LEaRN Lab
In the Learning Exceptionalities and Related Neuropsychology (LEaRN) Lab, we identify cognitive, genetic and environmental risk factors for learning and attentional challenges in children. Our cross-disciplinary approach integrates methods from neuropsychology, cognitive neuroscience, child clinical psychology, behavior genetics and special education.
We seek to improve early identification and intervention for children and to promote educational equity for all students by developing a deeper understanding of learning that spans multiple levels of analysis, including genetics, environment, brain, cognition and behavior.
Research
Our research integrates cross-disciplinary perspectives in order to improve early identification and intervention for children with learning and attentional challenges. We are conducting studies to investigate the brain, cognitive and developmental factors that contribute to risk and resilience in children with comorbidities. Our current work is focusing on the comorbidity of dyslexia with ADHD and anxiety.
Publications
Our work has been published in the Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, the Journal of Learning Disabilities, the Journal of the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry and elsewhere in the psychology community. We continually aim to promote educational equity for students with learning differences through our collaborative work.
People
Under the direction of Lauren McGrath, PhD, we work with doctoral students, undergraduate students and research assistants within our lab. Students gain expertise in the research and clinical aspects of developmental neuropsychology, working in cross-disciplinary projects across levels of analysis (i.e., genetic, neural, cognitive, behavioral) while pursuing a specific research question related to children's learning.
LEaRN Lab Values
The LEaRN lab is committed to promoting educational equity for all students from K-12 to higher education. We value the ways that individuals' diverse perspectives, backgrounds and experiences contribute to this work. We are committed to taking active steps to foster an inclusive environment by proactively identifying and dismantling practices that result in the perpetuation of privilege and inequities.
As researchers who study learning, we appreciate different approaches and skills for tackling research questions and we embrace the ways that neurodiversity can enrich our approach to problem-solving. If you are passionate about the science of learning, you belong here.
Our particular focus is on supporting children who struggle with learning in a specific academic domain. We believe that creating and nurturing an inclusive community is essential for generating and disseminating the best science. We intentionally engage in collaborative dialogue with a broad range of stakeholders, including students, parents, educators, practitioners and policy-makers.
We value actively listening to the community to shape research questions and respond to current needs. We approach these partnerships in a spirit of collaboration, recognizing the need for our work to evolve and adapt in order to advance our shared goal of promoting educational equity for students with learning differences.
Join the Lab
Undergraduate Students
We are accepting undergraduate research assistants on a rolling basis. If you are interested, please email us at learnlab@du.edu to see current openings. In order to be considered, we'll ask you to fill out a brief application.
PhD Students
Current PhD students in the Department of Psychology can apply to work in the LEaRN Lab to gain valuable experience in the research and clinical aspects of developmental neuropsychology.
Note: Lauren McGrath, PhD, will NOT be reviewing PhD applications for fall 2025 admission. Please check our graduate program website for updated information about faculty who will be recruiting students.
