Dr Jaclyn Ruggiero presents ‘Born to Bond’ as part of the Norland research webinar series

Dr Jaclyn Ruggiero, MD, neonatologist and Associate Professor of Pediatrics at McGovern Medical School at UTHealth Houston, delivers a presentation titled ‘Born to Bond: The Science of Early Brain Development, Relationships and Regulation’ at Norland.

On 6 November, staff and students will welcome Dr Jaclyn Ruggiero, MD, for a presentation as part of Norland’s research webinar series. Dr Ruggiero, who is also Director of Neurodevelopmental Care at Children’s Memorial Hermann Hospital’s Level IV neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) in Houston, specialises in early relational health and infant brain development. Her work explores how caregiving experiences, parental presence and early relationships shape development, with particular interest in the influence of skin-to-skin care, parental mental health and trauma-informed neonatal care.

During the research webinar, Dr Ruggiero will explore how early experiences and relationships shape infant brain development, regulation and wellbeing. Using examples from the NICU, she will examine how stress, connection and caregiving influence the developing brain, particularly for premature infants and their families. Students will also learn why infants rely on caregivers for co-regulation, how early relationships support healthy development, and how parental wellbeing can influence the infant-caregiver relationship.

Through practical examples such as touch, voice, holding, skin-to-skin care and responding to infant cues, Dr Ruggiero will demonstrate how everyday interactions can promote safety, connection and healthy development. She will encourage students to see caregiving as more than meeting physical needs, recognising the lasting impact early relationships have on regulation, resilience and wellbeing.

Find out more about Dr Ruggiero’s research in her latest papers:

• Ruggiero J, Chunduru A, Li W., Cunningham. T., Garcia, E., Patch, A., Refuerzo, J.S., Davidson, A. Barriers to Parental Engagement in NICU Infants with Congenital Anomalies: An Exploratory Pilot Study in Fetal Center Mother–Infant Dyads. AJP Rep 2026; 16: e141–e147. DOI: 10.1055/a-2920-8381
• Fadhel Alvarez A, Patel SP, Brasher MI, Ruggiero JE, Aneji C. Langerhans cell histiocytosis: Presentation in a preterm neonate [published online ahead of print, 2021 Jun 22]. Cancer Rep (Hoboken). 2021;e1472. doi:10.1002/cnr2.1472
• Ruggiero JE, Northrup H, Au KS. Association of facilitated glucose transporter 2 gene variants with the myelomeningocele phenotype. Birth Defects Res A Clin Mol Teratol. 2015;103(6):479-487. doi:10.1002/bdra.23358
• Murthy RG, Reddy BY, Ruggiero JE, Rameshwar P. Tachykinins and hematopoietic stem cell functions: implications in clinical disorders and tissue regeneration. Front Biosci. 2007;12:4779-4787. Published 2007 May 1. doi:10.2741/2426