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Strong Children's Research Institute - scdd

Autism Spectrum Disorders Research

The University of Rochester is the largest center for autism research in New York State and one of the largest in the United States. The Strong Center for Developmental Disabilities (SCDD) has a pivotal role in this research effort. Current studies focus on the genetic basis of early brain development, identification of environmental risk factors, basic differences in neurobiology and chemosensory functioning, and effects and outcomes of different types of treatments that range from intense behavioral therapies to dietary interventions.

Several faculty members from the Strong Center for Developmental Disabilities are involved locally and nationally:

  • SCDD faculty conduct studies on enhancing behavioral treatments, developing educational interventions, and measuring adaptive behavior in children with autism.
  • The University of Rochester is the recipient of an NIMH $7.5 million grant to establish a center for Studies To Advance Autism Research and Treatment (STAART). The center involves collaborations among investigators in the Departments of Pediatrics, Neurology, Obstetrics and Gynecology, and Clinical and Social Sciences in Psychology, and it is part of a network comprised of eight universities across the country. SCDD’s Dr. Susan Hyman is the co-director of the Rochester center, of which the principal investigator is Dr. Patricia Rodier in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology. SCDD’s Drs. Tristram Smith and Caroline I. Magyar are co-investigators on this grant, and Dr. Daniel W. Mruzek is a collaborator. Learn more.
  • Our program is one of only nine Collaborative Programs of Excellence in Autism (CPEA’s)  funded  by NIDCD and the  National Institute of Child Health & Human Development for $105 million. The purpose is to coordinate research on the genetic, immunological, and environmental factors that may cause autism. Each program studies a particular aspect of autism with the intention to share results to study broader research questions. The University of Rochester Medical Center’s Departments of Pediatrics and Obstetrics & Gynecology, Cornell Medical College, the Hospital for Sick Children (Toronto), and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, is studying animal models and mechanisms of injury in autism; behaviors that distinguish autism from other disorders; and mutations in genes involved in early development and influences on gene function.  Dr. Susan Hyman is a collaborator  and  Dr. Patricia Rodier is the principal investigator. Learn more.

  • Dr. Hyman is the principal investigator of a study funded by the Centers for Disease Control on the prevalence of autism in children with Down Syndrome.  Dr. Stephen Sulkes and Dr. Magyar are co-investigators. The analysis addresses prevalence of autism in children with DS and investigate the role of repetitive behaviors, functional skills, and specific medical comorbidities in diagnosis. Identifying ways of differentiating autism from other similar behavioral manifestations in children with DS will aid in counseling families regarding intervention strategies and prognosis. Learn more.
  • Dr. Tristram Smith was the co-principal investigator in a recent project funded by NIMH on early intensive behavioral intervention for young children with autism. The articles “Intensive Behavioral Treatment for Children with Autism: Four Year Outcome and Predictors” and “Early Intensive Behavioral Treatment: Replication of the UCLA Model in a Community Setting” provide details.
  • Drs. Hyman and Sulkes, along with Dr. Jennifer R. Zarcone, participate in industry-sponsored clinical trials of medications to treat the symptoms of autism.