Children’s Hospital Los Angeles neurologist Shafali Spurling Jeste, MD, has been named the 2024 recipient of the prestigious Martha Bridge Denckla Award from the Child Neurology Society.
Children’s Hospital Los Angeles Neurologist Honored With Prestigious Research Award
LOS ANGELES (March 4, 2024) – Children’s Hospital Los Angeles (CHLA) neurologist Shafali Spurling Jeste, MD, has been named the 2024 recipient of the prestigious Martha Bridge Denckla Award from the Child Neurology Society. This award—named after a physician who pioneered the field of developmental cognitive neurology—honors physician-scientists of international standing who conduct research and clinical care focused on neurodevelopmental and neurobehavioral disorders.
Dr. Jeste, Chief of Neurology and Co-Director of the Neurological Institute at CHLA, is a prolific researcher whose lab—Kids with Neurogenetic and Developmental Disabilities (KiNDD)—has defined early predictors of autism in at-risk infants, as well as biomarkers and clinical endpoints for trials in genetic neurodevelopmental disorders. She also has established a multidisciplinary clinic in CHLA’s Neurological Institute for children with genetic neurodevelopmental disabilities.
“This is an esteemed honor that recognizes the very best physician-scientists for their field-leading clinical research and care designed to improve the outlook for children with neurodevelopmental disabilities,” says Alan Wayne, MD, Pediatrician-In-Chief and Senior Vice President of Academic Affairs at CHLA and Chair of the Department of Pediatrics at the Keck School of Medicine of USC. “Dr. Jeste has devoted her career to improving diagnosis, treatment and outcomes of children with neurodevelopmental disorders. At CHLA’s Neurological Institute, she has also championed the expansion of access to autism treatment programs and clinical trials for children from under-resourced communities.”
According to the Child Neurology Society, Dr. Jeste was selected from a record pool of nominees who conduct clinical research related to pediatric neurological disorders, especially neurodevelopmental disabilities. Award recipients have utilized behavioral, psychological, cognitive, epidemiological and clinical approaches and reflected the spirit of the advancements of Denckla, a revered clinician and mentor to professionals in the field.
“I am honored to receive the Martha Bridge Denckla Award,” Dr. Jeste says. “Dr. Denckla was one of the first child neurologists to recognize that we, as neurologists, needed to find more rigorous ways to assess and treat children with behavioral and developmental disabilities. I am passionate about continuing this legacy and accelerating advancements in evidence-based care for these children, with the goal of precision health in neurodevelopmental disorders.”
Jeste, who as an award recipient will give a presentation at the Child Neurology Society annual meeting in November in San Diego, joined Children’s Hospital Los Angeles in 2021 as Chief of the Division of Neurology. In this role, she holds the Las Madrinas Chair and oversees clinical care delivery and quality, research, training, strategic planning, recruitment and program development in pediatric neurology.
A Board-certified pediatric neurologist, Dr. Jeste has authored and contributed to more than 200 journal papers, editorials, chapters and abstracts. In 2019, she was awarded the Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers for her research in early predictors and intervention for genetic neurodevelopmental disorders.
Dr. Jeste holds several national and international leadership positions, previously serving on the Board of Directors of the International Society for Autism Research and currently on the Board of Directors of the National Organization for Rare Disorders. She also is Co-Founder of ACEing Autism, a national nonprofit that uses tennis to help children with autism connect, grow and develop.
Dr. Jeste earned her bachelor’s degree in philosophy from Yale University before obtaining her medical degree from Harvard Medical School. She completed an internship, residency and a fellowship in behavioral child neurology at Boston Children’s Hospital.
About Children’s Hospital Los Angeles
Founded in 1901, Children’s Hospital Los Angeles is at the forefront of pediatric medicine and is the largest provider of hospital care for children in California. Children’s Hospital is home to renowned experts who work together across disciplines to deliver inclusive and compassionate care, and drive advances that set pediatric standards across the nation and around the globe. Children’s Hospital Los Angeles delivers a level of care that is among the best in the world for a truly diverse population of children. The hospital is consistently ranked in the top 10 in the nation on U.S. News & World Report’s Honor Roll of Best Children’s Hospitals, including No. 1 in California and No. 1 in the Pacific U.S. region. Children’s Hospital Los Angeles embraces the hospital’s mission to create hope and build healthier futures. Children’s Hospital Los Angeles is among the top 10 children’s hospitals for National Institutes of Health funding. The Saban Research Institute of Children's Hospital Los Angeles supports the full continuum of research, allowing physicians and scientists to translate discoveries into treatments and bring answers to families faster. The pediatric academic medical center also is home to one of the largest training programs for pediatricians in the United States. And the hospital’s commitment to building strong communities is evident in CHLA’s efforts to fight food insecurity, enhance health education and literacy, and introduce more people to careers in health care. To learn more, follow CHLA on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, YouTube and X, formerly known as Twitter, and visit CHLA.org/blog.
