Mental health disorders are currently on the rise, especially among children and young people. A significant risk factor for mental health challenges, such as depression and anxiety, is early life stress or trauma. Early life stress impacts brain function, leaving behind molecular ‘scars’ that can persist across the lifespan and, in turn, can shape our mental health trajectories. Likewise, early life stress may increase the risk of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and is often associated with the co-occurrence of ASD with depression and anxiety.

In our lab, we integrate different levels of analysis to study how stress —both in early life and adulthood— affects brain development and function. We utilize cutting-edge molecular tools and sophisticated neural recordings from behaving animals to explore these effects.

Our goal is to uncover what makes some individuals more vulnerable and find ways to promote resilience following stress exposure.