The Stress & Development Laboratory brings together a group of basic and clinical researchers under the leadership of Prof Andrea Danese, MD PhD. The Lab aims to understand how stressful experiences in childhood affect development and later health, and how to best support children who had such traumatic experiences.
Work in the Lab has the following strategic directions:
Consequences of traumatic stress exposure
What are the consequences of traumatic stress exposure in childhood? Child trauma has been associated with a variety of effects on health, wealth, and crime. However, evidence of association does not necessarily imply causation. Establishing causal links between child traumatic stress and later outcomes is challenging because of the likely latency of effects and several potential artefacts (e.g., selection, confounding, and recall biases). Work in the Lab strengthens causal inference through cumulative evidence from longitudinal-prospective studies, meta-analyses, and animal models. This work helps define clear targets for clinical and public health interventions.
Biological embedding of stress
How is psychosocial stress translated into biological risk for disease? How does early life stress get “under the skin” and affect health? Work in the Lab tests neurobiological, endocrine and immune pathways that mediate the effects of stress on heath. Furthermore, we are interested in developing and applying innovative analytical methods to study stress biology in young people. Insights into the mechanisms of biological embedding of stress highlight potential targets for secondary prevention and treatment strategies for stress-related conditions.
Resilience, reversibility, and treatment
How can we help young people who have experienced traumatic stress? Work in the Lab is addressing this question is several ways. We look for modifiable characteristics of the individual that affect resilience or vulnerability to disease in the face of trauma exposure. We ask if currently available treatments modify the biological liability linked to trauma exposure, in order to prevent the onset or the persistence of disease. We explore if it is possible to prevent disease onset or progression by directly targeting the biological liability linked to trauma exposure.
Our research builds on collaborations with epidemiological studies, such as the Dunedin Multidisciplinary Health & Development Study and the Environmental Risk (E-Risk) Longitudinal Twin Study, and with the National & Specialist Clinic for Child Traumatic Stress and Anxiety Disorders at the Maudsley Hospital.
Our research has contributed to setting research directions on child traumatic stress and have informed government thinking on social care and public health policies to tackle child maltreatment.
Publications
Awards
2019: American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry (AACAP) Senior Researcher Award
2016: American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry (AACAP) Senior Researcher Award
2015: Society for Research in Child Development (SRCD) Early Career Research Contribution Award
2013: NARSAD Kerman Award for Outstanding Clinical Research (Honourable Mention)
2010: Denis Hill Prize for Best Junior Medical Faculty at the Institute of Psychiatry, KCL
2010: Royal Society of Medicine Mental Health Foundation Research
2009: International Society for Developmental Origins of Health and Disease (DOHaD), Young Investigator Award
2009: National Alliance for Research on Schizophrenia and Depression (NARSAD), Young Investigator Award
2008: PsychoNeuroImmunology Research Society (PNIRS) Scholar Award
2008: British Association for Psychopharmacology Travel Award
2007: British Association for Psychopharmacology Travel Bursary
2004: Brain Travel Award
Press coverage
New Scientist, How to protect your mental health in the time of coronavirus, 22 April 2020
New Scientist, 7 mental health expert tips on how to cope with the covid-19 pandemic, 22 April 2020
Mirror, Dr Miriam Stoppard: PTSD is a big problem in teens - and universities need to act on it, 20 May 2019
ACAMH, In conversation… Professor Andrea Danese discusses Trauma, 28 March 2019
Medical Research Council, Building momentum in mental health research, 27 February 2019
The Independent, Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) affects 1 in 13 people in the UK before the age of 18 - new study, 25 February 2019
Cambridge Network, MRC-funded research reveals extent of trauma and PTSD in young people, 25 February 2019
