David E. Sandberg, PhD

Dr. Sandberg is a pediatric psychologist and clinical researcher. As a clinician, he delivers psychoeducational and behavioral health services to persons with endocrine disorders and their families, in particular, conditions affecting prenatal sex development of the body (ie, disorders/differences of sex development, DSD). DSD are congenital conditions in which development of chromosomal, gonadal, or anatomic sex is atypical.

Dr. Sandberg's research program is closely linked to his clinical service. His research group examines the psychosocial adaptation of persons born with DSD, and their families. He shares the role of principal investigator in a registry-based translational research network for DSD designed to extend discoveries in the genetics and pathophysiology of these conditions (DSD-Translational Research Network, NIH R01 HD093450). The 16-site clinical research network works to standardize diagnostic procedures, refine interdisciplinary team care, and establish shared decision making as integral to the translation of systematic evidence to clinical best practices.

Genital surgery in young children with DSD is among the most controversial topics in the management of these conditions. To ensure that decisions made by parents in consultation with their child's providers are evidence-based, balanced, and fully informed, Dr. Sandberg was awarded a contract from the Patient Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI 1360). This multisite project that involved the input of provider specialists from multiple disciplines, representatives of DSD patient support/advocacy organizations, and parents of affected children, delivered a web-based decision support tool and parallel workbook.

Dr. Sandberg’s additional research activities include: a study evaluating how patients with DSD, parents, healthcare providers, and other stakeholders, differentially define optimal care, and development of evidence-based educational curricula for provider, patient and family stakeholders to acquire knowledge and develop skills promoting shared decision making (NIH R01 HD086583); and a project (NIH R01 HD092595) designed to capture the pathways of care received by patients with DSD with a large integrated health care system (Kaiser Permanente).

Dr. Sandberg served as a member of the Sexual and Gender Minority Research Working Group (SGMRWG), an appointed advisory group within the Sexual and Gender Minority Research Office of the National Institutes of Health (NIH). He was also a member of the American Psychological Association Task Force on Differences of Sex Development.

Education

Post-Doctoral Research Scientist in Psychiatry, College of Physicians & Surgeons of Columbia University, New York, 1988
Postdoctoral Fellow, University of Miami Medical School, Miami, 1983
Ph.D., Psychology (Concentrations: Clinical and Behavioral Endocrinology), Concordia University, Montreal, 1982
M.A., Experimental Psychology, Bar-Ilan University, Israel, 1977
B.A., Psychology, Bar-Ilan University, Israel, 1975