With the 2025 Flux Congress just around the corner, the Flux Trainee Committee is excited to spotlight some of your fellow attendees through our trainee research profiles. If you’re a trainee—whether a student, post-bacc, or postdoc—and would like to be featured, we invite you to fill out our interest form!
At Flux, we are committed to nurturing the next generation of researchers who are shaping the future of developmental cognitive neuroscience. In our new Trainee Spotlight series, we will highlight the achievements, aspirations, and contributions of outstanding trainees within our community. These young scientists are not only pushing the boundaries of research but also embodying the spirit of collaboration and innovation that drives our field forward.
Today, we are excited to introduce Muskan Khetan. Let's dive into their journey, insights, and what motivates them to make a lasting impact in developmental cognitive neuroscience.
Muskan Khetan
Graduate Student (PhD)
What is the focus of your research?
My research focuses on how changes in female sex hormones — specifically oestradiol (E2) and progesterone (P4) — influence the neurobiological mechanisms underlying emotion regulation in adolescent females. In particular, my work examines how increases and intra-individual variability in E2 and P4 during puberty relate to brain structure and function, and how these hormonal dynamics may contribute to mental health risk during this critical developmental window. I use advanced neuroimaging techniques, including structural, diffusion-weighted, and functional MRI (both task-based and resting-state), integrated with multimodal imaging analyses and machine learning frameworks.
What is your most interesting research finding or inquiry so far?
My latest research demonstrates that early and rapid increases in E2 compared to same-age peers are associated with accelerated brain structural development, which, in turn, correlates with increased attention-related and overall mental health symptoms in early adolescent females (10–12 years). This is the first study of its kind in a large female sample (N~3,000) using the ABCD data, highlighting the need for early interventions for at-risk, early maturing females.
What do you enjoy doing when not researching (hobbies, interests, etc)?
Once a researcher, always a researcher — but when I’m not immersed in science, you’ll usually find me dancing, doing yoga, or recharging in nature 🙂
Best piece of advice you have received as a trainee?
The best advice I received is to keep learning and exploring: master the basics, stay curious about new methods, and never stop asking questions. Also, a PhD is a marathon, not a sprint — take breaks when you need them.
Do you have any advice for early-stage trainees?
Take your time — good things take patience, and a PhD is a beautiful journey of learning about yourself and your field. Be ready to adapt, too, because things won’t always go to plan, but acceptance helps you bounce back quickly.
What is the most useful resource that you would recommend to other trainees in developmental cognitive neuroscience?
These days, there’s plenty of material online, but I love going back to classic books that focus on fundamental mechanisms. One I highly recommend is Who Am I? And If So, How Many? by Richard David Precht — it beautifully weaves the research stories of great neuroscientists in a way that can inspire and guide your research.
Please list any social media accounts/personal websites that you would like us to highlight.
www.linkedin.com/in/muskankhetan
Is there anything else you would like to share with the Flux community?
I’ll be attending the Flux Congress 2025 and would be happy to connect with anyone who shares similar research interests! 🙂
Will you be presenting at the Flux meeting this year in Dublin?
I will be presenting a poster on "Role of estradiol (E2) and progesterone (P4) variability in brain Structure and mental health symptoms among adolescent females"