Daniela Iniguez Specia
University of Cape Town Daniela’s research focuses on “Unseen Phenotypes,” specifically investigating how biological sex and environmental risk factors shape the presentation and identification of neurodevelopmental conditions in South African and Kenyan children. She is particularly interested in how standardized diagnostic tools, largely developed in Western contexts, may lead to an incomplete or biased characterization of autism and ADHD in African settings. Through a secondary analysis of the NeuroDev cohort, she explores sex-based differences in autism phenotypes to identify potential diagnostic under-detection in girls. Simultaneously, using primary data from the Akili study, she utilizes ultra-low-field (ULF) MRI to examine how prenatal alcohol exposure (PAE) influences brain structure and executive function in children with ADHD. Her work aims to contribute to a more inclusive, globally accurate scientific model of neurodevelopment, one that reflects the biological and cultural realities of the children being studied to improve early detection and support.
