Dr. Graham is a principal investigator in the Development Cognition and Neuroimaging Lab. She studies the developing brain beginning soon after birth. She’s interested in how the early environment, starting in the prenatal period, influences brain development and risk for mental health disorders. She uses structural and functional MRI to characterize developing brain systems. Due to the challenges of studying early brain development, this work involves optimizing tools for assessing the infant brain, how it differs between individuals, and relates to outcomes of interest. Dr. Graham also conducts intervention research with the aim of ameliorating effects of exposure to early life stress and supporting healthy brain development. The overarching goal of her work is to prevent psychiatric disorders and improve cognitive and emotional health across the lifespan.