Researchers at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, University of Pennsylvania, and Drexel University are set to receive more than $6 million from RFK Jr.’s plan for new autism research, writes Kayla Yup for The Philadelphia Inquirer.
A total of 13 projects nationwide have received funding from the $50 million allocated for autism research. To secure the funding, Philadelphia scientists met daily to exchange ideas on which data sets to use and which research questions to pursue.
At one point, discussions involved over 30 people, including experts in genetics, environmental exposures, prenatal history, policy, services research, and basic science. They aimed to develop a project on the causes of autism focusing on “exposomics,” the study of environmental exposures’ impact on individuals’ health.
Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has made exposomics the key focus of his new Autism Data Science Initiative.
Kristen Lyall, an autism researcher at Drexel University, noted that scientists were worried about which projects the center would fund. She was pleased when the grants were awarded to researchers who have devoted their careers to studying autism, including her own project.
“I think everyone is eager to support rigorous science and glad to see it moving forward,” she said.
Read more about the funding coming to local institutions in The Philadelphia Inquirer.
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