Page 10 - Watch_Vol. I_2016

The BK virus, named for Daniel Ruderfer, M.D. Why do children with
the patient in whom it was Ralph D. Feigin, M.D., Fellowship autism sometimes regress
and lose developmental
first detected in 1971, is skills, distressing families
thought to be present in and confounding clinicians?
Can this phenomenon be
the majority of people, predicted, allowing better
who rarely are troubled approaches to diagnosis
by it. But for children with and treatment?

compromised immune Dr. Jennifer Swanson,
systems, particularly those a developmental-behavioral
pediatric fellow, is a native
who have organ or bone of Minnesota who com-
marrow transplants, the pleted her pediatric resi-
virus can be serious, caus- dency at Mayo Clinic. Her
ing severe kidney damage. research focuses on
scouring national data-
Dr. Daniel Ruderfer’s bases of information about
research will examine the children with autism to
effects that specific types find if African American
and Hispanic children have
of the virus have had on increased risks of develop-
Texas Children’s patients mental regression. She
and how treatment affect- unexpectedly found this
was the case in two data-
ed outcomes, providing bases but it was not in a
a window into possible third. Her research mentors
are Dr. Adiaha Spinks-
improved approaches. Franklin and Dr. Robin
A diverse patient pop- Goin-Kochel.
ulation and rich research
opportunities drew Ruderfer “I love working with
to Texas Children’s. After kids,” Swanson says. “I
receiving his medical have a special place in
degree from Technion my heart for children with
American Medical School developmental delays and
in Israel, he trained at autism, so I feel blessed
Winthrop University Hos- to come to work every
pital Children’s Medical day and see these chil-
Center in Mineola, New dren and their families in
York where he served as clinic. I do my best to
chief pediatric resident in support them.”

2013-2014.
A first-year fellow,
Ruderfer has published in
Pediatrics in Review and
Pediatric Annals, and pre-
sented several abstracts.

Jennifer Beth Swanson, M.D.
Russell J. Blattner, M.D., Fellowship