A Message from the Director
I am happy to share the good news that the Duke Center for Autism once again has been named a National Institutes of Health Autism Center of Excellence! As such, the NIH has awarded the center a $12 million research grant to develop artificial intelligence tools that detect autism during infancy and help identify more reliable, biological markers of autism. Our long-term goal is to transform clinical care by finding new ways to address barriers to care and evaluate new therapies that improve the quality of life for autistic people. We are thrilled to receive this award, which allows us to remain at the forefront of autism research.
For those of you who have participated in our Autism Center of Excellence study – or any of our research studies – we would very much appreciate your feedback. Please tell us about your experience by taking a short, 3-minute Satisfaction Survey here. The survey is designed to be anonymous, and you will help us improve the research experience for all our research families.
As always, we thank you for your support and partnership. Please stay in touch with us across our social media platforms – Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and LinkedIn – where you will be among the first to know about our open research studies, latest news, resources, and events.
Wishing you a happy and safe fall season!
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Geraldine Dawson, PhD
Director, Duke Center for Autism and Brain Development
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Center for Autism Awarded $12M NIH Research Grant to Use Artificial Intelligence to Detect Autism & Improve Access to Early Screening |
The Duke Center for Autism and Brain Development has been awarded a $12 million federal grant to develop artificial intelligence tools for detecting autism during infancy and identifying brain-based biomarkers of autism. The grant, from the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, extends the Duke Autism Center of Excellence research program for an additional five years and will fund several major research projects aimed at improving early screening, access to care and outcomes for autistic people. Center for Autism Director Geraldine Dawson, PhD, will lead a multidisciplinary team of researchers that includes Duke faculty from psychiatry, pediatrics, biostatistics and bioinformatics, computer and electrical engineering, and civil and environmental engineering. “Our goal is to use advanced computational techniques to develop better methods for autism screening that will reduce known disparities in access to early diagnosis and intervention,” said Dawson. Read the Duke University School of Medicine announcement and more about the NIH Autism Centers of Excellence program.
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At a Crossroads — Reconsidering the Goals of Autism Early Behavioral Intervention from a Neurodiversity Perspective
The neurodiversity perspective is having a growing influence on the scientific community. It is challenging autism researchers and clinicians to reconsider what should be the goals of early intervention, and specifically, whether the goal of therapy should be preventing, or promoting the loss of, an autism diagnosis. Duke Center for Autism Director Geraldine Dawson, PhD, Associate Director Lauren Franz, MBChB, MPH, and Postdoctoral Associate Sam Brandsen, PhD, provided their perspective on how autism researchers can take steps to promote neurodiversity-affirming early intervention practices. Read the full article published in JAMA Pediatrics online.
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Duke Sense to Know Study Team Wins First Place for Research Poster
Data Analyzes Efforts to Promote Racial & Ethnic Diversity Among Participants
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The Duke Center for Autism and Brain Development's Sense to Know (S2K) Study team is working to develop new, faster ways to assess child development using technology that parents can use in their own homes. During the recent Duke Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences Research Day, the S2K research team was awarded first place by the Duke School of Medicine Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences for their poster sharing their research, “Recruitment Strategies to Promote a Racially and Ethnically Diverse Participant Population in an Infant Screening Study.” Congratulations to Owen Wilson, Kara Washington, Alma Vazquez-Smith, Alexa Brownell, Imani Hall, Scott Compton, PhD, Brian Eichner, MD, Jaqueline Flowers, PhD, Marina Spanos, PhD, Sarah Sipe, MS, Charlotte Stoute, Pradeep Raj Krishnappa Babu, PhD, Guillermo Saprio, PhD, and Geraldine Dawson, PhD. Learn more about the S2K Study here. [Photo L-R: Pradeep Raj Krishnappa Babu, Geraldine Dawson, Kara Washington, Sarah Sipe, Alma Vazquez-Smith, Charlotte Stoute, Owen Wilson, Alexa Brownell]
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Pandemic Has Amplified Mental Health Crisis Facing Teens & Their Families
Center for Autism Clinicians Participate in Duke Health Media Briefing
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The pandemic has only amplified an already alarming mental health crisis among the nation’s young people, but there are ways for parents and communities to help, explained Duke Autism Clinic providers in a Duke Health media briefing this summer. The behavioral health experts discussed the mental health crisis among children and teens, which the American Academy of Pediatrics has declared a “national emergency.” “We already had a pediatric population that was in crisis for mental health reasons, then we had [the pandemic] that raised the temperature,” said Nathan Copeland, MD, MPH, a Duke Center for Autism child and adolescent psychiatrist. The briefing was covered in multiple news outlets, including NC Health News.
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'22-'23 Autism Speaker Series Features Self-advocates, Researchers, & Practitioners
Join us each month for our Duke Center for Autism Speaker Series! These one-hour, virtual presentations are free, open to all and feature autism investigators, clinicians, practitioners, and self-advocates sharing the latest research, interventions, and perspectives. Topics include autism supports and therapies, self-advocacy, genetics and neuroscience, equity and inclusion, and more.
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Duke Center for Autism's Annual Holiday Greeting Gallery & Contest –
Coming soon!
Be on the lookout for the announcement and all the details on how you can share your/your child’s art in the 2022 Duke Center for Autism Holiday Greeting Card Gallery. Watch your email and follow us on Facebook and Instagram for information.
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Center for Girls & Women with ADHD Offers Newsletter Sharing Research, Updates, & Events
The Duke Center for Girls & Women with ADHD is one of the nation’s only programs dedicated specifically to advancing knowledge about attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in girls and women.
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Have you visited our updated Duke Center for Autism and Brain Development website?
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Now enrolling autistic kids 4-7 years of age for the Autism HERO study.
Parents, your child could help us learn about the overlap between autism, ADHD, and anxiety. Your child gets an in-person evaluation at the Duke Center for Autism at no cost to you. All Duke Autism HERO participants also get an official “Duke Research Superhero” certificate to take home to show their friends, family, and teachers! Only 2-3 in-person visits are needed, plus one parent interview that can be done virtually. Parents will be compensated for their time. Email us or visit the study website.
Pro#00108001
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