Nancy Chiaravalloti, PhD

Nancy D. Chiaravalloti, PhD, is director of the Center for Neuropsychology and Neuroscience Research and the Center for Traumatic Brain Injury Research at Kessler Foundation. She is also a research professor of physical medicine and rehabilitation at Rutgers New Jersey Medical School. Dr. Chiaravalloti conducts research in cognitive rehabilitation, particularly in new learning, memory and processing speed. She has led numerous externally funded randomized clinical trials to evaluate the efficacy of cognitive rehabilitation protocols in clinical populations, examining post-treatment changes from multiple vantage points such as objective behavior (neuropsychological tests), everyday life (questionnaires, tests of daily life functioning) and at the level of the brain (functional neuroimaging).

Dr. Chiaravalloti has obtained over $20 million in grant funding, including grants from the National Institutes of Health, Department of Defense, National Institute on Disability Independent Living and Rehabilitation Research (NIDILRR), National Multiple Sclerosis Society, and the NJ Commissions on TBI and SCI Research. She has published over 200 peer-reviewed manuscripts, including a book on changes in everyday life following brain injury and illness. Dr. Chiaravalloti has been the recipient of several national and international early career awards. She is considered an expert in cognitive rehabilitation in both multiple sclerosis and traumatic brain injury. Dr. Chiaravalloti is the project director of the Northern NJ Traumatic Brain Injury Model System, one of 16 federally funded model systems of research and clinical care for persons with traumatic brain injury. 

Expertise
Cognition
Learning and Memory
Cognitive Rehabilitation
Neuropsychological Assessment
Multiple Sclerosis
Traumatic Brain Injury
Randomized Clinical Trials (non-pharmacological)
Education
PhD - Clinical Neuropsychology, MCP Hahnemann University
MA - Clinical Neuropsychology, MCP Hahnemann University
BS - Neuropsychology, Muhlenberg College
Honors
Mitch Rosenthal Award Lecture , Division of Rehabilitation Psychology, Division 22 and American Board of Rehabilitation Psychology, 2017
Mentor of the Year Award, Rutgers University, New Jersey Medical School, Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, 2016
Alumni Achievement Award, Muhlenberg, College, 2014
63rd Mendel Lecturer, Saint Peter’s University, 2014 
Research Alumni Award, Rutgers University, New Jersey Medical School, Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, 2014
Women of Excellence Award, Hudson County Board of Chosen Freeholders, 2013
Rosenthal Early Career Award for significant contribution to research in Rehabilitation Psychology American Psychological Association, Division 22 – Rehabilitation Psychology, 2007
Early Career Award for Contributions to Clinical Neuropsychology, National Academy of Neuropsychology, 2005
Mentor Award , UMDNJ – New Jersey Medical School, Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, 2005
Triumph of the Human Spirit President’s Award , Kessler Medical Rehabilitation Research and Education Corporation, 2002
Chief Fellow, Kessler Medical Rehabilitation Research and Education Corporation and University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey–New Jersey Medical School Fellowship Program, 2001
Cum Laude, Muhlenberg College, 1994
The Carl E. Grothehen Jr. Memorial Award for Excellence in Psychology, Muhlenberg College, 1994 
Psi Chi National Honor Society, Muhlenberg College, 1993-1994
Research Interests

Dr. Chiaravalloti’s research focuses on understanding cognitive changes that are common with neurological illness and injury. The large majority of her work has been conducted with persons with multiple sclerosis and traumatic brain injury (TBI), although recent work has expanded to include cognitive changes in normal aging and in persons diagnosed with mild cognitive impairment (MCI). She is particularly interested in learning and memory deficits, as well as the identification of the source of these deficits.  A major focus of her work seeks to identify effective means of treating new learning and memory deficits both through the development of new treatment protocols and the testing of existing treatment protocols through randomized clinical trials.  

Publications

View a comprehensive listing of Dr. Chiaravalloti’s publications on PubMed.

Multimedia