Shaping the brain through early interactions (SAPIENS)

Project overview

SAPIENS is an inter-disciplinary scientific network (carried out within the framework of the European Training Network H2020) devoted to advance our understanding of social brain development. The network is built of leading European research institutions in the areas of developmental psychology and cognitive neuroscience, screening and intervention for neurodevelopmental disorders, behavioural genetics, computational modelling and biomedical engineering.

The Birkbeck project lead for this project is Professor Emily Jones and it has been funded by EU Horizon 2020.

Research aim

Our aim is to provide a multidisciplinary network environment in which cutting-edge science is combined with training young researchers.

Outputs and outcomes

Within the network, a group of 15 young researchers will receive comprehensive training to prepare them for future work in diverse institutional environments (academia, SMEs, public service, NGOs) along a variety of career paths including basic research, clinical translation, applied technology and public policy.

To this end, we are partnering with companies that develop novel brain imaging and behaviour monitoring tools (VicarVision, iMotions), unique algorithms that search for hidden repeated behavioural patterns in interactions (PatternVision), as well as novel analytical approaches to large longitudinal datasets (MentisCura), computational modelling tools (Phier) and innovative screening and diagnostic tools.

Find out more about the SAPIENS network through the SAPIENS project.