In May 2003, we were awarded a new Autism Research Center of Excellence (part of the Studies to Advance Autism Research and Treatment/STAART program), funded by the National Institutes of Health.

	We are currently recruiting invidividuals for a wide range of research programs. Whether typically developing or developmentaly diagnosed, all types of people can be part of our research.

The Center is directed by Helen Tager-Flusberg, Ph.D. and Susan Folstein, M.D. They have each been conducting research on autism for over 25 years. Dr. Tager-Flusberg is most well known for her work on language, communication and theory of mind impairments in autism, while Dr. Folstein is one of the leading experts on the genetic basis of autism.

Our Center also brings together a team of leading investigators from the following fields:

• neurosciences (including anatomy, pathology, chemistry, imaging, and cognitive neuroscience); Gene Blatt, Ph.D. (Boston University School of Medicine), Thomas Kemper, Ph.D. (Boston University School of Medicine), Margaret Bauman, M.D. (Boston University School of Medicine), Richard Davidson, Ph.D. (University of Wisconsin, Madison), and Morton Gernsbacher, Ph.D. (University of Wisconsin, Madison)
• psychiatry and pediatric neurology; Bryan King, Ph.D. (Dartmouth Medical School), Margaret Bauman, M.D.
• developmental and clinical psychology; Alice Carter, Ph.D. (University of Massachusetts, Boston), Hill Goldsmith, Ph.D. (University of Wisconsin, Madison), Aline Sayer, Ph.D. (Harvard University), Robert Joseph, Ph.D. (Boston University School of Medicine)
• family studies and social policy; Marsha Seltzer, Ph.D. (University of Wisconsin, Madison), Marty Krauss, Ph.D. (Brandeis University)

The goals of our research program are:

• To understand the development of young children with autism. Toddlers who receive a diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder will be followed over five years and evaluated on a broad range of neuropsychological, language, temperament, and other child and family measures.
• To investigate the reciprocal effects of having a child with autism on family functioning with special emphasis on the influence on social adaptation and emotional well-being in both the child and family members. We expect that the outcomes of these studies will lead to the development of programs that will provide help and support to families during key transitional stages during the early years of caring for a child with autism.
• To investigate the neurobiological mechanisms that underlie the primary and co-occurring social and affective deficits in autism, with special emphasis on the following brain regions: amygdala, anterior cingulate, hippocampus and the prefrontal cortex. A multi-method approach will be used in these basic and clinical studies including neuropathology, neurochemistry, structural imaging, and functional imaging.
• To evaluate the effects of different interventions, including behavioral and pharmacological treatments on both primary and co-occurring social, communication and affective symptoms in autism. We also plan to develop new ways of measuring the effectiveness of treatments.

In addition to the exciting research that will be conducted within the Center, we plan to become a primary resource on autism for children, families, professionals, and programs serving the needs of the community at regional and national levels. We plan to offer support services to the families participating in our research through our associations with local clinical programs and to develop educational and informational materials that will allow for the rapid dissemination of new research and clinical findings through a dedicated website and other research programs.