Sanju Koirala, PhD is a developmental cognitive neuroscientist whose research seeks to understand how individual differences in brain organization emerge across development and shape vulnerability to mental health problems. Her work combines functional neuroimaging, computational approaches, and large-scale developmental datasets to understand how the brain develops and contributes to individual differences in behavior and mental health. Dr. Koirala is particularly interested in moving beyond one-size-fits-all models of brain development toward a more individualized understanding of the developing brain—recognizing that each person follows a unique developmental trajectory shaped by their experiences and biology. Her research integrates population-level patterns with individual-level brain organization to identify brain-based markers of risk, understand the mechanisms underlying vulnerability to mental health problems, and ultimately inform early interventions that can improve lives. Dr. Koirala received her PhD in Developmental Psychology from the Institute of Child Development at the University of Minnesota, under the mentorship of Damien Fair. She received her bachelor’s degree in Neuroscience from Hamilton College. She is currently a postdoctoral fellow in the Stanford Neurodevelopment, Affect, and Psychopathology (SNAP) Lab at Stanford University, where she works with Ian Gotlib, and is a New Map of Life Fellow.