People

Flags of home countries of current and former members of the lab (and a source of colour in this otherwise list-heavy page).

Current Members


Postdoctoral Researchers

Andrea Monteagudo (2020-)

Elin Williams (2020-)

Nicholas Thompson (2019-)


Doctoral Researchers

June Kang (2020- )

Valentina Fanti (2020-)

Simon Brett*  (2018-)                                                                        Predictive coding and social reward processing in autism 

Cansu Ogulmus+ (2019-)

Motivation and decision-making    

Research Assistants

Claudia Rodriguez-Sobstel

Jack Newcomb



+ co-supervised with Prof Kou Murayama, University of Tuebingen

* co-tutelle PhD student with Prof Liz Pellicano, Macquarie University

Lab photograph, 2017: Behind our department building in the University of Reading campus (Photographer: Laurence Pilon)

Former Members


Postdoctoral Researchers

Nicholas Hedger (2017-2022) (currently at University of Reading)

Carolyn McNabb (2021-22) (currently at Cardiff University)

Indu Dubey (2017-19) (currently at University of Nottingham)

Anthony Haffey (2014-18) (currently at University of Reading)

Chun-Ting Hsu (2015-16) (currently at Riken Institute, Japan)

Christopher P. Taylor (2013-15) (currently at New England College of Optometry, Boston)

Janina Neufeld (2012-14) (currently at Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm)

Maria Serena Panasiti (2011-12) (currently at Sapienza University, Rome)


PhD/ MD

Varun Arunachalam Chandran (2017-2021)                                             Brain structural endophenotypes for autism

Tim Rossow^ (2018-2022)                                                                             Sensory Processing and Mental Health

Kristian Tempelmans Plat  (2016-2020)                                               Reward and Cognitive Empathy

Nicholas Thompson (2015-2019)                                                           Empathy and emotion regulation

Keren Maclennan^ (2018-2021)                                                                  Sensory Processing in Autism

Samantha Pearcey § (2015-2019)                                                       Anxiety and social communication in children

Anya Chakraborty (2012-16)                                                                    Individual differences in self processing

Varun Warrier ** (2014-18)                                                           Genetics of Autism

Holly Bonaiuto ^^ (2013-17)                                                                     Social communication in early development

Alokananda Rudra (2011-15)                                               Characterising diagnostic & screening tools for Autism in India

Anthony Haffey (2010-14)                                                                    Social and nonsocial reward processing 

Garret O'Connell (2010-14)                                                                     Individual differences in empathy and motivation

Stephanie Mok** (2009-14)                                                                                          Social fear learning in Autism and animal models

Thomas Sims (2009-13)                                                                         Reward and empathy

Teresa Tavassoli** (2007-11)                                                                 Sensory perception in Autism Spectrum Conditions

Stefanie Sussenbachers (2009-11)                                                      Genetic interactions in Asperger Syndrome

Michael Lombardo** (2006-10)                                                               Self processing in Autism Spectrum Conditions


Postgraduate and Undergraduate Researchers 

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MSc/MPhil 





Visiting Researchers/Research Assistants




Undergraduate researchers


Mia Andreyeva

Samara Materna

Sarah O'Brien

Nicole Allen  

Clare Thorley  

Eleanor Hambly   

Sharena Thind 

Stephanie Lewis  

Rebecca Upson  

Laura Bonsor  

Carrie Philp       

Sarah Loveridge  

Lillian Gerber  

Annie Murphy  

Saba Muneer 

James Samuels  

Kirsty Read  

Omer Linenberg  

Hannah Brien 

Oliver Perkins  

Charlie Marriott  

Ilias Mavropoulos  

Lauren Sayers 

Natalie Kkeli  

Katie Stockdale  

Rosie Smallman 

Zahira Gulam 

Violetta Mandreka  

Siamac Rezaiezadeh  

Sarah Roberts       

Eleanor Royle  

Kara Dennis  

Charlotte Whiteford  

Pete Marshall     

Bethan Roderick  

George Holland  

Jessica Neal-Reidy             

Esther Olaniyi  

Lauren Weaver  

Michael Jeanne Cagiut                     

Hristina Lazarova Mihaylova  

Georgia Eleftheria-Antoniou               

Jordan Fearon-Brown  

Sylvia Edwards  

Puneet Bhachu             

Vaisnavi Rao  

Ellie Rossi  

Mary Gammie  

Paula Katharina Hager 

Nadine Loefflad 

Shivani Arora  

Christina Chan  

Zaneta Filipczak 

Jemima Holloway  

Rose Narey  

Rosie Howard  

Eleanor Lounds  

Kelsey Britton  

Georgia Matthews  

Gemma Bullard  

Rosie Harrison  

Adam Kremis  

Jessica Rennie  

Chloe Rock  

Daisy O'Connor







^ co-supervised with Dr Teresa Tavassoli, University of Reading                             

§ co-supervised with Prof. Cathy Creswell, University of Oxford

^^ co-supervised with Prof. Lynne Murray, University of Reading

** co-supervised with Prof. Simon Baron-Cohen, University of Cambridge