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Meet the team

Principal Investigator
Dr Hana D'Souza
Hana is a UKRI Future Leaders Fellow and Senior Lecturer (Associate Professor) in the School of Psychology at Cardiff University. She leads the Cardiff Babylab and is also the Deputy Director of the Cardiff University Centre for Human Developmental Science (CUCHDS).
Hobbies: Exploring the Welsh coast and Brecon Beacons (Bannau Brycheiniog).

Postdoctoral Research Associate
Dr Catia M. Oliveira
Catia's research focuses primarily on typical and atypical development in children, with a specific interest on the interplay between language, sleep, executive function, memory, and mental health.
Hobbies: Outside of the lab, Catia enjoys reading books, taking care of her plants, and watching anime. Catia is also a massive fan of cats!

PhD Student
Charlotte Bocchetta
Charlotte is particularly interested in the motor development of young children with Down syndrome and object handling behaviours during parent-child interactions.
Hobbies: She enjoys travelling, experiencing new cultures and foods, baking, and yoga.

PhD Student
Sofia Hryniv
Sofia's research explores language development in neurodevelopmental conditions, and the ways in which automated technology can be used to understand language development.
Hobbies: Hiking, reading, and baking. Even better if she can take a snack and a book break in the middle of a hike!

PhD Student
Jean Qin Liu
Jean is interested in parent-child interactions and children's attention, especially in children with Down syndrome. Jean is also interested in the socioemotional and cognitive development of typical children and preterm infants.
Hobbies: Outside of the lab, Jean likes travelling, scuba diving, and playing Mahjong.

PhD Student
Kate Mee
Kate's PhD research uses head-mounted eye-tracking to explore how young children with Down syndrome learn Makaton (signing) through interactions with their parents.
Hobbies: Outside of the lab, Kate enjoys spending time in nature, watching comedy, and playing music.

PhD Student
Craig Thompson
Craig is a PhD student looking at developing a machine learning model that can efficiently label large datasets to test current developmental theories.
Hobbies: Outside of the lab, Craig enjoys computer science and 3D printing (he has printed his own wearable iron man costume!).

Trainee Clinical Psychologist
Becky Hardiman
Becky is a Trainee Clinical Psychologist in the Cardiff and Vale University Health Board. She is completing research within the team about translating our research into clinical practice.
Hobbies: Outside of the lab, Becky enjoys sunrise sea swimming, cooking and eating tasty things, and exploring the outdoors!

Affiliated PhD Student
Mohamed Abdelrazek
Mohamed is a paediatric doctor and clinical academic at Cardiff University, supported by the Welsh Clinical Academic Training (WCAT) programme. His PhD research will investigate how early-life infection and inflammation influence brain development and later neurodevelopmental outcomes in infants. His work aims to identify biomarkers that could help protect and support babies at risk of neurodevelopmental difficulties.
Hobbies: Outside of work, Mohamed loves travelling, beaches, visiting art galleries, and going to musicals.

Affiliated PhD Student
Agata Koziol
Agata is a 3rd year PhD student at the Institute of Psychology, Polish Academy of Sciences in Warsaw, researching motor development and the role of posture in infancy. We were lucky to have Agata visit our lab back in October thanks to the Taith scholarship!
Hobbies: Outside of the lab, Agata likes to do handcrafts, especially knitting and sewing!

Affiliated PhD Student
Maria Marin
Maria's PhD research investigates the connections between motor and language development, with a focus on how postural stability and locomotion—especially when aided by parental adjustments—support cognitive and linguistic growth. Maria is based at the Neurocognitive Development Lab, Polish Academy of Sciences.
Hobbies: Outside of the lab, Maria likes to journal, bake, and learn new languages!

Research Assistant
Shreel Thummar
Shreel is a part-time Research Assistant at Cardiff Babylab. Shreel is responsible for data management for the TinyExplorer project.
Hobbies: Outside of the lab, Shreel enjoys reading, dancing and painting. Shreel also really loves to travel and swim.

Intercalating Medical Student
Theo Riseborough
Theo is a medical student currently intercalating in Psychology and Medicine. He is doing his research project with the lab looking at motor development in young children.
Hobbies: Theo enjoys going to gigs, cooking, watching films and taking his dog for walks.

