Trust, The Waterloo Trust and the Hope for Depression Foundation.
People
Management Team
Pasco Fearon (Director)
Peter Fonagy
Linda Mayes
Research Fellows
Francesca Cormac
Yael Schmueli-Goetz
Mikolaj Hernik
Donna Bryce
Research Assistants and PhD Candidates
Sam Taylor-Colls
Lara Platten Brown
Alexander Desiatikov
Tobi Nolte
Alison Hughes
Eve Burrough
Jo Mollon
Harriet Mills
You Zhou
Virginia Nizzi
Our Studies
We are conducting a wide range of studies. Click the links below to read about some of them
Contact Us
If you are interested in joining the lab as a PhD student, volunteer or visiting fellow, please contact pasco.fearon@annafreud.org
