She is interested in adolescence as a window of social opportunity. Her Brain and Development Lab at Leiden University has a strong focus on the fundamental changes in brain structure and function that underlie our ability to anticipate, produce and evaluate complex decisions in daily life.

She is leader of the longitudinal twin research ‘Leiden Consortium on Individual Development’ (L-CID), part of the Gravitation Programme ‘Consortium Individual Development’ (2013-2023). Her two positions are a joint contribution to the strategy of the Leiden-Delft-Erasmus Universities alliance.