Dr. Nicole Russo-Ponsaran Awarded “Young Investigator” by the National Fragile X Foundation
By Camaree Turman
Congratulations to RNBC’s Associate Research Director Nicole Russo-Ponsaran, PhD, on being honored with the Young Investigator Award by the National Fragile X Foundation. Russo-Ponsaran will receive the award at the 13th International Fragile X Conference to be held in Miami, July 27–29, 2012.
A total of ten Young Investigator Awards will be given at the conference. Awardees were selected based on the recommendation of the basic science members of the Fragile X Foundation’s Scientific & Clinical Advisory Committee.
In addition to receiving her award, Russo-Ponsaran will be presenting research analyzing the effectiveness of using the Pediatric Anxiety Rating Scale (PARS), Revised in assessing anxiety, a core feature of fragile X syndrome. Russo-Ponsaran supervised Rush University medical student Jessica Yesensky BA, on this project. The project also included collaborators Elizabeth Berry-Kravis MD PhD from Rush University Medical Center (RUMC) and David Hessl PhD from the UC Davis MIND Institute. The scale was administered to parents of 49 children and adults with fragile X syndrome at RUMC and the MIND Institute. The study found the scale was a feasible, valid, and reproducible measure of clinically-relevant anxiety in fragile X syndrome.
Russo-Ponsaran obtained her Ph.D in Neuroscience from Northwestern University. In addition to her research on Fragile X Syndrome, Russo-Ponsaran’s areas of expertise include autism spectrum disorders, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, and language-based learning problems.