Rogers honored for clinical contributions to neurodevelopment
Recognized for research on brain development in premature babies, early markers of psychiatric risk in children
Photo courtesy of Evan Dickert, Parthenon Management GroupCynthia Rogers (center) was presented the 2025 Elkes Research Award by American College of Neuropsychopharmacology President William Carlezon (left) and ACNP Honorific Awards Committee Chair Helen Mayberg (right).
Cynthia E. Rogers, MD, the Blanche F. Ittleson Professor of Psychiatry at WashU Medicine, received the 2025 Joel Elkes Research Award from the American College of Neuropsychopharmacology (ACNP). The award is given annually at the ACNP meeting to an individual in recognition of outstanding clinical contributions to understanding the brain and behavior. Rogers, a leading researcher in social, emotional and brain development in infants and children, earned the distinction for her groundbreaking research on early developmental markers of psychiatric risk associated with premature birth.
Rogers, who also serves as the vice chair and director of the WashU Medicine Division of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, aims to understand the underlying mechanisms behind psychiatric disorders in perinatal and child populations and develop prevention strategies that address the early factors affecting mental health. As co-director of the WashU Neonatal Development Research (WUNDER) Lab, she has conducted brain-imaging studies to uncover critical periods before and after birth when brain structure and function can be influenced by environmental factors, ultimately leading to psychiatric, behavioral and intellectual disorders such as depression and autism.
Rogers accepted the Elkes Award at the ACNP meeting Jan. 12-15 in the Bahamas.
