Ruth Feldman

Dr Ruth Feldman is the Simms-Mann Professor of Developmental Social Neuroscience at the Interdisciplinary Center (IDC) Herzlia, Israel, with a joint appointment at Yale Child Study Center.

Her work integrates perspectives from neuroscience, human development, philosophy, clinical practice and the arts within an interpersonal frame and a behaviour-based approach. Her conceptual model on biobehavioural synchrony describes how a lived experience within close relationships builds brain, creates relationships, confers resilience and promotes creativity. Her studies were the first to detail the role of oxytocin in the formation of human social bonds.

Dr Feldman’s research is translational and informs the development of various interventions applied internationally. Her observational tools are used in 17 countries, translated into multiple languages, and utilised in research on all facets of human social relationships in health and psychopathology. She is a consultant on multiple international grants and a frequent keynote speaker in international conferences. Her studies often follow children from infancy to adulthood and address topics that are highly relevant to the general public.

A fellow of the Association for Psychological Science, she has received a Rothschild award, NARSAD independent investigator award, Zeskind award for best paper in Biological Psychiatry, and Graven’s Award for research on high-risk infants.