OHSU Receives โข$4.25โ Million NIH Grant to โคAdvance Autism Research
PORTLAND, Ore. -โค Oregon Health & Scienceโฃ University (OHSU) has beenโ awarded a $4.25โ million grantโ from the National Institutes of Health โฃ(NIH) to support research into improving access to care for autistic individuals and their families.Theโฃ funding arrives at a time when many researchers are facing cuts to federal โฃfunding.
The study,led โby OHSU researcher Dr. โขjudith Zuckerman, will โคbuildโ uponโ previous work examining theโ challenges families face inโค accessing quality care. Zuckerman describes her research process as “building aโ brick wall where I keep putting โin theโ bricks,” emphasizingโ the โincremental nature of scientific finding.โข
A key focus of the research will be to reduce the burden on parents of autistic children, who often dedicate significant time and โฃeffort to navigating complex care systems. Zuckerman noted, “Parenting an autistic child can be aโข full-time jobโฃ and also requires quite a โขlot ofโค research.” She hasโค previously testifiedโ beforeโค the Oregon Legislature in support โคof efforts to โprovide compensation to parent caregivers,โ similar to โฃprofessional caregivers.
Zuckerman’s team includesโฃ health sciences data science expert โOlivia Lindly of Northern โขArizona University โขand โฃMargaret Gillis, an expert โin early intervention at SRI International.
The grantโข is notably โsignificant givenโค the current funding climate for researchers. “the funding โhabitat’s gotten really challenging,” Zuckerman said. “Aโ lot of people’s funding has gotten โcut,โ and that’sโ a lot of people’s jobs โhere โin oregon. And my research lab hasn’t been immune to any of this.” She stressed the importanceโ of continued science funding โฃtoโฃ maintainโข a skilled scientific workforce inโข Oregon โฃand beyond, and โฃto train the next generation of scientists.