PharmaTimes, Research finds PTSD affects 8% of under 18s, 25 February 2019
BBC News/BBC Newsroom Live, interview with Professor Andrea Danese (broadcast), 22 February 2019
BBC News, interview with Dr Steph Lewis (broadcast), 22 February 2019
BBC News/BBC News at Nine (broadcast), 22 February 2019
BBC News/Victoria Derbyshire (broadcast), 22 February 2019
BBC World Service, Interview with Dr Steph Lewis (broadcast), 22 February 2019
BBC Radio 4 (broadcast), BBC Radio 4 (2) (broadcast), 22 February 2019
BBC Radio 4/ Woman’s Hour (broadcast), 22 February 2019
BBC Radio 3 (broadcast), 22 February 2019
BBC Radio 5 Live (broadcast), BBC Radio 5 Live (2) (broadcast), BBC Radio 5 Live (3) (broadcast), 22 February 2019
LBC Radio (broadcast), LBC Radio / LBC News 1152 (broadcast), 22 February 2019
The Independent, Most young people suffering PTSD failing to get the support they need, research finds, 22 February 2019
BBC News, PTSD affects 'one in 13 by age of 18', 22 February 2019
The Telegraph, Tens of thousands of UK children have PTSD due to bullying and violence, Lancet study finds, 22 February 2019
News Medical, One in 13 children affected by PTSD, according to landmark study, 22 February 2019
Business Insider Nordic, 8% of children experience PTSD by the time they reach 18, according to a new study, 22 February 2019
BBC 1/BBC News, interview with Prof Andrea Danese (broadcast), 21 February 2019
BBC 1/ BBC Breakfast (broadcast), 21 February 2019
The Guardian, One in 13 teenagers has experienced PTSD, research finds, 21 February 2019
Press Association (via Yahoo News), PTSD ‘affects one in 13 young people in UK´, 21 February 2019
Mail Online, PTSD `affects one in 13 young people in UK´, 21 February 2019
Mail Online, Children as young as TWELVE are attempting suicide after shock study finds one in 13 youngsters develop PTSD following traumatic events such as assault or sexual violation, 21 February 2019
Express and Star, PTSD ‘affects one in 13 young people in UK’, 21 February 2019
The Sun, One in 13 teenagers suffer PTSD, experts warn – the signs to watch for in your child, 21 February 2019
Belfast Telegraph, PTSD ‘affects one in 13 young people in UK’, 21 February 2019
Medical Research Council, MRC-funded research reveals extent of trauma and PTSD in young people, 21 February 2019
Mental Health Today, PTSD prevalence research fails to recognise the scope of post-traumatic reactions, 21 February 2019
Medical Xpress, Troubling extent of trauma and PTSD in British young people revealed, 21 February 2019
Wired, Wearables could help diagnose disorders in children earlier, 18 January 2019
BBC News, Teenage victims 'more likely to self-harm', 12 December 2018
The Express, Thai cave rescue update: The boys head home - how will they cope back in normality? 18 July 2018
Al Jazeera, Thai cave rescue ends after last four boys and coach are saved, 11 July 2018
Le Vif, Thaïlande: vers un difficile retour à la normale pour les rescapés de la grotte, 11 July 2019
BBC News (broadcast). BBC World Service (broadcast), FIVE (broadcast), CBC News Network (broadcast), AP TV (broadcast), 10 July 2018
Mail Online, Rescued Thai boys may be at risk of 'cave disease', warns expert, 10 July 2018
Victoria Derbyshire, BBC2 (broadcast), CTV News (broadcast), 9 July 2018
The Independent, Thailand cave rescue: How will being trapped underground affect boys' health? 9 July 2018
The Express, Thailand cave rescue: Thai boys will be left with ‘mental health conditions’ after rescue, 9 July 2018
CNN, Parents of trapped Thai boys haven't been told if their children were rescued, 9 July 2018
Mail Online, 'Hooyah': Navy SEALs celebrate successful rescue of eight Thai cave boys after elite divers pulled them through flood water - leaving just four children and their coach trapped for another night, 9 July 2018
Mail Online, Rescued Thai cave boys face a lifetime of trauma from their ordeal as traumatic memories could trigger fear of swimming, the dark or enclosed spaces, 9 July 2018
BBC News, Thai cave rescue: The psychological effects of being trapped, 8 July 2018
The Guardian, Four boys taken to hospital; operation to resume later – as it happened, 8 July 2018
Mail Online, Alive! Four Thai boys who made it out of cave in daring rescue are identified as their eight teammates and coach spend another night underground, 8 July 2018
Al Jazeera, Thailand holds its breath as workers rescue boys from a cave, broadcast, broadcast, 8 July 2018
