Ellen Verhoef

I am a postdoctoral researcher in the Population Genetics of Human Communication research group, where I study the genetic architecture underlying early language development. I am also interested in its links with other traits, such as motor skills, later-life cognitive, language and literacy skills, as well as neurodevelopmental disorders.

In 2016, I obtained a Msc in Medical Biology with honors from the Radboud University in Nijmegen. As part of my PhD research, which I also carried out at the Max Planck Institute, I studied genetic factors underlying early language development and their relationships with subsequent language and literacy skills, as well as neurodevelopmental disorders.

Currently, I am leading a genome-wide association meta-analysis on early-life expressive and receptive vocabulary (15-38 months) as part of the EArly Genetics and Lifecourse Epidemiology (EAGLE) consortium. This work aims to discover single genetic variants influencing early vocabulary, identify genes and/or biological pathways related to early language development and characterise genetic links with later-life cognitive, behavioral and health outcomes.