After reading Natural Sciences at Cambridge University I completed a PhD in Cognitive Neuroscience at UCL supervised by Prof. Uta Frith and Prof. Cathy Price. I then completed a Professional Doctorate in Clinical Psychology at King’s College London followed by several years working clinically with children and adolescents. Since joining UCL in 2006 I have built a collaborative MRes programme with Yale University where I hold an adjunct Professorial appointment. I have also since 2009 been part of the Anna Freud National Centre for Children and Families Senior Leadership team and most recently, co-founded the UK Trauma Council. The UKTC brings together expert clinicians and practitioners from all four nations of the UK. It seeks to work collaboratively to transform the help and support that children who experience trauma receive. In 2020 I became Director of the UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) research programme in Adolescent Mental Health and Wellbeing. This programme aims to promote and support research innovation and translation in order to improve the lives of young people in the U.K.