![Northwestern University](jpg/banner_nu.jpg)
Northwestern University
ABOUT US
The HBCD team at Northwestern University has over two decades of experience conducting research with infants, children, pregnant people, and families with varied lived experience. Our team’s approach to research is “families first!” Our goal is for our study families to always have a meaningful, comfortable, and enjoyable experience. Each time a family comes to an HBCD Study visit, we hope they will “learn right along with us” about what makes their child unique and how their development is progressing. Our child development offices on Michigan Avenue are designed specifically for families and young children. Our family lounge is filled with books and toys and has a view of the lake! We also have a lactation/wellness room, play areas, and comfortable and bright rooms where families complete the different parts of the HBCD Study. We love to learn about children’s development and are experts in studying how multiple influences affect the unique development of each child-including their brain, their behavior, the contexts in which they live, and the things that matter to their family.
![Northwestern HBCD Team](jpg/1-northwestern-hbcd-staff.jpg)
We have a large and diverse team. Our HBCD team leaders are Dr. Laurie Wakschlag (developmental clinical psychologist) and Dr. Elizabeth Norton (developmental cognitive neuroscientist) together with Dr. Renee Edwards, (social work researcher) who is the scientific project director. Our research team comes from diverse backgrounds, experiences, communities, and areas of expertise, too. It includes scientific experts of many stripes, including experts in ethics, community engagement, family environment, the experience of pregnancy and how it influences children’s development, as well as the role of brain and behavioral development on how children learn, play, deal with challenges, and engage with their social world. Northwestern HBCD is excited to welcome you to become part of our HBCD family!
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LOCATIONS
Developmental Mechanisms Program
625 N. Michigan Ave, Suite 2400, Chicago, IL 60611, Google Map
INVESTIGATORS
![Elizabeth Norton](png/untitled-design-copy-14-1.png)
Elizabeth Norton, PhD
Principal Investigator
![Lauren Wakschlag](png/untitled-design-copy-30.png)
Lauren Wakschlag, PhD
Principal Investigator
![Nev Badreldin](jpg/nev-badreldin_md-ms_co-investigator.jpg)
Nev Badreldin, MD, MS
Co-Investigator
![Matthew Davis](jpg/matthew-davis_md-mapp_co-investigator.jpg)
Matthew Davis, MD, MAPP
Co-Investigator
![Alex Dufford](jpg/alex-dufford_phd_co-investigator.jpg)
Alex Dufford, PhD
Co-Investigator
![Renee Edwards](jpg/renee-edwards_phd_co-investigator-1.jpg)
Renee Edwards, PhD
Co-Investigator
![Sheehan Fisher](jpg/sheehan-fisher_phd_co-investigator.jpg)
Sheehan Fisher, PhD
Co-Investigator
![Tracy Gertler](jpg/tracy-gertler_md-phd_co-investigator.jpg)
Tracy Gertler, MD, PhD
Co-Investigator
![Ellen Goldstein](jpg/ellen-goldstein_phd-mft_co-investigator.jpg)
Ellen Goldstein, PhD, MFT
Co-Investigator
![Marquita Lewis-Thames](jpg/marquita-lewis-thames_phd_co-investigator.jpg)
Marquita Lewis-Thames, PhD
Co-Investigator
![Rashmi Narayan](jpg/rashmi-narayan_md-faap_co-investigator.jpg)
Rashmi Narayan, MD, FAAP
Co-Investigator
![Ashish Premkumar](jpg/premkumar-ashish-bio-261x347-1.jpg)
Ashish Premkumar, MD
Co-Investigator
![Seema Shah](jpg/seema-shah_jd_co-investigator.jpg)
Seema Shah, JD
Co-Investigator
![Yudong Zhang](jpg/yudong-zhang_phd_co-investigator.jpg)
Yudong Zhang, PhD
Co-Investigator
RESEARCH TEAM
![Marianne Brennan](jpg/marianne-brennan_mampp_project-manager.jpg)
Marianne Brennan, MA, MPP
Research Associate
![Brenda Copley](jpg/brenda-copley_ma_lead-study-navigator.jpg)
Brenda Copley, MA
Lead Navigator
![Maria Corona](jpg/maria-corona-ms_family-navigator.jpg)
Maria Corona, MS
Family Navigator
![Tabitha Davis](jpg/tabitha-davis_m.a_senior-assesment-coordinator-.jpg)
Tabitha Davis, MA
Senior Assesment Coordinator
![Kasia Klimek](jpg/kasia-klimek_bs_research-assistant_.jpg)
Kasia KlimekResearch Assistant
![Natalia Kolek](jpg/natalia-kolek_ba_mri-coordinator.jpg)
Natalia KolekMRI Coordinator
![Brittany Manning](jpg/brittany-manning.jpg)
Brittany Manning, PhD
Postdoctoral Fellow
![Janet Nunez](jpg/janet-nunez_ba_bilingual-assessment-coordinator.jpg)
Janet NunezBilingual Assessment Coordinator
![Thomas O’Brien](jpg/thomas-o_brien_ba_research-assistant.jpg)
Thomas O’BrienResearch Assistant
![Julia Raven](jpg/julia-raven_ma_data-coordinator.jpg)
Julia Raven, MA
Data Coordinator
![Haley Reynolds](jpg/haley-reynolds.jpg)
Haley ReynoldsMRI Technician
![Brianna Sinche](jpg/brianna-sinche_mph_project-coordinator.jpg)
Brianna Sinche, MPH
Research Project Manager
![Nina Stein](jpg/nina-stein_photo.jpg)
Nina Stein, MHA
Financial Manager
![Veronica Valenzuela](jpg/veronica-valenzuela-ba_family-navigator.jpg)