Neuroscience / Psychiatry
Neurodevelopment and Stress Lab
Dr. Elena Chen · Johns Hopkins University
Baltimore, MDIn-personOpen to students
Contact: echen@example.edu
Website Research overview
The Chen Lab studies how early-life stress shapes brain development and long-term emotional health, combining behavioral studies, neuroimaging, and clinical interviews with adolescents.
Main research questions
- • How does early adversity influence prefrontal cortex maturation?
- • Which behavioral markers predict resilience in adolescence?
- • Can structured mentorship buffer chronic stress responses?
Methods
fMRIBehavioral assaysClinical interviewsLongitudinal cohort analysis
Keywords
NeuroscienceMental healthAdolescencefMRILongitudinal
Recent publications
- Adolescent stress reactivity and prefrontal connectivity (2024)
- Family adversity and emotion regulation trajectories (2023)
Why this may fit you
- Strong interest overlap with your saved topics
- Beginner-friendly roles reported
- Located within commuting distance
- Relevant to your stated goal
- Structured undergraduate onboarding
Potential considerations
Worth asking about
- • Requires a minimum 8-hour weekly commitment
- • Day-to-day supervisor is often a graduate student
- • IRB and HIPAA training required before participant contact
- • Availability last verified 3 weeks ago
Suggested questions to ask
- • What would a typical week look like for an undergraduate in this lab?
- • Who would supervise me day to day?
- • What training is provided before students begin?
- • What is the expected weekly time commitment?
- • Are there opportunities to contribute to posters, abstracts, or presentations?
- • Is the lab currently accepting students for the upcoming semester?
Mentorship Fit Profile
Undergraduate experience
Frequently works with undergraduates
Supervision style
Team-based mentoring
Lab size
Medium (12 members)
Onboarding
Structured orientation reported
Role types
Data entry, Literature review, Participant coordination
Typical commitment
8–10 hours per week
Environment
Collaborative
Best for
Students who want clear expectations and recurring team interaction
Mentorship experiences vary by project, supervisor, and student needs. LabCompass presents structured information to help students ask better questions before committing.