Cincinnati Fragile X Research and Treatment Center

The Cincinnati Fragile X Research and Treatment Center at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital is a member of the National Fragile X Foundation’s Fragile X Clinical & Research Consortium (FXCRC)

Fragile X Clinic / Fragile X Research and Treatment Center / Cincinnati Children's Hospital

Who We Are

The Cincinnati Fragile X Research and Treatment Center provides clinical care for all ages, infancy to adulthood, for all individuals with Fragile X Syndrome and related conditions and disorders. We have a team of pediatricians, psychiatrists, and psychologists that will work closely with your family. We offer research opportunities for all ages including clinical trials, longitudinal work, and studies of brain function and activity. Cincinnati Fragile X center is supported by funding from National Institutes of Health, United States Centers for Disease Control, Foundations and Donors.

Leadership

Craig Erickson, MD

Director, Cincinnati Fragile X Research and Treatment Center

Dr. Erickson specializes in research, clinical treatment, and new treatment development for fragile X Syndrome (FXS), autism spectrum disorders, and other related disorders. He is the director and founder of the Cincinnati Fragile X Research and Treatment Center. Dr. Erickson first met individuals with fragile X syndrome in the 1990’s when he worked at summer camps for children with developmental disorders in Cincinnati. Amazingly, some of these people are now his patients decades later. He originally entered medicine to work with people with developmental disorders and started to specialize specifically in fragile X in 2005 while in residency at Indiana University. He appreciates the long term relationships he has built with families within the very supportive fragile X stakeholder community over the years.

Ernie Pedapati, MD

Dr. Pedapati is a psychiatrist and pediatrician who provides clinical care for individuals with Fragile X of all ages. His research interests include developing new treatments and understanding brain activity. He co-directs the Fragile X gene therapy program at Cincinnati Children’s.

Kelli Dominick, MD, PhD

Dr. Dominick, is a neurodevelopmental psychiatrist and pediatrician. She sees young children with fragile X clinically and conducts neuroimaging research in FXS.

Debra Reisinger, PhD

Dr. Reisinger is a licensed clinical psychologist with expertise in assessment and treatment services with FXS. Her research interests include the integration of biological and behavior responses in developmental and treatment outcomes in FXS.

Elizabeth (Betsy) Smith, PhD

Dr. Smith is a clinical psychologist who uses neuroimaging techniques to understand how differences in social behaviors develop in FXS.

Lauren Schmitt, PhD

Dr. Schmitt is a clinical psychologist with expertise in cognitive functioning in FXS. She is interested in identifying biomarkers in EEG and blood that relate to behavior, and in understanding and treating cognitive flexibility.

Rebecca Shaffer, PsyD

Dr. Shaffer is a clinical psychologist whose research focuses on emotion dysregulation. She is committed to including a diverse range of participants in her research. She also provides clinical care, both in person and via telehealth, to Fragile X families. “I had the opportunity to work with Fragile X during my fellowship and fell in love with the community and families. The community is very welcoming and excited for young professionals to join and learn. Given that it is a disorder that impacts the entire family in a variety of ways, I enjoyed the ability to work with both children and adults and utilize my generalist clinical skills.”

Meredith Nelson, PhD

Dr. Nelson is a clinical psychologist. She specializes in assessment and diagnosis of individuals with a variety of developmental disability diagnoses, including autism spectrum disorder and FXS.

Shivali Sarawgi, PhD

Dr. Sarawgi is a clinical psychologist whose work focuses on anxiety and emotion regulation. She has a background in providing outpatient services for individuals with developmental disabilities and currently provides outpatient clinical care for Fragile X families (in person and by telehealth).

Martine Lamy, MD, PhD

Dr. Lamy specializes in inpatient psychiatric treatment of youth with neurodevelopmental disorders including Fragile X Syndrome (FXS). She is the medical director of the CCHMC Neurobehavioral Psychiatry Continuum of Care, which provides outpatient, intensive outpatient and inpatient services for youth with neurodevelopmental disorders and co-occurring mental illness and/or challenging behaviors