JORDAN WICKSTROM

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Sinai Hospital of Baltimore

As a pediatric researcher, Jordan Wickstrom, Ph.D., serves as the director of Clinical Research at the Rehabilitation Institute of Sinai and as the director of the ABBEL Research Division. Based in Baltimore, Wickstrom has built a career spanning clinical research, biomechanics and postdoctoral training at the National Institutes of Health.

Wickstrom earned her doctorate in biomechanics from the University of Nebraska-Omaha in 2018, following a master’s degree in kinesiology from the University of North Carolina-Greensboro in 2013 and a bachelor’s degree in psychology from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln in 2010. She completed postdoctoral training in biomechanics and neurodevelopmental disorders at NIH in 2021.

Her career includes serving as a postdoctoral fellow at NIH from 2018 to 2021, working as a biomechanics faculty at the University of Nebraska at Omaha from 2017 to 2018, and holding graduate research assistant positions during her studies. Since 2022, she has directed clinical research at LifeBridge Health’s Sinai Hospital while maintaining her role as a clinical researcher with FedPoint Systems, a contractor with NIH.

“My most meaningful accomplishment is developing a research lab that innovatively adapts available tools to measure early movement patterns in infants—enabling earlier detection of atypical development, including in children with neurodevelopmental disorders,” Wickstrom said. “This work translates to helping children receive necessary support during a critical developmental period.”

Wickstrom supervises one direct report and mentors 54 research mentees, including 14 medical residents and 40 staff members. She advocates for ethical research practices that prioritize inclusive, representative samples and translate to meaningful outcomes such as earlier diagnoses, more effective interventions and increased access to essential health-related resources. Her lab recruits diverse samples representative of the population relevant to their research questions, regularly seeking opportunities to engage with the local community to build rapport and reduce barriers to research participation.

“I believe in the ripple effect—that small, positive actions can lead to significant changes, so I strive to maintain a positive attitude and practice empathy in all my interactions,” Wickstrom said. “Additionally, my dedication to lifelong learning and a growth mindset drives me to continually improve both personally and professionally.”

Honoree profiles were written using an artificial intelligence program and supported by honoree nominations, applications and letters of recommendation. Each profile was reviewed, fact-checked and edited for accuracy by The Daily Record’s editorial staff.