DEE HENDERSON Science & Communications Manager

Dee Henderson joined the Developing Brain Institute at Children’s National in March 2020 after working four years in Children’s public relations department as science writer/senior public relations specialist. Dee received her bachelor’s degree in news-editorial journalism/Spanish from the University of North Dakota and graduated with honors.

She is currently supporting the DC Mother-Baby Wellness program as well as ongoing and future research projects exploring the interplay between placental health and the developing fetal brain; the link between preterm birth and later autism spectrum disorder risks; and the unique impact of multiple stressors for pregnant women giving birth amid the COVID-19 

Woman wearing glasses and leather jacket.

pandemic and for their offspring, including whether earlier, targeted stress-reduction interventions demonstrate a dose effect in lessening those negative impacts.

Address: 111 Michigan Ave. NW; Washington, D.C., 20010
Email: [email protected]
Department: MRI Lab

Research, Education and Innovation Week 2024 awards

Bond S, Henderson D, Small-Lewis M, Andescavage N, Le HN, Limperopoulos C. "Mommy&Me Virtual Mommy Meet-Ups: building kinship, boosting resilience and restoring balance for Black moms." Children’s National Hospital 14th Annual Research, Education and Innovation Week. Washington, D.C. April 2024. (High-scoring poster)


Adon J, Assefa H. Carrillo M, Chafin M, Dampha M, Saleem N, Kang R, Petersen C, Brechot C, Henderson D, Andescavage N, Bassa MM, Keller J, Le HN, Limperopoulos C. "Drivers of maternal wellness in a randomized control trial of perinatal mental health in low-resourced Black and African American pregnant women." Children’s National Hospital 14th Annual Research, Education and Innovation Week. Washington, D.C. April 2024. (High-scoring poster)


Recent publications & presentations

2024 | June

Weiner S, Wu Y, Kapse K, Vozar T, Cheng JJ, Murnick J, Henderson D, Teramoto H, Limperopoulos C, Andescavage N. "Prenatal maternal psychological distress during the COVID-19 pandemic and newborn brain development." JAMA Network Open. 2024 Jun 3;7(6):e2417924. doi: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2024.17924. PMID: 38900424
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38900424

2024 | April

Pishghadam M, Kapse K, Ngwa JS, Henderson D, Limperopoulos C, Niforatos-Andescavage N. "Non-invasive placental perfusion imaging in pregnant women exposed to COVID-19." Children’s National Hospital 14th Annual Research, Education and Innovation Week. Washington, D.C. April 2024.

Kocher K, Ngwa J, Andescavage N, Henderson D, Limperopoulos C. "Prenatal exposure to COVID-19 pandemic is linked with epigenetic age acceleration in newborns." Children’s National Hospital 14th Annual Research, Education and Innovation Week. Washington, D.C. April 2024.

Weiner S, Wu Y, Vozar T, Ngwa JS, Kapse K, Henderson D, Andescavage N, Limperopoulos C. "It's all in the timing: effects of maternal anxiety on neurodevelopment." Children’s National Hospital 14th Annual Research, Education and Innovation Week. Washington, D.C. April 2024.

Diribe C, Petersen C, Brechot C, Ngwa J, Andescavage N, Henderson D, Saleem N, Bassa M, Keller J, Le H, Limperopoulos C. "Elevated maternal mental distress in low-resourced Black and African American pregnant women in DC." Children’s National Hospital 14th Annual Research, Education and Innovation Week. Washington, D.C. April 2024.

2024 | January

Andescavage N, Lu YC, Wu Y, Kapse K, Keller J, Von Kohorn I, Afifi A, Vezina G, Henderson D, Wessel DL, du Plessis AJ, Limperopoulos C. "Intrauterine exposure to SARS-CoV-2 infection and early newborn brain development." Cereb Cortex. 2024 Jan 31;34(2):bhae041. doi: 10.1093/cercor/bhae041. PMID: 38385890
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38385890/

2023

Kocher K, Bhattacharya S, Niforatos-Andescavage N, Almalvez M, Henderson D, Vilain E, Limperopoulos C, Délot EC. Genome-wide neonatal epigenetic changes associated with maternal exposure to the COVID-19 pandemic. BMC Med Genomics. 2023 Oct 30;16(1):268. doi: 10.1186/s12920-023-01707-4. PMID: 37899449
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37899449/