Register for the SPHeRE Network Online Symposium on
Friday 13th November 2026, 1-2 pm, Online
Early-life biological signatures and neurodevelopmental outcomes
with Dr Jane A. English
Dr Jane A. English is a Senior Lecturer in the Department of Anatomy and Neuroscience at University College Cork (UCC), a Principal Investigator at the INFANT Research Centre and RINN AI. She is also the Programme Director of the BSc Neuroscience Programme in UCC. With over 20 years of research experience in molecular psychiatry, her research focuses on biomarker discovery and validation in neurodevelopmental and neuropsychiatric conditions, particularly autism, maternal mental health, and early-life biological mechanisms.
Her work integrates maternal and child health research with molecular profiling of umbilical cord blood and placental biology to investigate how prenatal and perinatal processes may influence later neurodevelopment. Through the application of proteomics, metabolomics and data-driven approaches, she aims to identify biological signatures that advance understanding of neurodevelopmental outcomes and support the longer-term goal of improving early identification and informing future health interventions. Her research bridges molecular neuroscience, population-based birth cohort studies and translational health research.