OHSU Receives $4.25 Million NIH Grant to Advance Autism Research
PORTLAND, Ore. - Oregon Health & Science University (OHSU) has been awarded a $4.25 million grant from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to support research into improving access to care for autistic individuals and their families.The funding arrives at a time when many researchers are facing cuts to federal funding.
The study,led by OHSU researcher Dr. judith Zuckerman, will build upon previous work examining the challenges families face in accessing quality care. Zuckerman describes her research process as “building a brick wall where I keep putting in the bricks,” emphasizing the incremental nature of scientific finding.
A key focus of the research will be to reduce the burden on parents of autistic children, who often dedicate significant time and effort to navigating complex care systems. Zuckerman noted, “Parenting an autistic child can be a full-time job and also requires quite a lot of research.” She has previously testified before the Oregon Legislature in support of efforts to provide compensation to parent caregivers, similar to professional caregivers.
Zuckerman’s team includes health sciences data science expert Olivia Lindly of Northern Arizona University and Margaret Gillis, an expert in early intervention at SRI International.
The grant is notably significant given the current funding climate for researchers. “the funding habitat’s gotten really challenging,” Zuckerman said. “A lot of people’s funding has gotten cut, and that’s a lot of people’s jobs here in oregon. And my research lab hasn’t been immune to any of this.” She stressed the importance of continued science funding to maintain a skilled scientific workforce in Oregon and beyond, and to train the next generation of scientists.
