معرفی
David Hessl is a Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Science at the University of California, Davis. He directs the Translational Psychophysiology and Assessment Laboratory (T-PAL) at the MIND Institute, focusing on emotional psychophysiology in neurodevelopmental disorders and clinical trial outcome measures. His research prioritizes fragile X syndrome, autism, Down syndrome, and FMR1 premutation carriers at risk for neurodegenerative conditions like FXTAS. He collaborates on brain imaging, molecular genetics, and neuropsychology studies to link genetics, brain function, and behavior. Hessl has conducted clinical trials of cognitive training for fragile X and autism, emphasizing translational research.
Dr. Hessl earned his Ph.D. in Child Clinical Psychology from the University of Washington (1997), with a clinical internship at Stanford University and postdoctoral training at UC Berkeley’s Institute of Human Development. His expertise spans developmental psychopathology, particularly mood/anxiety disorders in children, and neurodevelopmental disorder assessment.
Research interests include psychophysiological responses to emotional stimuli, neurobehavioral profiles in genetic disorders, and innovative outcome measures for clinical trials. He has published extensively on biomarkers (e.g., EEG, MRI), treatment efficacy (e.g., metformin, Cogmed training), and FXTAS progression. His work bridges clinical practice and scientific discovery, with a focus on improving quality of life for individuals with neurodevelopmental disabilities.
Key contributions include developing the Fragile X-associated Tremor Ataxia Syndrome Rating Scale (FXTAS-RS), evaluating parent-reported outcome measures, and investigating metabolic and genetic biomarkers. Hessl’s lab also explores smartphone-based tools like iBehavior for real-time behavioral assessment in neurodevelopmental disorders.