Association for Child and Adolescent Mental Health. The impacts of childhood adversity and bullying (with Professor Louise Arseneault), 23 May 2018
The Sun, In the aftermath of Manchester bomb attack experts warn ‘one in three survivors are at risk of PTSD’, 24 May 2017
Mail Online, How to talk to your child about terrorist attacks, 24 May 2017
BT News, How to talk to your kids about the Manchester attacks, according to psychiatrists, 23 May 2017
The Irish Times, How childhood trauma can make you sick years later, 27 April 2017
Antena3, Los niños que sufren algún tipo de maltrato son más propensos a la obesidad, 2 February 2017
Nine, Being bullied as a kid makes you twice as likely to be an overweight adult, 2016
Medical Daily, Bipolar Patients Abused as Children Have Worse Symptoms, Are More Likely To Attempt Suicide, 10 February 2016
Psychosomatic Medicine Behind the Article, Mechanisms Linking Early-Life Adversity to Physical Health, November/December 2016
Biological embedding of stress through inflammation in children. Fourth Annual Conference on Child Protection and Well-Being: New frontiers in the biology of stress and opportunities for translation, resilience and reversibility, Penn State University, State College, PA, 30 September 2015
BBC News, Ageing rates vary widely, says study, 7 July 2015
The Guardian, Bullied children more likely to suffer from adult obesity and heart attacks, 20 May 2015
ABC Science, Bullied kids have higher risk of adult obesity and heart disease, 20 May 2015
King’s College London/Brainwaves, Childhood bullying - new study examines long-term risk for cardiovascular disease (with Professor Louise Arseneault), 10 May 2015
The Guardian, Bullied teenagers increasingly want to have cosmetic surgery, says survey, 16 April 2015
Scientific American Mind, Can Infection Give You the Blues? 9 April 2015
The Independent, Parents' Income Could Indirectly Affect Structure and Growth Of A Child's Brain, Us Study Claims, 30 March 2015
The Telegraph, Loving foster homes repaired brain damage of Romanian orphans, 26 January 2015
Science, Childhood neglect erodes the brain, 26 January 2015
London Live, 13% of 16 to 25-year-olds too anxious too leave the house in London (broadcast), 16 January 2015
The Verge, Being a bully may be good for your health, study finds, 12 May 2014
The Telegraph, Smacking children may increase risk of them developing cancer, 12 November 2012
Business Wire, NARSAD Grantees Discover that a History of Child Abuse and Maternal Separation Are Risk Factors for Mental Illness, 22 February 2012
The Telegraph, Supportive mothers could boost children's brain power, 31 January 2012
US News, Abuse, Neglect in Childhood Linked to Depression in Adulthood, 22 August 2011
BBC News, Infant stress in monkeys has life-long consequences, 18 August 2011
BMJ News, Childhood maltreatment is linked to recurrent depression, 16 August 2011
CBS News, Is childhood abuse behind tough-to-treat depression? 15 August 2011
Mail Online, Childhood abuse victims 'twice as likely' to suffer from lifetime of depression, 15 August 2011
Channel 4 News, Depression link to childhood abuse, 15 August 2011
Fox News, Study Links Persistent Depression to Childhood Abuse, 15 August 2011
BBC News, Childhood stress leads to adult ill health, studies say, 15 August 2010
US News, Hardship in Childhood May Affect Long-Term Health, 13 December 2009
The New Zealand Herald, Happy kids become healthy adults - study, 10 December 2009
Science News, Child abuse heralds adult inflammation, 30 January 2007
New Scientist, Why childhood abuse harms health as adult, 15 January 2007
Publications
Awards
2019: American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry (AACAP) Senior Researcher Award
2016: American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry (AACAP) Senior Researcher Award
2015: Society for Research in Child Development (SRCD) Early Career Research Contribution Award
2013: NARSAD Kerman Award for Outstanding Clinical Research (Honourable Mention)
2010: Denis Hill Prize for Best Junior Medical Faculty at the Institute of Psychiatry, KCL
2010: Royal Society of Medicine Mental Health Foundation Research
2009: International Society for Developmental Origins of Health and Disease (DOHaD), Young Investigator Award
2009: National Alliance for Research on Schizophrenia and Depression (NARSAD), Young Investigator Award
2008: PsychoNeuroImmunology Research Society (PNIRS) Scholar Award
