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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