Divyangana Rakesh

Dr. Divyangana Rakesh is a Lecturer in Neuroscience and Psychology at King's College London's Department of Neuroimaging, part of the Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience. Her research focuses on how socioeconomic status (SES) and environmental adversity impact brain development and mental health in children and adolescents, emphasizing resilience mechanisms. She holds a PhD from the University of Melbourne and an MBA from Mudra Institute of Communication (MICA), with postdoctoral training at Harvard University.

• Education:
  • PhD in Neuroscience, University of Melbourne
  • Masters of Research in Neuroscience, University of Bordeaux
  • MBA, Mudra Institute of Communication
  • BSc (Hons) Biochemistry, University of Delhi

Her work bridges developmental cognitive neuroscience with clinical applications, examining SES-driven disparities in brain structure/function and academic outcomes. Key research areas include:

• Neurobiological effects of low SES on cognitive development
• Environmental mediators of pubertal/brain development
• Mental health resilience pathways

Recent grants include MRC NIRG (2025-2027) and BBRF Young Investigator funding for projects on SES-puberty-brain-psychopathology links.

Awards:

• MRC New Investigator Research Grant (2025)
• BBRF Young Investigator Grant (2025)
• Mendelsohn Neuroscience Thesis Prize (2023)

Current projects investigate:

• SES-driven brain development trajectories
• Greenspace exposure and mental health
• Polygenic risk for schizophrenia and brain morphology

Collaborations include Harvard University, University of Melbourne, and the ENIGMA consortium. Her lab integrates neuroimaging with longitudinal cohort studies to identify intervention targets for disadvantaged youth.