UG Placement Student
Sarah Crabtree
Sarah is an undergraduate placement student undertaking a placement at Cardiff Babylab. She is responsible for data collection, social media and assisting the team where needed for the TinyExplorer project.
Hobbies: Outside of the lab, Sarah enjoys music, reading and a dip in the ocean.

UG Placement Student
Isabel Lambourn
Isabel is an undergraduate psychology student undertaking a placement at Cardiff Babylab. She is responsible for data collection, social media and assisting the team where needed for the TinyExplorer project.
Hobbies: Outside of the lab, Issy enjoys aerial fitness, wild swimming and going to gigs with her friends.

UG Placement Student
Saskia Pember
Saskia is an undergraduate psychology student undertaking a placement at Cardiff Babylab. She is responsible for data collection, social media and assisting the team where needed for the TinyExplorer project.
Hobbies: Outside of the lab, Saskia enjoys crocheting, yoga and sea swimming.

UG Placement Student
Leah Price
Leah is an undergraduate placement student undertaking a placement at Cardiff Babylab. She is responsible for data collection, social media and assisting the team where needed for the TinyExplorer project.
Hobbies: Outside of the lab, Leah enjoys playing video games, reading and watching TV shows. She also loves listening and dancing to Kpop.

Visiting Clinical Trainee
Veronica Capaldo
Veronica is a visiting clinical trainee from The School of psychotherapy, Accademia di neuropsicologia dello sviluppo. She supports children with neurodevelopmental disorders and their families. Her research interests lie in early typical and atypical development.
Hobbies: Outside of the lab Veronica enjoys photography, and exploring new places, cultures and food. She also loves music and spending time in nature.

Cardiff Babylab Advisor
Beth Butler
Beth is a qualified neonatal nurse, semi-permanent makeup artist, and mum to three children. Her youngest, Tessa, has Down syndrome and is the reason Beth became involved with the TinyExplorer project. Beth and Tessa continue to contribute greatly to Cardiff Babylab's research.
Hobbies: Outside of work and being a mum, Beth enjoys escaping into a good fantasy or thriller novel and spending time with friends.

Cardiff Babylab Advisor
Gosia Jon-Dare
Gosia is a physiotherapist with a passion for early detection and early intervention for infants at high risk of delayed neurodevelopment. She primarily works at Cerebral Palsy Cymru in Cardiff, where she leads the early intervention service.
Hobbies: Gosia enjoys spending time outdoors, especially wild swimming and going on long foraging walks.
Alumni

Postdoctoral Research Associate
Dr Teodor Nikolov
October, 2023 - October, 2025

Research Assistant
Sally Morrin
May, 2025 - December, 2025

Research Assistant
Shreya Jana
November, 2024 - December, 2024

Research Assistant
Lucy Davies
October, 2024 - November, 2024

Visiting PhD Student
Agata Koziol
October, 2024 - October, 2024

Visiting MSc student
Jan Matějka
October, 2024 - December, 2024

Psychology MSc Placement Student
Manon Lloyd
May, 2025 - July, 2025

Psychology MSc Placement Student
Elin Huws
May, 2025 - July, 2025

Psychology UG Placement Student
Sophia Ivakovich
October, 2024 - June, 2024

Psychology UG Placement Student
Charley Bezuidenhout
October, 2024 - June, 2025

Psychology UG Placement Student
Tom Jones
August, 2024 - June, 2025

Psychology UG Placement Student
Sarah Arulia
October, 2024 - May, 2025

Psychology UG Placement Student
Rae-Marie Breakspear
October, 2024 - May, 2025

Psychology UG Placement Student
Andrea Garrido
June, 2024 - February, 2025
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Psychology MSc Placement Student
Lauren Sampson
June, 2024 - September, 2024

Psychology MSc Placement Student
Lucy Davies
May, 2024 - August, 2024

Psychology MSc Placement Student
Mike Zye Zhang
October, 2023 - July, 2024

Psychology UG Placement Student
Alice Thomas
October, 2023 - June, 2024

Psychology UG Placement Student
Jayden Wordley
October, 2023 - May, 2024

Summer Intern
Ella Barree
July, 2025 - September, 2025

Summer Intern
Leia Khan
June, 2024 - August, 2024

LTA Summer Intern
Rebecca Hendry
June, 2024 - July, 2024