Morse Scholars
Current Morse Scholars
My aim is to advance understanding of early infant brain development. My research focuses on both developing quantitative neuroimaging techniques for imaging the infant brain and mapping how the brain develops during critical periods of rapid myelination. To better understand typical developmental timing, I use quantitative MRI techniques to compare white matter growth rates between humans and non-human primates.
I also aim to create a model of typical brain development from quantitative relaxometry and diffusion MRI data, and utilize this model to identify deviations from the norm in infants with perinatal brain injuries. These findings will be compared to infant motor scores, allowing for a better understanding of how these advanced MRI techniques can relate to developmental outcomes. This will potentially allow for earlier interventions during the period of highest neuroplasticity.
Because infants frequently move during imaging, another major goal of my research is to improve infant brain MRI data collection by developing a new acquisition method for quantitative relaxometry and multi-contrast imaging. This acquisition method strives to reduce the scan time and correct for motion, allowing for the acquisition of more high-quality infant MRI datasets.
Major professor: Andy Alexander, PhD
Disciplines that I pull from in my research: Neuroimaging, Infant Development,
Medical Physics
Articles that influenced my research:
Kecskemeti S, Alexander AL. Three-dimensional motion-corrected T1 relaxometry with MPnRAGE. Magn Reson Med. 2020; 84: 2400–2411. https://doi-org.ezproxy.library.wisc.edu/10.1002/mrm.28283
Jason F. Moody, Nakul Aggarwal, Douglas C. Dean, Do P.M. Tromp, Steve R. Kecskemeti, Jonathan A. Oler, Ned H. Kalin, Andrew L. Alexander, Longitudinal assessment of early-life white matter development with quantitative relaxometry in nonhuman primates, NeuroImage, Volume 251, 2022, 118989, ISSN 1053-8119, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neuroimage.2022.118989.
Sean C. L. Deoni, Evelyne Mercure, Anna Blasi, David Gasston, Alex Thomson, Mark Johnson, Steven C. R. Williams, Declan G. M. Murphy. Mapping Infant Brain Myelination with Magnetic Resonance Imaging. Journal of Neuroscience 12 January 2011, 31 (2) 784-791; DOI: 10.1523/JNEUROSCI.2106-10.2011.
Atchar Sudhyadhom, Ihtsham U. Haq, Kelly D. Foote, Michael S. Okun, Frank J. Bova, A high resolution and high contrast MRI for differentiation of subcortical structures for DBS targeting: The Fast Gray Matter Acquisition T1 Inversion Recovery (FGATIR), NeuroImage, Volume 47, Supplement 2, 2009, Pages T44-T52, ISSN 1053-8119,https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neuroimage.2009.04.018.
Marques JP, Kober T, Krueger G, Van Der Zwaag W, Van De Moortele PF, Gruetter R. MP2RAGE, a self bias-field corrected sequence for improved segmentation and T1-mapping at high field. NeuroImage. 2010;49(2):1271-1281. doi:10.1016/j.neuroimage.2009.10.002
My program of research aims to understand how adults’ speech characteristics influence children’s language and social outcomes in clinical settings, particularly in the field of speech-language pathology. When we communicate, we convey information through both the content of our message and the manner in which it is presented. Through acoustic analysis, I aim to characterize the ways in which adults adapt their speech to children’s needs in professional settings. By leaning on my experience with intervention research and school-based clinical practice, I seek to connect these speech adaptations to child outcomes with high clinical relevance, such as short-term language learning and adult-child rapport. Ultimately, my goal is to increase awareness of the role of speech characteristics to enhance clinical interactions with children across populations and settings.
