Professor Sarah-Jayne Blakemore is a preeminent developmental cognitive neuroscientist who holds the Chair of Psychology in the Social Sciences at the University of Cambridge. She leads the Developmental Cognitive Neuroscience Group and serves as Deputy Head of Department for Research within the Department of Psychology. Educated at Oxford High School and St John's College Oxford where she earned a Congratulatory First in Experimental Psychology in 1996 she completed her PhD at University College London in 2000 under the supervision of Daniel Wolpert and Chris Frith. Her distinguished career includes a Royal Society Dorothy Hodgkin Fellowship a Royal Society University Research Fellowship and leadership of the Developmental Cognitive Neuroscience Group at UCL before transitioning to Cambridge in 2019 where she has significantly expanded her research program and institutional leadership.
Professor Blakemore's pioneering research has revolutionized our understanding of adolescent brain development with particular focus on the social brain and its implications for mental health. Her work integrates behavioral science neuroimaging and developmental methods to investigate social cognition peer influence decision-making and sensitivity to social context during adolescence revealing crucial insights into why most mental illnesses emerge during this developmental period. Her research has made substantial contributions to both theoretical frameworks and practical policy applications in adolescent mental health public health and education sectors. With over 69 000 citations on Google Scholar her scholarly impact extends across multiple disciplines establishing her as a world leader in developmental cognitive neuroscience whose findings have reshaped educational approaches and mental health interventions.
Beyond her research contributions Professor Blakemore maintains a profound commitment to public engagement with science frequently delivering lectures and talks at schools to increase awareness of adolescent brain development. Her book Inventing Ourselves received the Royal Society science book prize and was named the Hay Festival Book of the Year in 2018 demonstrating her exceptional ability to translate complex scientific concepts for broader audiences. Elected as a Fellow of the Royal Society in 2024 she serves on numerous advisory boards for the Royal Society Academy of Medical Sciences UK Department for Education and Singapore's Ministry of Education where she continues to shape policy based on neuroscience evidence. Her ongoing research explores the long-term implications of adolescent brain development for mental health interventions educational practices and public health policy ensuring her work remains at the forefront of both scientific inquiry and practical application.
