Angelica Ronald

Angelica Ronald is a Professor of Psychology and Genetics at Birkbeck, University of London, co-directing the Genes Environment Lifespan (GEL) laboratory and the BRIDGE wet lab. She holds a PhD in Quantitative Genetics from King’s College London and a BA in Experimental Psychology from the University of Oxford. Her research focuses on genetic and environmental causes of neurodevelopmental and mental health issues in children and adolescents, particularly autism, ADHD, and psychosis. She has pioneered studies on genetic overlap between neurodevelopmental disorders and led large-scale initiatives like the Babytwins study. Her work includes over 130 publications and awards like the Janet Taylor Spence Award and Spearman Medal. She co-founded the London Genetics Network, fostering collaboration in genetic research.

Her research has revealed high genetic overlap between autism and ADHD and conducted the first genome-wide association study of psychotic experiences in adolescence. Key areas include meta-analyses of cohorts like TEDS, ALSPAC, and CATSS, and investigations into developmental milestones and genetic liability. She explores how nonshared environmental factors influence behavioral problems across ages and examines the role of polygenic risk scores in mental health outcomes. Her work bridges translational genetics and clinical psychiatry.

Honors include APS Fellowship and leadership in the Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry. Her lab focuses on prenatal and infant development, using twin studies to disentangle genetic vs. environmental influences. Current initiatives include the Babytwins study assessing neurocognitive development in infant twins and exploring early biomarkers of developmental disorders.