2008: British Association for Psychopharmacology Travel Award
2007: British Association for Psychopharmacology Travel Bursary
2004: Brain Travel Award
Press coverage
New Scientist, How to protect your mental health in the time of coronavirus, 22 April 2020
New Scientist, 7 mental health expert tips on how to cope with the covid-19 pandemic, 22 April 2020
Mirror, Dr Miriam Stoppard: PTSD is a big problem in teens - and universities need to act on it, 20 May 2019
ACAMH, In conversation… Professor Andrea Danese discusses Trauma, 28 March 2019
Medical Research Council, Building momentum in mental health research, 27 February 2019
The Independent, Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) affects 1 in 13 people in the UK before the age of 18 - new study, 25 February 2019
Cambridge Network, MRC-funded research reveals extent of trauma and PTSD in young people, 25 February 2019
PharmaTimes, Research finds PTSD affects 8% of under 18s, 25 February 2019
BBC News/BBC Newsroom Live, interview with Professor Andrea Danese (broadcast), 22 February 2019
BBC News, interview with Dr Steph Lewis (broadcast), 22 February 2019
BBC News/BBC News at Nine (broadcast), 22 February 2019
BBC News/Victoria Derbyshire (broadcast), 22 February 2019
BBC World Service, Interview with Dr Steph Lewis (broadcast), 22 February 2019
BBC Radio 4 (broadcast), BBC Radio 4 (2) (broadcast), 22 February 2019
BBC Radio 4/ Woman’s Hour (broadcast), 22 February 2019
BBC Radio 3 (broadcast), 22 February 2019
BBC Radio 5 Live (broadcast), BBC Radio 5 Live (2) (broadcast), BBC Radio 5 Live (3) (broadcast), 22 February 2019
LBC Radio (broadcast), LBC Radio / LBC News 1152 (broadcast), 22 February 2019
The Independent, Most young people suffering PTSD failing to get the support they need, research finds, 22 February 2019
BBC News, PTSD affects 'one in 13 by age of 18', 22 February 2019
The Telegraph, Tens of thousands of UK children have PTSD due to bullying and violence, Lancet study finds, 22 February 2019
News Medical, One in 13 children affected by PTSD, according to landmark study, 22 February 2019
Business Insider Nordic, 8% of children experience PTSD by the time they reach 18, according to a new study, 22 February 2019
BBC 1/BBC News, interview with Prof Andrea Danese (broadcast), 21 February 2019
BBC 1/ BBC Breakfast (broadcast), 21 February 2019
The Guardian, One in 13 teenagers has experienced PTSD, research finds, 21 February 2019
Press Association (via Yahoo News), PTSD ‘affects one in 13 young people in UK´, 21 February 2019
Mail Online, PTSD `affects one in 13 young people in UK´, 21 February 2019
Mail Online, Children as young as TWELVE are attempting suicide after shock study finds one in 13 youngsters develop PTSD following traumatic events such as assault or sexual violation, 21 February 2019
Express and Star, PTSD ‘affects one in 13 young people in UK’, 21 February 2019
The Sun, One in 13 teenagers suffer PTSD, experts warn – the signs to watch for in your child, 21 February 2019
Belfast Telegraph, PTSD ‘affects one in 13 young people in UK’, 21 February 2019
Medical Research Council, MRC-funded research reveals extent of trauma and PTSD in young people, 21 February 2019
Mental Health Today, PTSD prevalence research fails to recognise the scope of post-traumatic reactions, 21 February 2019
Medical Xpress, Troubling extent of trauma and PTSD in British young people revealed, 21 February 2019
Wired, Wearables could help diagnose disorders in children earlier, 18 January 2019
BBC News, Teenage victims 'more likely to self-harm', 12 December 2018
The Express, Thai cave rescue update: The boys head home - how will they cope back in normality? 18 July 2018
Al Jazeera, Thai cave rescue ends after last four boys and coach are saved, 11 July 2018
Le Vif, Thaïlande: vers un difficile retour à la normale pour les rescapés de la grotte, 11 July 2019
BBC News (broadcast). BBC World Service (broadcast), FIVE (broadcast), CBC News Network (broadcast), AP TV (broadcast), 10 July 2018
Mail Online, Rescued Thai boys may be at risk of 'cave disease', warns expert, 10 July 2018
Victoria Derbyshire, BBC2 (broadcast), CTV News (broadcast), 9 July 2018
The Independent, Thailand cave rescue: How will being trapped underground affect boys' health? 9 July 2018
The Express, Thailand cave rescue: Thai boys will be left with ‘mental health conditions’ after rescue, 9 July 2018
CNN, Parents of trapped Thai boys haven't been told if their children were rescued, 9 July 2018