Major professor: Audra Sterling, PhD
Disciplines that I pull from in my research: Speech-Language Pathology, Acoustics, Psychology, Education, Child Development
Articles that influenced my research:
Bone, D., Lee, C.-C., Black, M. P., Williams, M. E., Lee, S., Levitt, P., & Narayanan, S. (2014). The psychologist as an interlocutor in autism spectrum disorder assessment: insights from a study of spontaneous prosody. Journal of Speech, Language, and Hearing Research: JSLHR, 57(4), 1162–1177. https://doi.org/10.1044/2014_JSLHR-S-13-0062
Kempe, V., Ota, M., & Schaeffler, S. (2024). Does child-directed speech facilitate language development in all domains? A study space analysis of the existing evidence. Developmental Review: DR, 72(101121). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.dr.2024.101121
Sheng, L., McGregor, K. K., & Xu, Y. (2003). Prosodic and lexical-syntactic aspects of the therapeutic register. Clinical Linguistics & Phonetics, 17(4–5), 355–363. https://doi.org/10.1080/0269920031000079985
Wynn, C. J., Barrett, T. S., & Borrie, S. A. (2022). Rhythm Perception, Speaking Rate Entrainment, and Conversational Quality: A Mediated Model. Journal of Speech, Language, and Hearing Research: JSLHR, 65(6), 2187–2203. https://doi.org/10.1044/2022_JSLHR-21-00293
I am a pediatric physical therapist and PhD student specializing in neurodevelopment and motor function. Working closely with children diagnosed with cerebral palsy for over a decade has provided invaluable insights into the challenges and disparities they encounter across their lifespans. My research is dedicated to improving our understanding of how early brain development impacts motor function and rehabilitation outcomes in infants with an early brain injury. I focus on the critical period from birth to 12 months of age when the brain’s motor pathways, especially the corticospinal tract (CST), undergo significant changes. By using advanced neuroimaging techniques and non-invasive brain stimulation, I investigate how these pathways influence a child’s ability to move and engage with their environment. Additionally, I am interested in how these developmental pathways may differ in infants with varying levels of motor impairments. Understanding these neural processes is crucial for developing personalized rehabilitation strategies to enhance the quality of life and participation of children with motor disabilities. My long-term goal is to translate these scientific insights into clinical practice, helping to shape the future of pediatric rehabilitation and optimize outcomes for children with neurodevelopmental challenges.
Home department: Graduate Program in Clinical Investigation; Department of Pediatrics, Division of Developmental Pediatrics & Rehabilitation Medicine
Major professor: Bernadette Gillick, PhD, MSPT, PT
Disciplines that I pull from in my research: Pediatrics, Neuroscience, Physical Therapy, Rehabilitation, Neurophysiology, Neonatology, Medical Physics/Neuroimaging
Articles that influenced my research:
Saiote C, Sutter E, Xenopoulos-Oddsson A, Rao R, Georgieff M, Rudser K, Peyton C, Dean D, McAdams RM, Gillick B. Study Protocol: Multimodal Longitudinal Assessment of Infant Brain Organization and Recovery in Perinatal Brain Injury. Pediatr Phys Ther. 2022 Apr 1;34(2):268-276. doi: 10.1097/PEP.0000000000000886. PMID: 35385465; PMCID: PMC9200232.
Kowalski JL, Nemanich ST, Nawshin T, Chen M, Peyton C, Zorn E, Hickey M, Rao R, Georgieff M, Rudser K, Gillick BT. Motor Evoked Potentials as Potential Biomarkers of Early Atypical Corticospinal Tract Development in Infants with Perinatal Stroke. J Clin Med. 2019 Aug 13;8(8):1208. doi: 10.3390/jcm8081208. PMID: 31412592; PMCID: PMC6723226.
Novak I, Morgan C, Adde L, Blackman J, Boyd RN, Brunstrom-Hernandez J, Cioni G, Damiano D, Darrah J, Eliasson AC, de Vries LS, Einspieler C, Fahey M, Fehlings D, Ferriero DM, Fetters L, Fiori S, Forssberg H, Gordon AM, Greaves S, Guzzetta A, Hadders-Algra M, Harbourne R, Kakooza-Mwesige A, Karlsson P, Krumlinde-Sundholm L, Latal B, Loughran-Fowlds A, Maitre N, McIntyre S, Noritz G, Pennington L, Romeo DM, Shepherd R, Spittle AJ, Thornton M, Valentine J, Walker K, White R, Badawi N. Early, Accurate Diagnosis and Early Intervention in Cerebral Palsy: Advances in Diagnosis and Treatment. JAMA Pediatr. 2017 Sep 1;171(9):897-907. doi: 10.1001/jamapediatrics.2017.1689. Erratum in: JAMA Pediatr. 2017 Sep 1;171(9):919. doi: 10.1001/jamapediatrics.2017.3169. PMID: 28715518; PMCID: PMC9641643.
