Research

The Fellow will have at least one day a week (20% or more) of protected time for research. The postdoc in the General Pediatric Neuropsychology position (Position 1) will be matched to an area of research depending on interests and available funding. Examples of existing research areas include: autism spectrum disorders, epilepsy, hematology/oncology, neurofibromatosis, congenital heart disease, genetic disorders, and cognitive function in other medical populations.

The Pediatric Concussion/mTBI-focused postdoc (Position 2) will work with Drs. Gioia, Vaughan and the SCORE research team on research projects related to pediatric concussion outcome and instrument development. Current projects include a CDC funded study to develop innovative evidence-based smartphone technology to guide provider treatment of concussion. The fellow will also have opportunities to work on an NINDS multi-center grant, CARE4Kids, exploring a combination of biomarkers (neuro-imaging, blood-based, autonomic) with neuropsychological and symptom characteristics to predict Persisting Post Concussive Symptoms (PPCS). The clinical algorithm stemming from this work will inform clinical screening, management and future treatments. Opportunities are also available to provide community education on injury risk, assessment and prevention.

Our Fellows are expected to be a productive member of the research team and to demonstrate competency for independent research after completing the program. For example, Fellows are expected to present at professional conferences, and to submit a review paper, chapter, research article, or grant application. Our program includes a research curriculum and monthly research meetings/ seminars to support the development of research skills. Our postdocs are authors on numerous peer-reviewed publications, book chapters, and conference presentations and have won awards for research.

See below for a list of recent, representative publications.

2022 Publications

Ailion A, You X, Mbwana JS, Fanto E, Krishnamurthy M, Vaidya C, Sepeta L, Gaillard WD, Berl MM (2022) Functional Connectivity as a Potential Mechanism for Language Plasticity. Neurology DOI: 10.1212/WNL.0000000000013071
Godfrey, M, Casnar, C, Stolz, E, Ailion, A, Moore , T & Gioia, G (2022) A review of procedural and declarative metamemory development across childhood Child Neuropsychology DOI: 10.1080/09297049.2022.2055751
Habayeb, S., Kenworthy, L., De La Torre, A. et al. (2022) Still Left Behind: Fewer Black School-Aged Youth Receive ASD Diagnoses Compared to White Youth. J Autism Dev Disord. doi: 10.1007/s10803-021-05118-1
Kenworthy L., Verbalis A., Bascom J., daVanport, S, Strang JF, Pugliese C et al (2022). Adding the missing voice: How self-report of autistic youth self-report on an executive functioning rating scale compares to parent report and that of youth with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder or neurotypical development. Autism, doi: 10.1177/13623613211029117
Loblein H, Vukmirovich P, Donofrio M, & Sanz J (2022). Prevalence of neurodevelopmental disorders in a clinically referred sample of children with CHD. Cardiology in the Young. doi:10.1017/S1047951122001469
Marcelle M, You X, Fanto EJ, Sepeta LN, Gaillard WD & Berl MM. (2022) Impact of development and recent-onset epilepsy on language dominance. Epilepsia. Doi: 10.1111/epi.17383
Ratto, AB, Reimann, G & Nadwodny, N. (2022) Dual Language Learning Predicts Improved Executive Functioning in Youth with Autism. J Autism Dev Disord .doi: 10.1007/s10803-021-05356-3

2021 Publications

Hardy KK, Walsh KS, Gioia AR, Berger C, Griffin D, Packer RJ, Acosta MT (2021) Computerized working memory training for children with Neurofibromatosis type 1. Journal of Child Neurology, doi:10.1177/08830738211038083
Ramsey K, Vaughan C, Wagner B, McGuire J & Gioia G. (2021) Impact of SelfEfficacy and Affective Functioning on Pediatric Concussion Symptom Severity. Journal of the International Neuropsychological Society doi:10.1017/S1355617720001320
Rau S, Whitman ET, Schauder K et al. (2021) Patterns of psychopathology and cognition in sex chromosome aneuploidy. J Neurodevelop Disord. doi: 10.1186/s11689-021-09407-9
Sanz JH, Anixt J, Bear L, Basken A, Beca J, Marino BS, et a;/ (2021). Characterization of Neurodevelopmental and Psychological Outcomes in Congenital Heart Disease: A research agenda and recommendations from the Cardiac Neurodevelopmental Outcome Collaborative. Cardiology in The Young, 31 (6): 876 - 887.
Sharkey CM, Mullins LL, Clawson AH, Gioia AR, Hawkins MAW, Chaney JM, Walsh KW, Hardy KK (2021) Assessing neuropsychological phenotypes of pediatric brain tumor survivors. Psycho-Oncology; doi: 10.1002/pon.5692.
Strang JF, Chen D, Nelson E. et al. (2021) Transgender Youth Executive Functioning: Relationships with Anxiety Symptoms, Autism Spectrum Disorder, and Gender-Affirming Medical Treatment Status. Child Psychiatry Hum Dev. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10578-021-01195-6

2020 Publications

Boutzoukas, EM, Crutcher, J, Somoza, E, Sepeta, LN, You, X, Gaillard, WD, Wallace, GL, Berl, MM (2020). Cortical Thickness in Childhood Left Focal Epilepsy: Thinning Beyond the Seizure Focus. Epilepsy & Behavior; 102:106.
Gioia G, Babikian T, Barney BJ, Chrisman SPD, Cook LJ, Didehbani N., Richards, R, Sady, M D, Stolz, ER, Vaughan, CG, Rivera, FP, Giza, C (2020). Identifying School Challenges following Concussion: Psychometric Evidence for the Concussion Learning Assessment & School Survey, 3rd Ed. (CLASS-3). Journal of Pediatric Neuropsychology, (6) 203-217.
Rau S, Skapek MF, Tiplady K, Seese S, Burns A, Armour AC, Kenworthy L, (2020). Identifying comorbid ADHD in autism: Attending to the inattentive presentation, Research in Autism Spectrum Disorders, 69, doi: 10.1016/j.rasd.2019.101468.
Root JM, Sady MD, Gai J, Vaughan CG & Madati PJ (2020) Effect of cognitive and physical rest on persistent post-concussive symptoms following a pediatric head injury. The Journal of Pediatrics, doi: 10.1016/j.jpeds.2020.07.049
Walsh KS, del Castillo A, Kennedy T, Karim AI, & Semerjian C (2020). A review of psychological, social, and behavioral functions in the RASopathies. Journal of Pediatric Neuropsychology, 6, 131-142. doi: 10.1007/s40817-020-00088-1
Vaidya CJ, You X., Mostofsky S, Pereira F, Berl MM & Kenworthy, L (2020) Datadriven identification of subtypes of executive function across typical development, ADHD, and ASD. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 61(1):51–61.