HELENA RUTHERFORD, PH.D

Lab Director

I am interested in the perinatal origins of parenting and the neurobiological and psychological changes that occur during the transition to parenthood.

AMANDA LOWELL, PH.D 

Postdoctoral Fellow

I am currently studying the impact of substance use on mothers’ neural response to infant cues. Utilizing ERP methods, I am examining how mothers perceive and allocate attention to infants’ faces and cries, and how these processes differ as a function of substance use and addiction.

Eventually, these results will inform future studies where we can understand how mentalization-based treatment may shape neural and behavioral responses to infants in mothers with substance use disorders.

TAL YATZIV, PH.D

Postdoctoral Associate

​I am interested in the interplay between cognitive and affective processes in shaping early parenting and infants’ socioemotional development, with special focus on parental mentalizing and sensitive responsiveness. I employ reaction-time and accuracy-based cognitive measures, imaging approaches, and observation-based ecological methods (e.g., videotaped parent-infant interactions), to gain insights into how adaptive parenting unfolds in time, and how psychopathology may modulate this transition.

KIMBERLY STREATER

Research Coordinator

I work on recruiting, engaging, and screening pregnant and postpartum mothers in the New Haven community.

LUCY GAO, B.S

Medical Student Research Associate

I am interested in investigating the effects of various prenatal predictors, such as maternal-fetal attachment and prior parental relationships, on postpartum maternal-infant interactions using questionnaire measures and EEG.  Most recently, I am working on a project that examines the effects of infant cries on maternal heart rate in pregnancy.

SARAH PEOPLES, B.A

Masters Student

I am interested in the neural and behavioral differences between mothers and non-mothers in processing and responding to infant affective cues. I am also interested in associated psychophysiological differences that may further delineate the effect of motherhood on neurobiological functioning. 

MADISON BUNDERSON, B.S

Postgraduate Research Associate

I work on our Parents-to-be Study, which investigates neurological changes and the impact of individual differences in parents before the birth of their child, and our Tobacco-Smoking and Parenting Study, which explores the impact of tobacco use on parenting behavior. I also work behind the scenes for our Massage and Mindfulness Study and assist with the Yale Baby School collaborative project. 

Nick Manco, B.S

Postgraduate Research Associate

I am working on a clinical study that uses the hormone oxytocin to examine maternal brain changes through fMRI. I am also working on a study regarding the relationship between pregnancy stress and opioid use, as well as a study exploring the relationship between maternal mind-mindedness and parental reflective functioning through Adult Attachment Interviews.