Chakrabarty S, Friel KM, Martin JH. Activity-dependent plasticity improves M1 motor representation and corticospinal tract connectivity. J Neurophysiol. 2009 Mar;101(3):1283-93. doi: 10.1152/jn.91026.2008. Epub 2008 Dec 17. PMID: 19091920; PMCID: PMC2666405.
Eyre JA, Smith M, Dabydeen L, Clowry GJ, Petacchi E, Battini R, Guzzetta A, Cioni G. Is hemiplegic cerebral palsy equivalent to amblyopia of the corticospinal system? Ann Neurol. 2007 Nov;62(5):493-503. doi: 10.1002/ana.21108. PMID: 17444535.
Curriculum Vitae
My research aims to better understand how subtle variations in brain development and connectivity correlate with individual behavioral differences in autistic children. Specifically, I apply advanced neuroimaging methods and behavioral assessments to explore the role of the brainstem in arousal regulation, sleep, sensory processing, and attention in autistic children. I am also very interested in examining how these neurodevelopmental pathways may differ in autistic children with co-occurring conditions like ADHD. Outlining details about these neural pathways is essential to improving our understanding of the unique neurodevelopmental trajectories in autism, which in the future could inform novel diagnostic and subtyping brain biomarkers and contribute to the development of neurobiology-based personalized interventions that may enhance the health and wellbeing for autistic individuals. My long-term goal is to integrate these scientific insights with clinical practice as a physician-scientist, dedicated to advancing care and outcomes for those with disabilities.
Home department: Neuroscience Training Program; Medical Scientist Training Program
Major professor: Brittany Travers, PhD
Disciplines that I pull from in my research: Neuroscience, Psychology, Medical Physics/Neuroimaging
Articles that influenced my research:
Dadalko, O. I., & Travers, B. G. (2018). Evidence for Brainstem Contributions to Autism Spectrum Disorders. Frontiers in Integrative Neuroscience, 12, 47. https://doi.org/10.3389/fnint.2018.00047
Surgent, O., Riaz, A., Ausderau, K. K., Adluru, N., Kirk, G. R., Guerrero-Gonzalez, J., Skaletski, E. C., Kecskemeti, S. R., Dean Iii, D. C., Weismer, S. E., Alexander, A. L., & Travers, B. G. (2022). Brainstem white matter microstructure is associated with hyporesponsiveness and overall sensory features in autistic children. Molecular Autism, 13(1), 48. https://doi.org/10.1186/s13229-022-00524-3
Singh, K., García-Gomar, M. G., Cauzzo, S., Staab, J. P., Indovina, I., & Bianciardi, M. (2022). Structural connectivity of autonomic, pain, limbic, and sensory brainstem nuclei in living humans based on 7 Tesla and 3 Tesla MRI. Human Brain Mapping, 43(10), 3086–3112. https://doi.org/10.1002/hbm.25836
Salhi, S., Kora, Y., Ham, G., Zadeh Haghighi, H., & Simon, C. (2023). Network analysis of the human structural connectome including the brainstem. PLOS ONE, 18(4), e0272688. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0272688
Edlow, B. L., Olchanyi, M., Freeman, H. J., Li, J., Maffei, C., Snider, S. B., Zöllei, L., Iglesias, J. E., Augustinack, J., Bodien, Y. G., Haynes, R. L., Greve, D. N., Diamond, B. R., Stevens, A., Giacino, J. T., Destrieux, C., Van Der Kouwe, A., Brown, E. N., Folkerth, R. D., … Kinney, H. C. (2024). Multimodal MRI reveals brainstem connections that sustain wakefulness in human consciousness. Science Translational Medicine, 16(745), eadj4303. https://doi.org/10.1126/scitranslmed.adj4303
My research focuses on health and public benefit access and efficacy for autistic adults. In doing so, I aim to listen to and collaborate with autistic adults. In my research, I hope to understand autistic adults’ perceptions of and use of public benefits throughout the lifespan. The ultimate goal of this research is to inform more effective and accessible public benefit policies and supports for autistic adults.
