Damien Fair

Prof. Damien Fair serves as a Professor in the Institute of Child Development, Department of Pediatrics, and University of Minnesota Medical School. He holds the Redleaf Endowed Director position at the Masonic Institute for the Developing Brain. His research focuses on neurodevelopmental mechanisms using advanced neuroimaging techniques, particularly functional MRI and resting-state connectivity analyses in both typical and atypical populations. Key interests include autism spectrum disorder, ADHD, cognitive development, and early adversity impacts.

• PhD: Neuroscience, Washington University in St. Louis (2008)
• BA: Biology & Chemistry, Augustana College (1998)

Research emphasizes translational studies of neuropsychiatric disorders, leveraging neuroimaging to identify diagnostic and therapeutic biomarkers. His work spans developmental trajectories in nonhuman primates, maternal influences on brain development, and neuroinflammatory pathways. Collaborations with large consortia like ENIGMA advance cross-disorder neuroanatomical and genetic analyses.

Publications highlight methodological innovations in fMRI artifact correction and functional connectivity analysis. His lab explores brain-behavior relationships in youth, with a focus on executive function and working memory. Ongoing studies investigate prenatal and early-life environmental factors shaping neurodevelopmental outcomes.

Labs: Developmental Cognition and Neuroimaging Lab; Masonic Institute for the Developing Brain.