ASF Announces Recipients of 2025 Profound Autism Pilot Grants & Predoctoral Fellowships
March 5, 2025 – The Autism Science Foundation (ASF), a nonprofit organization dedicated to funding innovative autism research and supporting families facing autism, today announced the recipients of its 2025 Profound Autism Pilot Grants and Predoctoral Fellowships. These six new grants and fellowships will fund critical research aimed at improving the lives of individuals with profound autism—those with minimal verbal ability and/or intellectual disability. The selected projects focus on areas including the biology and severity of self-injury, potential new therapeutic drugs for profound autism symptoms, auditory processing and communication in profound autism, caregiver interventions to support independence, and the role of specific brain cells called microglia.
“Individuals with profound autism have long been neglected in research, and the Profound Autism Pilot Grants and Predoctoral Fellowships are specifically designed to address this inequity,” said ASF President Alison Singer. “These projects aim to explore new treatment options and to understand the key challenges faced by this underserved population.”
Alycia Halladay, PhD, Chief Science Officer at ASF, added, “During these challenging times for science, ASF remains committed to funding research to find the causes of profound autism and develop new treatments that will improve the real lives of real people. Each of these projects tackles a real-world issue faced by families with profound autism.”
The following projects were selected for funding:
2025 Predoctoral Fellowship
Joseph Boyle
University of California, Davis
Mentor: Christine Wu Nordahl
Project: Understanding the Severity and Biology of Self-Injury in Profound Autism
Self-injurious behaviors (SIBs) are common in individuals with profound autism and significantly impact their quality of life. This research aims to identify the most predictive factors for SIB and to understand how features such as intellectual disability and language impairment contribute to these behaviors. By leveraging an extensive dataset of individuals with autism, the study will explore which brain regions are most impacted by SIB, paving the way for reducing these behaviors.
2025 Pilot Grants
Boaz Barak, Ph.D., MBA
Tel Aviv University
Project: Evaluating the efficacy of an FDA-approved drug to enhance myelination in the Shank3 mouse model of profound autism
The myelin sheath is a part of the brain cell that insulates, protects and regulates the cell, helping to ensure that the signal a brain cell receives can be transmitted to other cells. In previous work, Dr. Barak has shown that a mouse model of a form of profound autism called Phelan-McDermid Syndrome exhibits deficits in myelination. In this study he will attempt to reverse these cellular and behavioral impairments with a drug called 4-aminopyridine. This drug is used to treat myelin deficiencies in individuals with multiple sclerosis, but it has not yet been studied in neurodevelopmental disorders. Dr Barak will examine mylenation in brain cells after drug administration at different age points; social behavior, anxiety and motor skills will then be examined to determine the functional outcomes.
Ahmed Eltokhi, Ph.D.
Mercer University School of Medicine
Project: Evaluating the Efficacy of Retigabine in Mouse Models of Profound Autism
This study will investigate the therapeutic potential of the drug Retigabine (Trobalt) in treating symptoms of profound autism in a mouse model with mutations in the SCN2A gene. These mutations cause frequent seizures, intellectual disability, and communication impairments. Retigabine, an anti-epileptic drug, has been shown to slow down overactive brain cell activity. By administering Retigabine during adolescence and adulthood in mice, this research will identify the optimal periods for treatment, potentially leading to new drug therapies for individuals with profound autism.
Sophie Molholm, Ph.D.
Albert Einstein College of Medicine, NY
Project: Investigating the Roles of Altered Auditory Processing and Attentional Orienting to Speech in Profound Autism
This project will examine how individuals with profound autism respond to speech and sounds using non-invasive brain recordings. By comparing responses in individuals with profound and non-profound autism, the research aims to identify key differences in auditory and speech processing. The findings will inform the development of targeted interventions and therapies to improve communication and quality of life for individuals with profound autism. Additional support for this project is provided by the Urbieta Foundation.
Miriam Alice Shillingsburg, Ph.D.
Munroe-Meyer Institute, University of Nebraska Medical Center
Project: Empowering Profound Autism Caregivers to Improve their Child’s Independence
Caregivers of children with profound autism often struggle to balance constant care with their own personal and social needs. This intervention will train caregivers to use picture-based activity schedules to improve their child’s independence. By assessing the effectiveness of this method through a randomized controlled trial, the study will provide valuable tools for caregivers, ultimately enhancing both the child’s independence and the family’s quality of life.
Marine Anais Krzisch, Ph.D.
The School of Biomedical Sciences, University of Leeds, UK
Project: Exploring the Role of Microglia in Fragile X Syndrome Using an In Vivo Human Induced Pluripotent Stem Cell-Based Model
Fragile X Syndrome, a genetic cause of profound autism, may involve overactive microglia—cells in the brain that support neural development and function. This study will use stem cells derived from individuals with Fragile X to investigate the role of microglia in neural connectivity and brain function. By examining how these cells interact with neurons in a mouse model, the research may reveal new pathways for intervention in profound autism. Additional support for this project is provided by FRAXA.
About the Autism Science Foundation
The Autism Science Foundation (ASF) is a 501(c) (3) public charity that provides funding to scientists and organizations conducting autism research. ASF also provides information about autism to the general public and serves to increase awareness of autism spectrum disorders and the needs of individuals and families affected by autism. To learn more about the Autism Science Foundation or to make a donation, visit www.autismsciencefoundation.org.