Home department: Sandra Rosenbaum School of Social Work
Major professor: Karla Ausderau, PhD
Disciplines that I pull from in my research: Social Work, Public Policy, Sociology
Articles that influenced my research:
Shea, L. L., Koffer Miller, K. H., Verstreate, K., Tao, S., & Mandell, D. (2021). States’ use of Medicaid to meet the needs of autistic individuals. Health Services Research, 56(6), 1207–1214. https://doi.org/10.1111/1475-6773.13671
Jariwala-Parikh, K., Barnard, M., Holmes, E. R., West-Strum, D., Bentley, J. P., Banahan, B., & Khanna, R. (2019). Autism Prevalence in the Medicaid Program and Healthcare Utilization and Costs Among Adult Enrollees Diagnosed with Autism. Administration and Policy in Mental Health and Mental Health Services Research, 46(6), 768–776. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10488-019-00960-z
Botha, M., & Gillespie-Lynch, K. (2022). Come as You Are: Examining Autistic Identity Development and the Neurodiversity Movement through an Intersectional Lens. Human Development, 66(2), 93–112. https://doi.org/10.1159/000524123
Bell, E., Christensen, J., Herd, P., & Moynihan, D. (2023). Health in citizen-state interactions: How physical and mental health problems shape experiences of administrative burden and reduce take-up. Public Administration Review, 83(2), 385–400. https://doi.org/10.1111/puar.13568
My research aims to elucidate the molecular mechanisms underlying Fragile X syndrome (FXS). I use patient-derived stem cell models, combined with dCas9-based genome-wide screening and protein interactome approaches, to identify molecular pathways that regulate neurodevelopment and uncover potential protein-level therapeutic targets. My long-term goal is to advance the development of treatments for neurodevelopmental disorders by uncovering novel mechanisms underlying disease pathophysiology and translating these insights into therapeutic strategies.
Home department: Neuroscience Training Program
Major Professor: Xinyu Zhao, PhD
Disciplines that I pull from in my research: Neuroscience, Stem Cell Biology, Molecular Biology
Articles that influenced my research:
Shen M, Sirois CL, Guo Y, Li M, Dong Q, Méndez-Albelo NM, Gao Y, Khullar S, Kissel L, Sandoval SO, Wolkoff NE, Huang SX, Xu Z, Bryan JE, Contractor AM, Korabelnikov T, Glass IA, Doherty D; Birth Defects Research Laboratory; Levine JE, Sousa AMM, Chang Q, Bhattacharyya A, Wang D, Werling DM, Zhao X. Species-specific FMRP regulation of RACK1 is critical for prenatal cortical development. Neuron. 2023 Dec 20;111(24):3988-4005.e11. doi: 10.1016/j.neuron.2023.09.014.
Li, C., Fleck, J.S., Martins-Costa, C. et al. Single-cell brain organoid screening identifies developmental defects in autism. Nature 621, 46 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41586-023-06473-y
Shen M, Wang F, Li M, Sah N, Stockton ME, Tidei JJ, Gao Y, Korabelnikov T, Kannan S, Vevea JD, Chapman ER, Bhattacharyya A, van Praag H, Zhao X. Reduced mitochondrial fusion and Huntingtin levels contribute to impaired dendritic maturation and behavioral deficits in Fmr1-mutant mice. Nat Neurosci. 2019 Mar;22(3):386-400. doi: 10.1038/s41593-019-0338-y. Epub 2019 Feb 11. PMID: 30742117; PMCID: PMC6556892.
My research explores the relationship between language development and social cognition in young children. Employing innovative methodologies such as gaze-contingent eye-tracking paradigms, I investigate how toddlers acquire and use the complex social rules governing language use. This approach allows for the study of early pragmatic competencies while minimizing confounding factors like social engagement or language production requirements. By developing and openly sharing novel empirical methods and computational tools, I also seek to enhance research accessibility in developmental psychology. My work aims to contribute to a more nuanced understanding of language acquisition and social cognition across diverse populations, bridging insights from various disciplines within human development to advance our knowledge of early cognitive and linguistic processes.
