Jacinta Saldaris

Dr Jacinta Saldaris is an early career researcher, graduating from The University of Western Australia School of Human Sciences with a Doctor of Philosophy (2020). She is a Senior Research Officer in the Child Disability Team for the International CDKL5 Clinical Research Network (ICCRN), an NIH-funded project that comprises a collaboration with the University of Colorado, the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia and CDKL5 Centre of Excellence Clinics. The project aims to develop and validate a suite of outcome measures to be used in disease modifying clinical trials for children with CDKL5 deficiency disorder (CDD) and other Developmental Epileptic Encephalopathies (DEEs). This work is essential for strong clinical trials for rare disorders and is making a critical contribution to ensuring excellent evaluations of promising therapies on the horizon.

Jacinta’s research experience includes rare disorders, neurodevelopmental disorders, physical activity and exercise, and mental health. Her research envisions that children with disability and their families live with better health and quality of life, generating high impact research through a collaborative approach. Jacinta has presented her research at multiple conferences, most recently being the 2022 American Epilepsy Society Conference held in Nashville. She received the 2022 Loulou Foundation Junior Fellowship Award for her work with CDD and was a finalist for the Young Investigator Award for the Exercise and Sports Science Australia Research to Practice Conference in 2021.