2026 Sandra G. Wiener Student Investigator Award – Lauren Richardson, M.A.

Follow Lauren:

X: @LoRichardson19

LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/lauren-richardson-39267132b

ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9679-384X

Google Scholar: https://scholar.google.com/citations?hl=en&user=PtwMHNoAAAAJ

Lauren Richardson is a fourth-year PhD candidate in the Behavioral and Cognitive Neuroscience Program at Wayne State University, where she is mentored by Dr. Susanne Brummelte. As a ReBUILDetroit scholar, she earned her BS in Psychology in 2021 and subsequently completed a ReBUILDetroit post-baccalaureate research enrichment program from 2021-2022 before beginning her doctoral training. In 2024, she earned her MA in Psychology, with a thesis examining the impact of gestational opioid exposure on maternal brain function, maternal behavior, and neonatal outcomes.

Broadly, Lauren’s research investigates how opioid exposure during pregnancy influences maternal neurobiology, caregiving behavior, and offspring development. Her work focuses on understanding how prenatal opioid and buprenorphine exposure may dysregulate the oxytocin system, a critical neurobiological pathway involved in parturition, maternal caregiving, and parent-infant bonding. Using both preclinical and translational approaches, she seeks to identify mechanisms underlying disruptions in maternal-infant interactions and early-life developmental trajectories in the context of opioid exposure.

Lauren’s dissertation research examines the therapeutic potential of postpartum oxytocin administration for mitigating opioid-induced disruptions in maternal brain function, maternal caregiving, and offspring outcomes. Through this work, she aims to advance understanding of the neurobiological mechanisms linking opioid exposure, oxytocin signaling, and maternal behavior while identifying potential intervention targets to improve outcomes for mothers and their children.

She is currently supported by the NIH-funded TRAIN (Translational Research in Addiction and Integrative Neuroscience) @ Wayne T32 fellowship, which provides advanced training in addiction science across both animal and human models. Following completion of her doctoral training, Lauren aims to pursue a career as a Medical Science Liaison or as an independent investigator focused on maternal neurobiology, substance use during pregnancy, and the development of translational interventions that promote healthy outcomes for mothers and their children.