Shafali Jeste

Shafali Jeste is a Professor of Neurology and Pediatrics at the University of Southern California, where she also serves as Division Chief of Neurology and Co-Director of the Neurological Institute at Children's Hospital Los Angeles (CHLA). Her academic and clinical work is centered at the intersection of pediatric neurology and neurodevelopmental disorders, with a strong commitment to translational research that bridges basic science and clinical application.

Dr. Jeste's research program is dedicated to understanding the neurobiological underpinnings of autism spectrum disorder (ASD), epilepsy, and related genetic syndromes such as Dup15q and Tuberous Sclerosis Complex. She employs electrophysiological techniques, particularly EEG, to identify biomarkers for diagnosis and treatment monitoring. Her work also integrates genomic data to inform neuropsychiatric care and improve diagnostic pathways for children with neurogenetic conditions. This multidisciplinary approach involves collaboration across neurology, genetics, psychiatry, and statistics.

Analysis of her recent publications (2023-2025) indicates a consistent emphasis on characterizing the clinical and electrophysiological profiles of specific neurogenetic disorders, optimizing diagnostic processes, and developing objective biomarkers for clinical trials. Her research increasingly incorporates advanced statistical methods for analyzing complex neurophysiological data, reflecting a growing trend toward computational neuroscience in her field.

Dr. Jeste co-directs the Neurological Institute at CHLA and leads the Autism Biomarkers Consortium for Clinical Trials, a collaborative initiative aimed at validating EEG biomarkers for autism to accelerate therapeutic development. While specific details about her laboratory and team composition are not provided, her leadership roles suggest oversight of a multidisciplinary research group.