Discipline(s):
Social Epidemiology, Neuroscience

Area(s) of Expertise:
Stress Reactivity, Social and Cognitive Development, Neurodevelopment

E-Mail:
kajalewinn@gmail.com

Background:
Dr. Kaja LeWinn’s research explores how socioeconomic position is biologically embodied during childhood with the goal of understanding early life origins of health disparities. In 2007, Kaja completed her doctorate in Social Epidemiology at the Harvard School of Public Health.   Her thesis examined the impact of stress hormones during gestation and social disadvantage in the first five years of life on cognitive performance at age 7. As a Scholar, Kaja has extended this work by investigating the extent to which physiological responses to stress mediate the relationship between socioeconomic position and cognitive outcomes. In order to better understand the neurobiological mechanisms by which early adversity affects brain development, Kaja obtained extensive training in functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). She is currently the Principal Investigator of a novel pilot project using fMRI that explores whether socioeconomic conditions in childhood are associated with neural correlates of emotion regulation and, if so, whether this relationship is modified by genetic factors. In future projects, Kaja will continue to use fMRI to explore how genetic factors interact with social adversity early in life to influence the mental and physical health of the developing child.

Journal Articles:
Click here for a list of Kaja LeWinn's available publications in PubMed.