People
Dr Jo Moss - Principal Investigator
Dr Jo Moss is a Lecturer at the University of Surrey. Her research is concerned with understanding the prevalence, profile and social-cognitive mechanisms associated with the development of autism and related characteristics in individuals with genetic syndromes.
Dr Katherine Ellis - Post-doctoral Researcher
Katherine oversees the day to day running of our Baily Thomas funded project, characterising social behaviours and socio-cognitive profiles in autistic children and children with Fragile X syndrome and Cornelia de Lange syndrome. She carried out her PhD at the Cerebra Centre for Neurodevelopmental Disorders at the University of Birmingham researching the development of social cognition and its influence on unique and contrasting socio-behavioural phenotypes across genetically defined disorders.
Ridhi Sahni - Honorary Research Assistant
Ridhi completed her BSc in Biomedical Science and MSc Psychology at the University of Surrey. She is currently working as a Trainee Psychological Wellbeing Practitioner in NHS IAPT, and will be supporting the work of the NDevR lab as an Honorary Research Assistant
Lauren Jenner - PhD Student
Lauren is a PhD student at the University of Surrey, using eye-tracking to investigate the profile of social-cognitive skills in Fragile X, Cornelia de Lange, Prader Willi and Down syndromes. Her research aims to advance understanding of the development of autism characteristics in these populations, and also to promote the use of accessible research methods for those with an intellectual disability. Her project forms part of a larger Network of research, funded by Cerebra, to improve clinical outcomes in children with genetic syndromes associated with intellectual disability.
Beth Jones - PhD Student
Beth is a PhD student in the Neurodevelopmental Research Research Lab at the University of Surrey. Her research aims to explore anxiety and anxious behaviours in young people and adults with Cornelia de Lange Syndrome (CdLS) and how this might be linked to other characteristics of the syndrome. The goal of this research will be to help guide better understanding of anxiety in CdLS and the association with autistic characteristics and help drive more appropriate assessments of anxiety.
Gloria Yoshkova - PhD Student
Gloria is a PhD student at the University of Surrey. Her research focuses on early motor development in children with Williams Syndrome (WS) and how motor deficits impact cognitive development. This research aims to determine the windows of motor milestone achievement for WS; to develop an App for parents and practitioners to monitor the motor development of children with WS; to better understand the motor impairments in WS; and to determine the impact of motor deficits on cognitive, social and language development. The findings of this research will have direct implications for families of children with WS and could also inform monitoring and interventions in other neurodevelopmental conditions presenting with motor deficits (e.g., Developmental Coordination Disorder, Autism Spectrum Disorder, Down Syndrome and others).
Gabby Leen - Trainee Clinical Psychologist
Gabby is a trainee clinical psychologist at the University of Surrey, completing her thesis within the Neurodevelopmental Research Lab. Gabby graduated from her BSc Psychology at the University of Birmingham in 2017. She spent a couple of years teaching early years and delivering play-based therapies in Australia. She then moved to London in 2019 and has worked in the NHS with infants and children with a range of neurological presentations and neurodevelopmental conditions. Her research is focused on investigating the cognitive, behavioural and emotional profiles of children with Bardet-Biedl Syndrome (BBS) in collaboration with Great Ormond Street Hospital.
Shelley Wilson - Research Assistant
Shelley completed her MSc in Psychology at the University of Surrey and is now working as a Research Assistant. In this role, Shelley aims to raise awareness and understanding of the complex needs of children with rare genetic syndromes associated with intellectual disability amongst educational practitioners. This will be achieved by the development of a bespoke online training module for specialist education practitioners that will be co-produced with parents and school practitioners.
Gillian Hughes - Research Assistant
Gillian received her MSc in psychology from University College London and is now working as a Research Assistant at University of Surrey. In this role, she is exploring the genetic and social cognitive mechanisms underlying autistic traits and mental health difficulties in women with the fragile X premutation (FxP). The study will raise awareness of the lived experiences of women with the fragile X premutation, including the challenges they might face, and ultimately aims to contribute to the improvement of clinical support for women with the FxP.
Lucy Deeprose - Undergraduate Dissertation Student
Lucy is an undergraduate Psychology student at the University of Surrey. She is currently in her final year and completing her dissertation. She worked in the Neurodevelopmental Research Lab as part of her placement year, as well as at the Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders clinic with Surrey and Borders Partnership NHS Foundation Trust.
Rachel Howard - Final Year Undergraduate Student
Rachel is in her final year of her undergraduate Psychology degree with the University of Surrey. Last year she undergone her Professional Training Year, working as a Research Associate for the Neurodevelopmental Research Lab. She is now working on her dissertation project with the lab, looking into social and spatial perspective-taking in Down syndrome.
Freya Morris – Undergraduate Placement Student
Freya is an undergraduate Psychology student at the University of Sussex. During her placement year she is working in the Neurodevelopmental Research Lab alongside the Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders clinic with the Surrey and Borders Partnership NHS Foundation Trust.
Abby Mccourt – Honorary Research Assistant
Abby is in her third year of her undergraduate Psychology degree at University of Surrey. Currently she is undergoing her Professional Training Year, working as a Honorary Research Assistant for the Neurodevelopmental Research Lab.
Holly Snellgrove – Undergraduate Placement Student
Holly is an undergraduate Psychology student at the University of Bath. During her placement year, she is working in the Neurodevelopmental Research Lab alongside the Cognition, Genes and Developmental Variability (CoGDev) Lab.