Mail Online, 'Hooyah': Navy SEALs celebrate successful rescue of eight Thai cave boys after elite divers pulled them through flood water - leaving just four children and their coach trapped for another night, 9 July 2018
Mail Online, Rescued Thai cave boys face a lifetime of trauma from their ordeal as traumatic memories could trigger fear of swimming, the dark or enclosed spaces, 9 July 2018
BBC News, Thai cave rescue: The psychological effects of being trapped, 8 July 2018
The Guardian, Four boys taken to hospital; operation to resume later – as it happened, 8 July 2018
Mail Online, Alive! Four Thai boys who made it out of cave in daring rescue are identified as their eight teammates and coach spend another night underground, 8 July 2018
Al Jazeera, Thailand holds its breath as workers rescue boys from a cave, broadcast, broadcast, 8 July 2018
Association for Child and Adolescent Mental Health. The impacts of childhood adversity and bullying (with Professor Louise Arseneault), 23 May 2018
The Sun, In the aftermath of Manchester bomb attack experts warn ‘one in three survivors are at risk of PTSD’, 24 May 2017
Mail Online, How to talk to your child about terrorist attacks, 24 May 2017
BT News, How to talk to your kids about the Manchester attacks, according to psychiatrists, 23 May 2017
The Irish Times, How childhood trauma can make you sick years later, 27 April 2017
Antena3, Los niños que sufren algún tipo de maltrato son más propensos a la obesidad, 2 February 2017
Nine, Being bullied as a kid makes you twice as likely to be an overweight adult, 2016
Medical Daily, Bipolar Patients Abused as Children Have Worse Symptoms, Are More Likely To Attempt Suicide, 10 February 2016
Psychosomatic Medicine Behind the Article, Mechanisms Linking Early-Life Adversity to Physical Health, November/December 2016
Biological embedding of stress through inflammation in children. Fourth Annual Conference on Child Protection and Well-Being: New frontiers in the biology of stress and opportunities for translation, resilience and reversibility, Penn State University, State College, PA, 30 September 2015
BBC News, Ageing rates vary widely, says study, 7 July 2015
The Guardian, Bullied children more likely to suffer from adult obesity and heart attacks, 20 May 2015
ABC Science, Bullied kids have higher risk of adult obesity and heart disease, 20 May 2015
King’s College London/Brainwaves, Childhood bullying - new study examines long-term risk for cardiovascular disease (with Professor Louise Arseneault), 10 May 2015
The Guardian, Bullied teenagers increasingly want to have cosmetic surgery, says survey, 16 April 2015
Scientific American Mind, Can Infection Give You the Blues? 9 April 2015
The Independent, Parents' Income Could Indirectly Affect Structure and Growth Of A Child's Brain, Us Study Claims, 30 March 2015
The Telegraph, Loving foster homes repaired brain damage of Romanian orphans, 26 January 2015
Science, Childhood neglect erodes the brain, 26 January 2015
London Live, 13% of 16 to 25-year-olds too anxious too leave the house in London (broadcast), 16 January 2015
The Verge, Being a bully may be good for your health, study finds, 12 May 2014
The Telegraph, Smacking children may increase risk of them developing cancer, 12 November 2012
Business Wire, NARSAD Grantees Discover that a History of Child Abuse and Maternal Separation Are Risk Factors for Mental Illness, 22 February 2012
The Telegraph, Supportive mothers could boost children's brain power, 31 January 2012
US News, Abuse, Neglect in Childhood Linked to Depression in Adulthood, 22 August 2011
BBC News, Infant stress in monkeys has life-long consequences, 18 August 2011
BMJ News, Childhood maltreatment is linked to recurrent depression, 16 August 2011
CBS News, Is childhood abuse behind tough-to-treat depression? 15 August 2011
Mail Online, Childhood abuse victims 'twice as likely' to suffer from lifetime of depression, 15 August 2011
Channel 4 News, Depression link to childhood abuse, 15 August 2011
Fox News, Study Links Persistent Depression to Childhood Abuse, 15 August 2011
BBC News, Childhood stress leads to adult ill health, studies say, 15 August 2010
US News, Hardship in Childhood May Affect Long-Term Health, 13 December 2009
The New Zealand Herald, Happy kids become healthy adults - study, 10 December 2009
Science News, Child abuse heralds adult inflammation, 30 January 2007
New Scientist, Why childhood abuse harms health as adult, 15 January 2007