My research focuses on early development, from pregnancy until middle childhood, and in community and vulnerable populations. I have three main lines of research: 1) the influences of prenatal maternal stress and anxiety on child development; 2) the development of the Hypothalamic Pituitary Adrenal (HPA) axis (i.e. the most important stress system) in children, in … Continue reading Carolina de Weerth – Faculty

My research combines early human development and psychobiology, and focuses mostly on the relations between the prenatal and early postnatal caregiving environment and the development of infant regulatory capacities. I include multiple levels of regulation, i.e. the regulation of the HPA-axis with its end product cortisol, and the regulation of behavior and emotions. Next to … Continue reading Roseriet Beijers – Faculty

My research focuses on the development of sleep and arousal regulation in children and adolescents. In addition, I study the effects of sleep and chronotype on executive functions (training) in children and adolescents. My research interests focus on the relation between physical exercise, sleep and internalizing problems, during pregnancy. E-mail: s.pieters@psych.ru.nl

I’m investigating the relation between prenatal maternal stress and psychological development and health of the child in a longitudinal study. The physiological stress system and gut microbiota of the child will be studied as possible underlying and interrelated mechanisms in this relation. E-mail: m.zijlmans@psych.ru.nl

During my PhD project I studied parent-to-child bonding across the transition to parenthood in both mothers and fathers. Additionally, I studied associations between pre- and postnatal bonding, parenting stress, parenting self-efficacy, and child self-regulation skills (i.e., executive functioning and temperament). More broadly, my research focuses on the associations between the pre-and postnatal caregiving environment and … Continue reading Evi de Cock – Postdoc

My research focuses on contextual factors influencing cognitive, social, and emotional development in early childhood, including the parent-child relationship, the school environment, and early health and nutrition. I am also interested in how these early influences shape development throughout the lifespan and in taking scientific findings to scale in an affordable and sustainable manner through … Continue reading Bonnie Brett – Postdoc

My research interests are the typical and atypical development in early childhood, parental behavior, and the role of parents in children’s development. In my current PhD project, I study the transition to parenthood, and how parent characteristics, parental perceptions and coping with infant crying are related to infant health and sensitive caregiving behavior. E-mail: c.hechler@psych.ru.nl

My interest lies in the development of intestinal microbiota in childhood, and its role in maintaining health throughout life. During my PhD I will therefore focus on the infant microbiota in relation to physical and mental health in children. In a clinical trial I will investigate the relation between prenatal maternal stress and child health … Continue reading Pamela Browne – PhD student

In my current project, I study how proximity and close physical contact between mother and infant may facilitate psychological, behavioural, and biological aspects of child development and maternal wellbeing. I focus on sleeping, feeding and holding as important characteristics of proximity and physical contact. E-mail: k.cooijmans@psych.ru.nl

I am interested in the influence of nutrition and the gut microbiome on child health. During my PhD track, I will focus on nutrition, the composition of the gut microbiome and how that affects the behaviour of toddlers and children. In two cohorts, nutrition intake is assessed, and several biological samples (including stool samples) and … Continue reading Yvonne Willemsen – PhD student

I am interested in the biological embedding of early-life experiences. For my Major Research Project I am using the BIBO study to investigate the relationship between early environment and telomere length, a biomarker of accelerated aging. E-mail: d.dahn@student.ru.nl  

I am interested in examining the prenatal origins of long-term psychological and biological health conditions. Therefore, my Major Research Project focuses on the relationship between prenatal maternal stress and child health outcomes, as moderated by postnatal maternal sensitivity, within the BIBO study. E-mail: B.Natale@student.ru.nl