ASF Announces Recipients of 2026 Profound Autism Grants

July 13, 2026 – The Autism Science Foundation (ASF), a nonprofit organization dedicated to funding innovative autism research, today announced the recipients of its 2026 Profound Autism Grants and Fellowships. These seven new grants will fund critical research aimed at improving the lives of individuals with profound autism—those with no or minimal verbal ability and/or intellectual disability. The selected projects focus on earlier identification of profound autism, practical diagnostic tools, the biology of the condition, severe, intense, and dangerous behaviors, and new approaches to improving identification, supports, and future interventions.

“For far too long, individuals with profound autism have been underrepresented in research, despite having the greatest support needs, said ASF President Alison Singer. “These grants reflect ASF’s commitment to changing that. By investing in research focused on this population, we are accelerating the science needed to improve diagnosis, develop more effective interventions, and ultimately enhance quality of life for individuals with profound autism and their families.” 

Alycia Halladay, PhD, Chief Science Officer at ASF, added, “Each of these projects addresses a gap in our understanding of profound autism. Together, they advance research across genetics, neuroscience, behavior, and clinical science while laying the groundwork for more personalized supports and future therapeutic approaches.”

The following projects were selected for funding:

2026 Two-Year Research Grant

Carly Moser, PhD and Julie Lounds Taylor, PhD
Vanderbilt University Medical Center

Project: Developing a Tool to Identify Profound Autism in Adults

Following the publication of the Lancet definition of profound autism and subsequent refinement using a Delphi process with clinicians and stakeholders, there remains a need for practical tools that can quickly identify individuals with profound autism when full standardized assessments are unavailable or insufficient. To address this gap, a brief screener was developed in 2024. This project will evaluate the validity and performance of the screener in a large autism sample, including individuals who meet the Delphi-based research definition of profound autism, and will assess how well it captures differences in support needs across the autism spectrum. Areas of focus include community participation, service use, unmet service needs, and disability-related functioning. The study will also refine the screener using feedback from stakeholders, including autistic adults, to improve clarity, accuracy, and usability. This work is essential for improving early and accessible identification of profound autism and for better understanding and responding to the diverse support needs of autistic individuals, ultimately supporting more equitable access to services and community inclusion.

This project is supported in part by the Foundation for Empowering Citizens with Autism (FECA).

2026 Pilot Grants

Cheryl Klaiman, PhD
Emory University

Project: Predicting Profound Autism in Preschoolers

Current criteria for profound autism require a child to be at least 8 years old because language and cognitive abilities can change considerably during early childhood. However, this age threshold may delay recognition of children with profound autism and limit opportunities for earlier intervention and support. This study will use an existing cohort of children who received comprehensive clinical assessments before school entry and compare the early developmental characteristics of those who later met criteria for profound autism with those who did not. Dr. Klaiman will examine early language and communication skills, developmental milestones, severe or dangerous behaviors, and contextual factors such as access to early intervention and socioeconomic circumstances. By identifying the early features and developmental pathways of profound autism, this research will inform earlier identification, guide evidence-based interventions and policies, and ultimately improve outcomes and quality of life for children with profound autism and their families.

This project is supported in part by Charles Raymond Shaw and Fran Pennock Shaw.

Alisa Mo, PhD
Nationwide Children’s Hospital

Project: Investigating the Role of Somatic Mutations in the Biology of Profound Autism

As we age, brain cells naturally acquire small changes in their DNA, known as somatic mutations, which occur after conception and are not present in every cell. These changes may be influenced by environmental exposures and appear to accumulate more rapidly in some brain disorders, particularly those involving inflammation. Early research suggests that people with profound autism may have more somatic mutations in their brains than those with non-profound autism. Utilizing brain tissue from the Autism BrainNet program, Dr. Mo will determine whether somatic mutations are associated with profound autism and will investigate how environmental exposures may contribute to these changes. The findings will improve our understanding of the biological differences underlying profound autism and may identify new targets for therapies focused on DNA damage, DNA repair, or inflammation.

This project is supported in part by the Urbieta Family Foundation.

2026 Predoctoral Fellowships

Sophie Cramer-Benjamin
University of South Carolina
Mentor: Caitlin M. Hudac

Project: Building Better Data Resources to Advance Research in Profound Autism

Because individuals with profound autism are often underrepresented in research, much of what is currently known comes from separate studies that use different assessment tools and contain incomplete or inconsistent information. These differences make it difficult to combine findings and identify meaningful patterns. This project will develop new methods to organize and harmonize existing clinical, survey, medical, and brain (EEG) data from five studies of individuals with SCN2A-related autism, a condition commonly associated with profound autism. Rather than collecting new data from families, the study will maximize the value of existing information to better characterize profound autism and explore whether there are distinct patterns of brain activity associated with the condition. The tools, methods, and resources developed through this project will be shared with other researchers and patient advocacy groups (PAGs), providing a framework for combining data across studies and accelerating future discoveries in profound autism.

Zeal Jinwala
Washington University School of Medicine
Mentor: Robert Fitzgerald, PhD

Project: Predicting Which Children with Profound Autism Are Likely to Experience Dangerous Behaviors

Severe, intense, and dangerous behaviors (SIDBs), including aggression, self-injury, pica, and wandering, are common in many individuals with profound autism, yet the factors that contribute to these behaviors remain poorly understood. This study will use data from the Study to Explore Early Development (SEED) to examine how common genetic variation and environmental exposures influence the development of SIDBs across childhood and adolescence. By investigating both genetic risk and environmental factors, the project aims to identify patterns that predict which children are most likely to develop persistent or severe behaviors over time. The findings will improve understanding of the causes of SIDBs and support the development of more personalized screening, earlier interventions, and targeted supports that improve quality of life and promote greater independence for individuals with autism and their families.

Basil Obodo
Purdue University
Mentor: Matthew Tegtmeyer, PhD

Project: Defining the Functional Impact of Chromosome 8p Variants in Profound Autism

Genetic changes in a region of chromosome 8p are strongly associated with profound autism, but it is not yet known which of the many genes in this region contribute most to the condition or how they affect brain development. This study will use advanced genetic and cellular technologies to identify the genes on chromosome 8p that play the greatest role in profound autism and determine how they alter the structure and function of brain cells. By studying cells from individuals who have undergone detailed clinical and behavioral assessments, the researchers will link genetic findings to real-world outcomes. The results will improve understanding of the biology of profound autism, identify potential biomarkers to support diagnosis and treatment, and lay the foundation for more personalized interventions.

Vani Taluja
University of California, San Diego
Mentor: Eric Courchesne, PhD

Project: Predicting Profound Autism from Brain Organoids: Developmental Follow-Up at Age 8

Children with profound autism often have larger brain size than their typically developing peers, suggesting that differences in brain development begin before birth. This study will use patient-derived cortical organoids (small, brain-like structures grown in a dish from patient cells) to investigate how early brain development differs in individuals with profound autism, non-profound autism, and typical development. Researchers will reassess children whose organoids were created years earlier and who have now reached 8 years of age, when a diagnosis of profound autism is more stable. This follow-up will allow the researchers to determine whether the early organoid findings accurately predict which children later meet the criteria for profound autism. By linking early brain biology with later developmental outcomes, this research will improve our understanding of profound autism and help lay the foundation for earlier identification and more targeted, biologically informed treatments.

This project is supported in part by the family of Seth Jacobs. 

ASF Media Contact:
C.J. Volpe
Autism Science Foundation
cvolpe@autismsciencefoundation.org