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 Assistant

Claudia Rodriguez-Sobstel



+ 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


  • Mahrunissa Rafique (2019-20)

  • Youli Kontogiannopoulou (2019-20)

  • Safi Johal-Ayub (2018-19)

  • Aoife O'Mahony (Maastricht University, 2017-18)

  • Nour Kayali (2017-18)

  • Alicia Mortimer (2015-16)

  • Gemma Lumsdale (2014-15)

  • Eda Ozturk (2014-15)

  • Unaiza Iqbal (2014-15)

  • Lana Jane Gill (2014-15)

  • Irene Trilla Gros (Maastricht University, 2013-14)

  • Nergis Yuksel (2013-14)

  • Christina Ioannou (2012-13)

  • Omer Linenberg (2012-13)

  • Natalie Kkeli^ (2011-12)

  • Laura Murphy** (2010-11)

  • Allen Chan* (2009-10)

  • Rumana Malik (2009-10)

  • Nicola Feltham (2009-10)




Visiting Researchers


  • Mari Angeles Martin Prados (University of Granada, 2019-20)

  • Prasannajeet Mane (Indian Institute of Technology, 2018-19)

  • Martina Fusaro (Sapienza University of Rome, 2017-18)

  • Pernille Kjeldsen (Aarhus University, 2017)

  • Amanda Candido Monteiro (Medicina Faminas Belo Horizonte, 2016)

  • Sana Alimohamed (Davidson College, 2016)

  • Charlotte Wiltshire (University of Bath, 2015)

  • Beatriz Freitas de Carvalho (Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Paraná, 2015)

  • Virginia Levrini (University of Cambridge, 2013)

  • Enzo Tomeo (University of Udine, 2011)

  • Loredana Canzano (Sapienza University of Rome, 2010-)

  • Stefania Cannella (Sapienza University of Rome, 2010)

  • Shenal Shah (Cardiff University, 2010)

  • Sydney Levine (Yale University, 2008)

  • Jorrit de Kieviet (Vrije Universitat Amsterdam, 2008)

  • Zania Szlachta (University of Cambridge, 2006-2007)



Undergraduate researchers


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