Home department: Psychology
Major Professor: Jenny Saffran, PhD
Disciplines that I pull from in my research: Developmental Psychology, Linguistics, Cognitive Science
Articles that influenced my research:
Koenig, M. A., & Woodward, A. L. (2010). Sensitivity of 24-month-olds to the prior inaccuracy of the source: Possible mechanisms. Developmental Psychology, 46(4), 815–826. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0019664
Bohn, M., & Frank, M. C. (2019). The Pervasive Role of Pragmatics in Early Language. In Annual Review of Developmental Psychology (Vol. 1, Issue Volume 1, 2019, pp. 223–249). Annual Reviews. https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev-devpsych-121318-085037
Bazhydai, M., Westermann, G., & Parise, E. (2020). “I don’t know but I know who to ask”: 12‐month‐olds actively seek information from knowledgeable adults. Developmental Science, 23(5). https://doi.org/10.1111/desc.12938
Raviv, L., & Arnon, I. (2018). Systematicity, but not compositionality: Examining the emergence of linguistic structure in children and adults using iterated learning. Cognition, 181, 160–173. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cognition.2018.08.011
Newport, E. L. (1990). Maturational Constraints on Language Learning. Cognitive Science, 14(1), 11–28. https://doi.org/10.1207/s15516709cog1401_2
My research aims to understand how brain cells develop differently in individuals with Down Syndrome, or trisomy 21. Specifically, I use stem cells generated from individuals with Down Syndrome and tools like RNA sequencing and flourescent microscopy to understand how an additional copy of chromosome 21 alters the transition from stem cell to a particular brain cells called neurons. This approach aims to inform early mechanisms that can be targeted to improve outcomes like language development and motor coordination in individuals with Down Syndrome.
Home department: Medical Scientist Training Program; Cell and Molecular Biology Graduate Program
Major Professor: Anita Bhattacharyya, PhD
Disciplines that I pull from in my research: Developmental biology, stem cell biology, neuroscience
Articles that influenced my research:
Giffin-Rao Y, Sheng J, Strand B, Xu K, Huang L, Medo M, Risgaard KA, Dantinne S, Mohan S, Keshan A, Daley RA Jr, Levesque B, Amundson L, Reese R, Sousa AMM, Tao Y, Wang D, Zhang SC, Bhattacharyya A. Altered patterning of trisomy 21 interneuron progenitors. Stem Cell Reports. 2022 Jun 14;17(6):1366-1379. doi: 10.1016/j.stemcr.2022.05.001. Epub 2022 May 26. PMID: 35623352; PMCID: PMC9214050.
Roper RJ, Baxter LL, Saran NG, Klinedinst DK, Beachy PA, Reeves RH. Defective cerebellar response to mitogenic Hedgehog signaling in Down [corrected] syndrome mice. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2006 Jan 31;103(5):1452-6. doi: 10.1073/pnas.0510750103. Epub 2006 Jan 23. Erratum in: Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2006 Mar 28;103(13):5242. PMID: 16432181; PMCID: PMC1360600.
Sharma V, Nehra S, Do LH, Ghosh A, Deshpande AJ, Singhal N. Biphasic cell cycle defect causes impaired neurogenesis in down syndrome. Front Genet. 2022 Oct 12;13:1007519. doi: 10.3389/fgene.2022.1007519. PMID: 36313423; PMCID: PMC9596798.
My program of research aims to characterize language and communication in children with neurodevelopmental disabilities, with a particular focus on Down syndrome. I examine how individuals use language in naturalistic interactions, how communication partners contribute to these interactions, and how these patterns relate to standardized measures of language and communication. Through analysis of language samples and parent-child interactions, I seek to identify features of communication that may be overlooked by conventional assessments, including unconventional language use and differences in how communication unfolds across contexts and communication partners. I also examine the validity of standardized measures across neurodevelopmental populations, with the goal of determining whether these measures adequately capture the behavioral characteristics they are intended to assess. Ultimately, my goal is to develop a more comprehensive approach to characterizing communication in neurodevelopmental disabilities that connects standardized assessment with how individuals communicate in their everyday lives.
