Michelle De Haan

Michelle De Haan is Professor in Infant and Child Development at the University College London (UCL) Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, where she leads the Cognitive Neuroscience and Neuropsychiatry group. She also serves as Director of UCL's MSc in Infancy and Early Childhood Development and is Editor in Chief of the journal Developmental Science.

Her academic journey began with a PhD in Child Psychology and Neuroscience from the University of Minnesota in 1996, following a BA from McMaster University. Since joining UCL, she has progressed through the academic ranks from Lecturer (1999) to Professor (2018).

Professor de Haan's research focuses on the neural underpinnings of cognitive and social development in infants and children, with particular emphasis on understanding typical and atypical development. Her work employs neuroimaging and neuropsychological methods to examine brain-behavior relationships in various conditions including infant-onset epilepsy, sickle-cell disease, congenital visual impairment, and preterm birth. She conducts research both in the UK and internationally, including collaborations in Kenya and The Gambia.

Her recent publications reveal a strong focus on developing innovative assessment tools, particularly tablet-based measures for early cognitive screening, and investigating neural markers of cognitive development across diverse populations. Her work bridges basic neuroscience with clinical applications, aiming to identify early markers of risk and develop interventions for children with developmental challenges.

• Distinguished International Alumni Award (2012, University of Minnesota)
• Editor in Chief of Developmental Science (since 2012)

Professor de Haan is actively involved in mentoring the next generation of researchers, having supervised numerous PhD students who have gone on to academic positions and research careers. She also collaborates extensively with clinical teams at Great Ormond Street Hospital, ensuring her research has direct relevance to clinical practice. Her work extends to public engagement through media appearances and educational initiatives like Wondermind, an online game developed with the Tate Gallery to teach children about neuroscience.

She leads the London Babylab, which provides opportunities for parents and children to participate in research on early development, located within the Developmental Neuroscience Programme at UCL GOS Institute of Child Health.