Steven Hicks

Steven D. Hicks, MD, PhD is a Professor in the Department of Pediatrics at Penn State College of Medicine, where he serves as Clinical Director of the Pediatric Clinical Research Office and Diagnostic Thrust Leader for the Center for Biodevices.

• Education: MD and PhD in Neuroscience from SUNY Upstate Medical University (2012), BS in Biology from Marist College (2005)

Dr. Hicks conducts translational research identifying molecular biomarkers for child growth, neurodevelopment, and disease. His key projects include:

• Saliva biomarkers for early autism detection
• Epigenetic impacts of breastmilk microRNA on infant development
• MicroRNA profiling in pediatric concussions

His work spans neuroscience, pediatrics, epigenetics, and genomics, with notable publications in JAMA Pediatrics and Autism Research. Dr. Hicks has secured major funding from the NIH and Gerber Foundation, and his team's autism diagnostic tool received CLIA certification in 2019.

• NIH F30 Fellowship (2009-2012)
• American Academy of Pediatrics Grants (2013-2014)
• CTSI KL2 Scholar Award (2018-2019)
• Gerber Foundation Grant (2018-2021)

As a clinician-educator, he mentors over 25 trainees annually and delivers key lectures on translational research and neurodevelopmental disorders. His clinical work focuses on general pediatrics and autism diagnostic evaluations.