Developmental Neuroimaging Lab

So proud of all our students who represented the lab at the Owerko Centre Conference 💡Four of our students presented posters, and two of them even won awards! Congratulations to Caitlyn for winning best undergraduate poster award and Sabrina for winning best graduate poster award🏆

Introducing Neha!

Hi everyone, I’m Neha! I completed my MPH in Epidemiology from the University of Glasgow and hold a BSc in Psychology from the University of Alberta. My research background spans maternal mental health and neurodevelopment outcomes in children, and I’m so excited to bring that into the work we do here.

Outside of the lab, I’m a STEM tutor, an avid reader, and always planning my next trip. You can also find me hunting for Calgary’s best matcha or spending time with my golden retriever Bruno!

🧠 Did you know prenatal alcohol exposure doesn’t necessarily delay brain development but it changes it?

Our research shows differences in how key brain regions like the amygdala (emotion) and prefrontal cortex (decision-making) grow and communicate over time.

From altered development timing to disrupted brain connectivity, these changes may help explain challenges in emotional regulation, impulsivity, and behaviour.

Lebel lab staff, post-docs & grad students🙌

As much as we value all the hard work we put into research, creating a welcoming and fun atmosphere of people who enjoy working together is just as, if not more, important!

Research shows that stress during pregnancy can shape how the brain develops -impacting everything from emotion to behavior later in life.

But here’s the hopeful part: support, care, and environment can make a powerful difference 🤍

In our lab, we’re passionate about uncovering how early experiences shape the developing brain💡🧠

Who knew some of our best ideas would come with a mountain view? 🏔️

A change of scenery can do wonders - just take a look at these beautiful views! Every year, our lab heads to the mountains to reconnect, collaborate, and just enjoy being together. Last week gave us the perfect mix of productivity, sunshine, and time for both meaningful work and simple moments of joy (like enjoying a little friendly competition)☀️🙌

Our lab members received the sweetest gift from a class they recently presented to 💛
Seeing the joy on the kids’ faces while learning about brains and neurons is already so fulfilling - but receiving a card filled with such thoughtful messages truly felt like the perfect finishing touch!

Fact: Researchers have identified brain signatures in children - across brain structure, activity, and connectivity - that can predict future mood or anxiety disorders, before symptoms ever show up!

That means imaging might one day be used to spot early risk well before clinical signs emerge.

At the Lebel Lab, we’re using similar imaging tools to understand how stress, sleep habits, and environmental factors shape the developing brain, and to think about early intervention.

Finds from article: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2451902225000928?via%3Dihub