Jennifer Andrews, PhD
Associate Professor
Director of Research, Division of Genetics and Developmental Pediatrics
Director of Research, Division of Pediatric Cardiology Congenital Heart Program

Areas of Expertise: Population surveillance; living with genetic or pediatric onset conditions; autonomic function and symptom exacerbation; self-determination and emotional well-being; congenital heart disease; Ehlers Danlos syndrome

Community organizations: Pima County Juvenile Court Appointed Special Advocate; Congenital Heart Public Health Consortium; University of Arizona Early Childhood Research Initiative; Alliance for Adult Research in Congenital Cardiology, Sarver Heart Center; Undergraduate Research Task Force; Department of Pediatrics Peer Review and Space Committees.

Contact:

PO Box 245073 Tucson, AZ 85724

About

Areas of Expertise: Muscular dystrophy, autism, autoimmune encephalopathy, adult congenital heart defects, surveillance
Projects: CPAE clinic mental health assessments; New York MD STARnet co-Investigator; Undergraduate and Graduate Student Research Mentoring
Community organizations: Pima County Juvenile Court Appointed Special Advocate; Early Childhood Personnel Center State Planning Committee; University of Arizona Early Childhood Research Initiative; Alliance for Adult Research in Congenital Cardiology
Grants: Arizona Biomedical Research Center New Investigator Awards - Autoimmune Encephalopathy;  Centers for Disease Control – Autism; Centers for Disease Control – Adult Congenital Heart Defects; Sarver New Investigator Award - Adult Congenital Heart Defects; Northern Arizona University Arizona UCEDD – All;
Arizona Department of Health Services – Pediatric to Adult Healthcare Transition

Education

Education: 
The University of Arizona (MBA)
PhD Education: 
The University of Arizona

Research

Research Interests: 

Dr. Andrews teaches students and professionals of all levels who are interested in performing research activities; serves on dissertation committees and assists in translational research that links public health, basic science and clinical science approaches to research in novel and trending research areas.

Dr. Andrews collaborates with Steele Center physician-scientists in the areas of developmental and behavioral pediatrics, pediatric and adult congenital heart defects, Duchenne and Becker muscular dystrophy, adolescent medicine, and health disparities. She also collaborates with the Arizona Department of Health Services, New York Muscular Dystrophy Surveillance Tracking and Research Network and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on a variety of manuscripts related to developmental disabilities.

Her research interests lie in interdisciplinary translational research, taking clinical information backwards to bench science to describe and identify endophenotypic markers for developmental, congenital and behavioral conditions.

Current funded projects:

 

NU53DD001162 Arizona Developmental Disabilities Surveillance Program (ADDSP) 1/1/2019 – 4/1/2023

NU50DD000055 Surveillance of Congenital Heart Defects Among Children, Adolescents, and Adults 10/1/2019 – 9/30/2024

NU58IP000005 Tracking the burden, distribution, and impact of Post COVID-19 conditions in diverse populations for

children, adolescents, and adults (Track PCC) 9/1/2022 – 8/31/2027

Milton and Tamar Maltz Family Foundation hypermobile Ehlers Danlos Syndrome (Multiple Projects) 1/1/21 – 12/31/23

Autonomic Dysfunction
Whole genome sequencing  to find genetic etiology and evaluate TNXB Gene
Omics evaluation: Metabolomics in serum; single cell RNA in skin, bulk RNA in skin; fibroblast culturing and bulk RNA from skin
Deep Phenotyping of individuals with hEDS
Patient-Facing Non-Pharmaceutical Symptom Management Book
Expanding the Pool of Diagnostic Providers
Natural History EDS Registry

ADHS18-201484 Transition QI Course for clinics to create formal transition program in their practice