Dr. Christian Schaaf, an assistant professor of Human and Molecular Genetics at Baylor College of Medicine and investigator at the Jan and Dan Duncan Neurological Research Institute at Texas Children’s, recently received the Baylor College of Medicine Rising Star Clinician Award.
This annual award recognizes outstanding up and coming clinicians for their exemplary contributions to clinical excellence and expertise, consistent high level of patient care, commendable leadership skills and continuous exemplary service to the Baylor community.
Schaaf’s contributions have not gone unnoticed by his Texas Children’s and Baylor colleagues. “Besides Schaaf being an internationally recognized researcher and educator,” Dr. Robert Voigt says “his constant above and beyond dedication to his clinical work makes him a superstar.”
“In addition to expertise across all competencies of clinical care, Dr. Schaaf’s dedication to and advocacy for children with neurodevelopmental disabilities and their families, both within and outside the clinic, is unrivaled,” said Voigt, head of the Section of Developmental Pediatrics and director of the Autism Center and Meyer Center for Developmental Pediatrics at Texas Children’s.
As a Texas Children’s medical geneticist and NRI researcher, Schaaf devotes much of his time to solving complex genetic medical mysteries to help families obtain a diagnosis for their children’s previously unknown neurological conditions. Schaaf has made groundbreaking contributions in advancing the understanding of the genetic basis of autism spectrum disorder and the discovery of several genes for neurodevelopmental disorders and rare genetic syndromes. Two of these rare syndromes now bear his name: Bosch-Boonstra-Schaaf Optic Atrophy syndrome and Schaaf-Yang syndrome.
“It is impossible to fully convey how thankful we are for Dr. Schaaf,” said Amy Bell, whose child is a patient of Dr. Schaaf’s. “He is a true godsend to our family. His authentic, genuine care on such a human level is, without a doubt, the standard of excellence in medicine.”
In addition to receiving Baylor’s Rising Star Clinician Award, Schaaf has been the recipient of other prestigious awards including the Seldin-Smith Award for Pioneering Research and the Bowes Award in Medical Genetics for demonstrating a proven record of academic accomplishments, exemplary research and clinical excellence early in his career.
“I am humbled to receive the Rising Star Clinician Award,” Schaaf said. “Receiving this recognition is a tremendous honor, and I really owe it to the outstanding clinical and research environment and my instrumental mentors here at Texas Children’s Hospital and Baylor College of Medicine.”