The Jr. Investigator Awards exists to promote and grow future research and treatment professionals in the Fragile X field by providing the invaluable experience of attending, networking, and presenting at the NFXF International Fragile X Conference.
We are SO excited to have such brilliant minds in the Fragile X field. The NFXF is proud to support these Junior Investigators and build the next generation of Fragile X experts.
Join us in celebrating our eight Jr. Investigator awardees!

Lisa DeStefano, PhD
Visual Discrimination in FXS: Insights From Behavior and EEG
Affiliation: Cincinnati Children’s Hospital
Brett Dufour, PhD
Evidence for Widespread Loss of Parvalbumin Expressing GABAergic Interneurons Throughout the Human Fragile X Brain
Affiliation: UC Davis
Nell Maltman, PhD
Language Features Among Individuals with Symptoms of Fragile X-Associated Tremor/Ataxia Syndrome
Affiliation: Cincinnati Children’s Hospital
Caroline Dias, MD, PhD
Cell-Type-Specific Effects of the Fragile X Premutation in Human Brain
Affiliation: Children’s Colorado
Andrew Dakopolos, PhD
Developmental Links Between Cognition, Adaptive Behavior, and Intelligence in Individuals with Fragile X Syndrome
Affiliation: UC Davis
Sarah Nelson Potter, PhD, CCC-SLP
Correlates of Parenting Stress in Mothers and Fathers of Young Boys with Fragile X Syndrome
Affiliation: RTI International
Walker McKinney, PhD
Results from a Double-Blind, Randomized, Placebo-Control Trial of lovastatin and Minocycline in Fragile X Syndrome
Affiliation: Cincinnati Children’s Hospital
Kimaya Sarmukadam, PhD
Sensory Impairments Predict Anxiety Symptoms in Preschoolers with Fragile X Syndrome: A Cross-Sectional Study
Affiliation: University of South Carolina