864: Investigating How Brain Inflammation May Contribute to Compulsivity - Dr. Laura Bradfield

Dr. Laura Bradfield is Senior Lecturer in the School of Psychology at The University of Sydney. In the lab, Laura studies the behavioral and brain mechanisms of compulsivity and compulsive disorders. Conditions like obsessive compulsive disorder, substance use disorder, Parkinson's disease, and Huntington's disease all have elements of compulsivity. Rather than focusing on one particular condition, Laura and her team are working on developing better animal models of compulsivity and understanding how inflammation in certain parts of the brain affects compulsive behaviors. Outside of research, Laura loves to sing, and she enjoys going out for karaoke with colleagues in the evenings during conferences. She is also a fan of CrossFit workouts and spending time with her 14-year-old daughter. Laura received her bachelor's degree with honors in psychology and her PhD in neuroscience from the University of New South Wales, Sydney. She conducted postdoctoral research at the University of Sydney and subsequently the University of New South Wales. Prior to joining the faculty at The University of Sydney, Laura served as a Lecturer at University of New South Wales and a Research Fellow and Senior Research Fellow at the University of Technology Sydney. In this interview, she shares more about her life and science.

You can listen to 864: Investigating How Brain Inflammation May Contribute to Compulsivity - Dr. Laura Bradfield online on Radio and Podcast. Open the player on this page to stream the available audio.

864: Investigating How Brain Inflammation May Contribute to Compulsivity - Dr. Laura Bradfield is an episode from People Behind the Science Podcast - Stories from Scientists about Science, Life, Research, and Science Careers by Dr. Marie McNeely.

This episode is 41:17 long.

This episode was published on May 11, 2026.

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