Home department: Communication Sciences & Disorders
Major professor: Audra Sterling, PhD
Disciplines that I pull from in my research: Speech-language pathology, child development, education, disability studies
Articles that influenced my research:
Connaghan, K. P., Baylor, C., Romanczyk, M., Rickwood, J., & Bedell, G. (2022). Communication and Social Interaction Experiences of Youths With Congenital Motor Speech Disorders. American Journal of Speech-Language Pathology, 31(6), 2609–2627. https://doi.org/10.1044/2022_AJSLP-22-00034
Esbensen, A. J., Hooper, S. R., Fidler, D., Hartley, S., Edgin, J., d’Ardhuy, X. L., Capone, G., Conners, F., Mervis, C. B., Abbeduto, L., Rafii, M., Krinsky-McHale, S. J., & Urv, T. (2017). Outcome Measures for Clinical Trials in Down Syndrome. American Journal on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities, 122(3), 247–281. https://doi.org/10.1352/1944-7558-122.3.247
Luyster, R. J., Zane, E., & Wisman Weil, L. (2022). Conventions for unconventional language: Revisiting a framework for spoken language features in autism. Autism & Developmental Language Impairments, 7, 23969415221105472. https://doi.org/10.1177/23969415221105472
Mason-Apps, E., Stojanovik, V., Houston-Price, C., Seager, E., & Buckley, S. (2020). Do Infants With Down Syndrome Show an Early Receptive Language Advantage? Journal of Speech, Language, and Hearing Research, 63(2), 585–598. https://doi.org/10.1044/2019_JSLHR-19-00157
Sterling, A., Lorang, E., Reis, K., & Elmquist, M. (2025). The Impact of Autistic Traits on Joint Attention in Young Children With Down Syndrome During Mother–Child and Father–Child Interactions. American Journal of Speech-Language Pathology. https://doi.org/10.1044/2024_AJSLP-24-00041
My research investigates how prenatal factors, including demographic characteristics and substance exposure, shape infant brain and cognitive development. I integrate quantitative relaxometry and diffusion MRI techniques to assess infant brain microstructure. I aim to associate these imaging findings with validated developmental assessments to better understand how early brain changes relate to emerging cognitive function. This interdisciplinary approach aims to identify early biomarkers of neurodevelopmental risk and inform strategies to improve outcomes for vulnerable infant populations.
Home department: Neuroscience Training Program
Major professor: Doug Dean III, PhD
Disciplines that I pull from in my research: Neuroimaging, Infant development, Prenatal risk assessment
Articles that influenced my research:
Lean RE, Smyser CD, Brady RG, Triplett RL, Kaplan S, Kenley JK, Shimony JS, Smyser TA, Miller JP, Barch DM, Luby JL, Warner BB, Rogers CE. Prenatal exposure to maternal social disadvantage and psychosocial stress and neonatal white matter connectivity at birth. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2022 Oct 18;119(42):e2204135119. doi: 10.1073/pnas.2204135119. Epub 2022 Oct 11. PMID: 36219693; PMCID: PMC9586270.
Donald KA, Roos A, Fouche JP, Koen N, Howells FM, Woods RP, Zar HJ, Narr KL, Stein DJ. A study of the effects of prenatal alcohol exposure on white matter microstructural integrity at birth. Acta Neuropsychiatr. 2015 Aug;27(4):197-205. doi: 10.1017/neu.2015.35. Epub 2015 May 29. PMID: 26022619; PMCID: PMC6465963.
Zhao X, Shi J, Dai F, Wei L, Zhang B, Yu X, Wang C, Zhu W, Wang H. Brain Development From Newborn to Adolescence: Evaluation by Neurite Orientation Dispersion and Density Imaging. Front Hum Neurosci. 2021 Mar 15;15:616132. doi: 10.3389/fnhum.2021.616132. PMID: 33790750; PMCID: PMC8005551.
Dean DC 3rd, Planalp EM, Wooten W, Kecskemeti SR, Adluru N, Schmidt CK, Frye C, Birn RM, Burghy CA, Schmidt NL, Styner MA, Short SJ, Kalin NH, Goldsmith HH, Alexander AL, Davidson RJ. Association of Prenatal Maternal Depression and Anxiety Symptoms With Infant White Matter Microstructure. JAMA Pediatr. 2018 Oct 1;172(10):973-981. doi: 10.1001/jamapediatrics.2018.2132. PMID: 30177999; PMCID: PMC6190835.
Morse Scholars Reunion 2018
