My DPhil research investigates the causal relationships between physical activity, cognitive function and mental health across childhood and adolescence. Using large-scale longitudinal cohort datasets, I examine how physical activity influences executive function and psychological wellbeing over time, and whether these effects are bidirectional and mediated by cognitive processes. My work applies advanced quantitative methods, including longitudinal modelling and causal inference approaches, to identify risk and resilience pathways shaping developmental trajectories. By integrating behavioural science, neuroscience and population health, my research aims to generate actionable insights for prevention strategies, informing evidence-based interventions and policy to improve young people’s mental health and life chances. More broadly, my research interests centre on the body-mind connection and the role of modifiable lifestyle factors in shaping health across the lifespan. I am particularly interested in lifestyle medicine, health optimisation and preventive approaches to non-communicable diseases, including emerging questions around longevity and women’s health. Through this work, I aim to contribute to a more integrated and mechanistic understanding of how behavioural and biological systems interact to support long-term health and wellbeing. 

I am an interdisciplinary DPhil candidate in Medical Sciences at the University of Oxford, with a background spanning psychology, education and biology. Prior to my doctorate, I completed a Master’s in Psychology and Education at the University of Cambridge (Distinction, Best Dissertation Award) and trained as a secondary school teacher in Germany and the UK. Alongside my academic work, I have experience in public health and policy, including contributing behavioural insights to the World Health Organization’s work on non-communicable disease prevention. My research has been further shaped by international collaborations, including visiting positions at Stanford University School of Medicine and Harvard Medical School. Beyond academia, I am actively engaged in initiatives related to global health, leadership, research impact, and innovation, with a particular interest in the translation of research into scalable, real-world solutions. I have a strong personal interest in lifestyle medicine and the body-mind connection, particularly in relation to optimising health, wellbeing, and human performance.