Meet the Team

Professor Amy Orben
Programme Leader
Research Professor


I direct a programme of research studying how digital technologies such as social media impact mental health. I am particularly interested in innovative methodologies and approaches that push the boundaries of what we thought was possible.

amy.orben[at]mrc-cbu.cam.ac.uk

Dr Amanda Ferguson
Assistant Research Professor

I study how adolescents use and make sense of social media.

amanda.ferguson[at]mrc-cbu.cam.ac.uk

Tania Smith
Centre Manager - Operations and Communications

As Centre Manager, I lead the group’s operational and communications functions. My core responsibilities include budget and resource management, coordination of complex multi-stakeholder projects and the implementation of effective administrative systems.

tania.smith[at]mrc-cbu.cam.ac.uk

Dr Christina Haag
Postdoctoral Research Associate

My research investigates the mechanisms through which digital media impact on adolescents’ mental health in daily life, leveraging multimodal AI-based computational methods such as large language models and computer vision techniques.

christina.haag[at]mrc-cbu.cam.ac.uk

Dr David Grüning
Postdoctoral Research Associate

MORE INFO COMING SOON

david.gruning[at]mrc-cbu.cam.ac.uk

Dr Luisa Fassi
Postdoctoral Research Associate

My research examines the relationship between social media use and different mental health conditions during youth.

luisa.fassi[at]mrc-cbu.cam.ac.uk

Dr Jennifer Fielder
Postdoctoral Research Associate

My research investigates the effects of social media interventions, such as daily time limits and curfews, on adolescent mental health and wellbeing.

jennifer.fielder[at]mrc-cbu.cam.ac.uk

Dr Georgia Turner
Postdoctoral Research Associate

I apply methods from computational neuroscience to understand the drivers, effects and cognitive mechanisms of social media use.

georgia.turner[at]mrc-cbu.cam.ac.uk

Dr Katrine Tolboll
Postdoctoral Research Associate

My research focuses on how social media use and platform design affect adolescents’ behaviour and well-being, and on developing and evaluating interventions to support more intentional digital media use.

katrine.tolboll[at]mrc-cbu.cam.ac.uk

Dr Alessia Costa
Co-Production Community Engagement Coordinator

I support the involvement of young people, parents, policymakers, and community organisations across the group’s studies to ensure that our research is responsive to the needs and priorities of those most affected by it.

alessia.costa[at]mrc-cbu.cam.ac.uk


Communications and Events Coordinator

MORE INFO COMING SOON

[at]mrc-cbu.cam.ac.uk

Lukas Gunschera
PhD student

My research examines cognitive risk and protective factors of social media use and mental health.

lukas.gunschera[at]mrc-cbu.cam.ac.uk

Tanay Katiyar
PhD student

My research examines the mechanisms via which digitalisation can both protect from and/or lead to mental health problems in novel ways.

tanay.katiyar[at]mrc-cbu.cam.ac.uk

Brandon Davidson
PhD student

I use data from longitudinal cohort studies and large-scale trials and experiments to investigate the causal effects of digital media on children and young people.

brandon.davidson[at]mrc-cbu.cam.ac.uk

Valerie Yap
Research Assistant

I explore social uncertainty in online social environments and work on youth engagement projects.

valerie.yap[at]mrc-cbu.cam.ac.uk

Rafael Zampakas
Research Assistant

I investigate the effect of social media and digital technologies to young people and adolescents through multilevel models and longitudinal data, while also helping with group administration and policymaking contributions.

rafael.zampakas[at]mrc-cbu.cam.ac.uk

Gerald Akuarista
Placement Student

I am currently undertaking a placement with the Digital Mental Health Group as part of my BSc Psychology degree at the University of Bath.

gerald.akuarista[at]mrc-cbu.cam.ac.uk

You?
Postdoctoral Fellow/PhD Student/Visiting Student

We are always looking for talented and innovative researchers to join our group.

If you are interested, please contact us.

Find out more

Past members

  • Sophie Lyne: Summer Research Intern (2026)

  • Mingye Zha: Visiting Research Student (2026)

  • Mahdiyah Mubarak: Summer Research Intern (2026)

  • Dr Amira Skeggs PhD Student (graduated 2026)

  • Ioanna Fokas: Research Assistant (2026)

  • Jamil Adjallah: Placement student (2026)

  • Dr Amrit Kaur Purba (2026)

  • Sinead Cleary: Summer Research Intern (2025)

  • Maya Deniz Yilmaz: Research Assistant (2025)

  • Patrick Chou: Summer Research Intern (2024)

  • Zelda Brufal: Summer Research Intern (2024)

  • Aslihan Baser: Research Assistant (2024)

  • Amelia Leyland-Craggs: Research Assistant (2022-2024)

  • Sebastian Kurten: Postdoctoral Research Associate (2022-2024)

  • Dr Sakshi Ghai: PhD student (graduated 2023)

  • Tom Metherell: Summer Research Assistant, funded by the British Psychological Society (2021)

  • Tara Bhagat: Summer Research Assistant, funded by the G. C. Grindley Fund (2021)

  • Faisal Awadh: SSC Research Assistant, as part of the Medical Sciences Tripos (2020/2021)

  • Nicole Guo: Research Intern (2020/2021)

  • Zoe Rossall: Research Intern (2020/2021)