Genetic Counseling alumna Katherine Helbig ’09M received the National Society of Genetic Counselors’ Jane Engelberg Memorial Fellowship, a prestigious, two-year grant that provides $70,000 to fund research. Helbig, a genetic counselor in the Division of Neurology at Roberts Center for Pediatric Research at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, will use the grant to explore whether genetic counseling and testing improves the well-being of children with epilepsy and leads to better use of health care resources.

“Genetic counselors are experts in communicating the causes and risks of epilepsy to families and coordinating necessary medical care and services,” said Helbig. “This study will be the first to investigate whether health outcomes and use of the health care system for children with epilepsy are improved by establishing a genetic diagnosis.”