We are excited to officially welcome Dr. Lauren Jenner as she begins her first day in the lab as our inaugural LivJoy Postdoctoral Fellow.

Lauren completed her Ph.D. at the University of Surrey, UK (as part of the Cerebra Network), under the supervision of Dr. Joanna Moss and Prof. Emily Farran. Her research focused on social cognition and autism in genetic syndromes, particularly among children and adolescents with Down syndrome and Prader-Willi syndrome. After her Ph.D., Lauren continued her work with Dr. Moss as a research associate, where she contributed to a project studying the social-emotional well-being of women with the fragile X premutation. She also worked on an impact project that provides education practitioners with online training to support the distinct needs of children with genetic syndromes at school. Lauren’s research interests are currently centered on raising awareness and understanding of autism and related conditions in populations with intellectual disabilities and/or genetic conditions. She advocates for the inclusion of these often marginalised and overlooked groups in research, promoting the use of more accessible and sensitive methods (e.g., eye-tracking technology). Her overarching goal is to contribute to a broader understanding of neurodivergence that embraces and supports all people.

While we have previously introduced her to the team, we are now thrilled to have her in the lab and see all the innovative contributions she will make during her fellowship. Welcome to the lab, Lauren!