Jane Roberts, PhD
Principal Investigator of the USC Neurodevelopmental Disorders Lab
Dr. Jane Roberts joined the faculty at USC in 2008. She is a school psychologist who received her Ph.D. from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 1998 and spent 10 years at UNC as a research investigator and scientist at the FPG Child Development Institute. Her work focuses on understanding the biological mechanisms that underlie cognitive and behavioral functioning in children and adults with neurodevelopmental disorders such as autism, fragile X syndrome, and ADHD.
Dr. Roberts' current research focuses on:
- Early detection of autism in high risk populations: autism and fragile X syndrome
- Genetic and psychosocial contributions to mood and anxiety disorders in women with the FMR1 premutation
- Hyperarousal and stress in young children with neurodevelopmental disorders
For more detailed information regarding Dr Robert's research, you can review her curriculum vitae and ResearchGate profile.
Dr. Roberts is married, has three children, and enjoys reading and playing tennis in her spare time.
Holley (Pitts) Arnold, PhD
Assistant Scientist
Dr. Holley Pitts Arnold is an Assistant Scientist. She completed her PhD in Experimental Psychology through the University of Louisville. Holley’s work broadly focuses on understanding the cognitive, language, and socioemotional development of children who have neurodevelopmental disorders such as fragile X syndrome, Williams syndrome, and duplication 7q11.23 syndrome. Her current research focuses on investigating how early indicators of physiological and behavioral development may impact children’s everyday living skills, social communication abilities, self-regulatory skills, and psychopathology. Holley is very excited about her position at the NDD Lab and looks forward to working with the children and their families who participate in our research!
For more detailed information regarding Dr. Holley Pitts Arnold’s research, you can review her ResearchGate profile.
Lisa Hamrick, PhD
Research Assistant Scientist
Dr. Lisa Hamrick is a Research Assistant Scientist. Lisa worked for the NDD Lab for two years as a research assistant prior to completing her PhD in Clinical Psychology at Purdue University under the mentorship of Bridgette Kelleher (another NDD Lab alum!). Lisa’s research focuses on early social communication and language development of children at increased likelihood of autism and neurodevelopmental conditions, including children with neurogenetic syndromes such as fragile X syndrome, Down syndrome, and Angelman syndrome. Lisa is passionate about developing and utilizing assessment methods that are strengths-based and which capture the full range of abilities of children with neurodevelopmental conditions. In 2026, Lisa was awarded K23 research grant, Vocal Development and Social Communication Outcomes of Children with An Older Sibling with Autism. In her free time, Lisa enjoys playing tennis, running, scrapbooking, and spending time with husband and daughters.
Collaborators
Dr. Elizabeth “Liz” Will is an assistant professor in the department of Communication Sciences & Disorders at USC’s Arnold School of Public Health. Dr. Will’s research investigates early atypical development and co-occurring autism in genetic conditions associated with intellectual disability, specifically Down syndrome. Dr. Will is currently the director of the Developmental Dynamics Lab, following the completion of her postdoctoral fellowship at the NDD Lab. Learn more.
Dr. Abigail Hogan is an assistant professor in the department of Communication Sciences & Disorders at USC’s Arnold School of Public Health. She is the director of the Communication in Autism and Neurodevelopmental Disorders (CANDi) Lab and previously served as the Assistant Director of the NDD Lab following her postdoctoral fellowship with Dr. Roberts. Dr. Hogan’s research focuses on social communication in autism spectrum disorder, with an emphasis on factors that contribute to social communication development in young autistic children. Learn more.
Dr. Kimberly J. Hills is a clinical professor in the Department of Psychology at the University of South Carolina. She serves as a trainer and mentor in the NDD Lab and provides clinical training in ASD assessment skills to clinicians across the state of South Carolina. Her current research interests focus on autism diagnosis, psychological assessment, prevention and intervention for at-risk youth and positive psychology. Learn more.
Dr. Jessica Klusek is an associate professor in the Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, within the University of South Carolina’s Arnold School of Public Health. Previously, she was a postdoctoral fellow in the NDD Lab. Her research focuses on gaining a better understanding of how communication features associated with autism and fragile X syndrome are shaped by genetic and physiological factors. Learn more.
Dr. Jessica Bradshaw is an associate professor in the Department of Psychology at the University of South Carolina. Her research focuses on early identification and intervention of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in the first years of life. Learn more.
Dr. John E. Richards is a Carolina Distinguished Professor Department of Psychology at the University of South Carolina. Dr. Richards is a co-investigator with Dr. Roberts on a grant to study attention and face processing in infants and preschoolers with neurodevelopmental disorders. Most participants in our NDD lab studies also participate in an EEG study with Dr. Richards. Learn more.
Dr. James McPartland is Harris Professor in the Child Study Center at the Yale School of Medicine. As a consultant on one of our NIH grants, he provides expertise on the development, implementation, and interpretation of electrophysiological indicators of social perception in children with fragile X syndrome, FMR1 premutation, typical controls, and high risk children who have siblings with autism. Learn more.
Dr. Fredrick Shic is an associate professor in the University of Washington’s Department of Pediatrics/Seattle Children’s Research Institute. He is a co-investigator on one of our NIH grants that utilizes eye tracking to study attention and social development. Dr. Shic’s current research interests include applications of eye-tracking and functional near infrared spectroscopy to the study of the social and cognitive development in infants, toddler, and children with autism and other development disorders, and the development of new technologies and methodologies for enriching both our understanding of neuropsychiatric conditions and the lives of affected children and their families. Learn more.
Dr. Bridgette (Tonnsen) Kelleher is an associate professor of Psychological Sciences at Purdue University. As a consultant on one of our NIH grants, Dr. Tonnsen uses her expertise to lead the heart activity data and assists with the integration and collection of eye-tracking data. Learn more.
Dr. Leonard Abbeduto is a nationally recognized researcher and a leader in improving the lives of children and adults with neurodevelopmental disabilities. He is the director of the UC Davis MIND Institute and the holder of the Tsakopoulos-Vismara Endowed Chair in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences in the UC Davis School of Medicine. Learn more.
Dr. Alice Carter is a professor in the College of Liberal Arts at the University of Massachusetts, Boston. As a consultant on one of our NIH grants, Dr. Carter shares her expertise on the identification of infants and toddlers at risk for problems in social, behavioral, and emotional functioning and understanding the role of family functioning in the developmental course of children at genetic risk for or exhibiting clinical disorders. Learn more.
