Postdoctoral Fellowship Position

POSTDOCTORAL FELLOWSHIP IN AUTISM AND FRAGILE X ASSOCIATED CONDITIONS

The lab of Dr. Jessica Klusek is pleased to announce the availability of one full-time NIH-funded postdoctoral fellowship position. This is a two-year position, with the option to extend to three years. The focus of this position is on language, literacy, and adult outcomes in fragile X syndrome. The fellow will also have the opportunity to participate in a variety of ongoing projects in the lab, which focus broadly on language and communication phenotypes in autism, the broad autism phenotype, and the FMR1 permutation. Dr. Klusek conducts research on psychiatric, physiological, and genetic correlates of communication ability across these neurodevelopment conditions.

The fellow will receive hands-on experience conducting clinical studies of individuals with neurodevelopment disorders and their families. Autism diagnostic training will be offered (ADOS-2 research reliability). The fellow will also have the opportunity to participate in specialized training in the use and interpretation of physiological (i.e., heart activity) data in NDD research and in pragmatic language assessment. The fellow will be expected to both advance ongoing projects and to collaborate with Dr. Klusek and other lab members to develop new studies. There will be a significant emphasis on manuscript preparation, as well as professional development such as running an independent lab, mentoring students, and grant writing. The fellow will be encouraged to submit their own application for external funding to a major federal agency or private foundation (e.g., NIH, Autism Speaks).

Dr. Klusek’s research is interdisciplinary and this opportunity is appropriate for applicants with backgrounds in psychology, speech-language pathology, health and human development, or other related disciplines. The start date is flexible, beginning fall 2018 or spring 2019.

Interested candidates are invited to e-mail a CV and statement of interest to:

Jessica Klusek, Ph.D., CCC-SLP
Assistant Professor
Dept. Communication Sciences and Disorders
Arnold School of Public Health
University of South Carolina
KLUSEK@mailbox.sc.edu

New study on literacy published

Check out our newest study on literacy development in children with fragile X syndrome!! Published in the American Journal of Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities, research the published is called ‘Reading in children with fragile X syndrome: Phonological awareness and feasibility of intervention’.

Rainey Hughes’ Paper Accepted for Publication!

Rainey Hughes, a former undergraduate research assistant with the lab, has had a paper accepted for publication in Caravel, USC’s journal for undergraduate research! Rainey’s paper, Communicative Gestures in Infants with Fragile X Syndrome, presents the results of her Magellan Scholars undergraduate research project focused on gesture skills in 12-month old infants with fragile X syndrome. Rainey is currently pursuing a PhD in School Psychology at the University of Houston. Congratulations, Rainey! We are so proud of your accomplishments!

Alexis Graduates with Honors!

Alexis Ruber, our long-time research assistant, has graduated with honors from the South Carolina Honors College! Alexis completed a senior honors thesis chaired by Dr. Jessica Klusek, entitled “Reduced Eye Contact and Anxiety in Women with the FMR1 Premutation”. Her research with the lab was funded by a University of South Carolina Science Undergraduate Research Fellowships (SURF) and a Magellan Scholar Award. Alexis will begin dental school at the Medical University of South Carolina in the fall, where she will pursue training in pediatric dentistry with a focus on dentistry for children with special needs. Congratulations, Alexis! We wish you the best!