Eagles Autism Foundation 2021 Impact Report

EAGLES AUTISM FOUNDATION PEER REVIEW PANEL OF EXPERTS 2021

2021 COMMUNITY GRANTS Awarded to fifteen organizations, an increase from 2020, this year’s community grants addressed issues including breaking down barriers to healthcare, housing and employment, access for underserved communities and gender identity. Among those funded were Ken’s Krew, Dental Medicine, Community Behavioral Health (EPIC) and A.J. Drexel Autism Institute. Working to combat the 80% unemployment rate in the neurodiverse community, Ken’s Krew’s Retail Training Program will be training and preparing 40 young adults with ASD for sustainable careers with certification in dollars has been donated into the autism community. Following the review process, it was determined that five pilot studies would be awarded to Brown University, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Rutgers University, University of Connecticut School of Medicine, and University of Texas at Dallas. 2021 SCIENTIFIC REVIEW AND FUNDING The Eagles Autism Foundation has announced that a total of 20 projects, including five pilot studies and fifteen community grants, will receive $2.7 million in funding for cutting-edge autism research and programming. A total of 47 letters of intent were submitted for grant funding. The projects were narrowed down to 24 full proposals that went through a comprehensive evaluation process. Each project was carefully reviewed by an independent team of scientists who have demonstrated a clear and steadfast commitment to autism research, services, and programs. Since the inception of Eagles Autism Foundation, a total of 12 million

2021 FUNDED PROJECTS Brown University Mechanisms of Neurodevelopmental Abnormalities in 17q12 CNV-Associated Autism Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia Assessing Driver Readiness among Autistic Adolescents Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey Establishing synaptic PDE4D signaling as a therapeutic target for ASD

CHILDREN’S HOSPITAL OF PHILADELPHIA Dr. Emanuel DiCicco-Bloom Eagles Autism Foundation Scientific Advisor, Chair of Review Panel, Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical Center Professor, Department of Neuroscience and Cell Biology, Chair of the NIH Developmental Brain Disorders study section, member of the Society for Neuroscience Audit Committee, serves on Autism Science Foundation and the American Brain Coalition panels Dr. Maureen Barr Rutgers University First Bullet Second Bullet Third bullet Human Genetics Institute of New Jersey Distinguished Professor, Department of Genetics Dr. Anita Bhattacharyya University of Wisconsin-Madison Assistant Professor, Cell and Regenerative Biology; Co Core Director, IDD Models; Sub-Core Director, hPSC Services; Principal investigator at the Waisman Center

PILOT STUDIES Dr. Maria Chahrour University of Texas Southwestern Medical School Assistant Professor, Eugene McDermott Center for Human Growth And Development, Center for Genetics of Host Defense, Neuroscience, Psychiatry, Genetics, Development & Disease Dr. Julia Dallman University of Miami Assistant Professor, Department of Biology

Dr. Eric Levine University of Connecticut School of Medicine Professor of Neuroscience Associate Director, Neuroscience Graduate Program Dr. Adriana DiMartino Child Mind Institute Research Director, Autism Center; Dr. John and Consuela Phelan Scholar; Senior Research Scientist Dr. Tomasz Nowakowski University of California San Francisco Assistant Professor, Anatomy Psychiatry Eli and Edythe Broad Center of Regeneration Medicine and Stem Cell Research Dr. Damon Page The Scripps Research Institute Associate Professor, Department of Neuroscience Dr. Susan Powell University of California San Diego Adjunct Professor, Psychiatry Dr. Celine Saulnier Neurodevelopmental Assessment and Consulting Services Founder; Clinician-Scientist Dr. Sara Jane Webb Seattle Children’s Research Institute; University of Washington Associate Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences; Research Affiliate, Center on Child Health Behavior, and Development

University of Connecticut School of Medicine Role of Excessive Embryonic Neurogenesis in Autism Spectrum Disorder University of Texas at Dallas Restoring auditory processing in a rat model of Rett syndrome

Dr. Damien Fair University of Minnesota

Professor, Institute of Child Development; Professor, Department of Pediatrics, University of Minnesota Medical School; Redleaf Endowed Director, Masonic Institute for the Developing Brain Dr. Tarik Haydar Children’s National Hospital Director, Center for Neuroscience Research Professor, Pharmacology and Physiology; George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences; Professor, Pediatrics; George Washington University School and Medicine and Health Sciences; Professor, Anatomy & Neurobiology; Boston University Dr. Susan Hyman University of Rochester Medical Center Professor, Department of Pediatrics; American Board of Pediatrics

Dr. Kristofer E. Bouchard University of California, Berkley

representation through training of Black and Latinx therapists in Parent-Child Interaction Therapy for children on the spectrum, enabling them to work with families to provide continuity of that therapy in the home. There has been found to be a higher co-occurrence of transgender identity among individuals on the spectrum, yet little is known on the best way to support that community. A.J. Drexel Autism Institute will be researching and partnering with self-advocates for inclusivity expansion recommendations.

Retail Industry Fundamentals, Customer Service or Sales. Going to the dentist can be stressful for anyone and additionally challenging for those on the spectrum. Dental health is crucial, and Penn Medicine is cre ating visual aids to aim to create an increased sense of preparation for a successful visit. Of the thirty-one Philadelphia Parent-Child Interaction Therapy (PCIT) clinicians, less than 1% identify as part of the Black or Latinx community, while 75% of those receiving services identify as part of that community. EPIC is working to increase that

Pl, Neural Systems and Data Science Lab, Biological Systems & Engineering Division, LBNL Group Lead, Computational Biosciences Group, Scientific Data Division, LBNL, Assistant Adjunct Professor Helen Wills Neuroscience Institute & Redwood Center for Theoretical Neuroscience, UC Berkeley Dr. Eric Butter Ohio State University College of Medicine; Nationwide Children’s Hospital Child Development Center Chief of the Division of Psychology in the Department of Pediatrics, Chief of the Section of Psychology, Founding faculty member at Nationwide Children’s Child Development Center

Dr. Kenneth Kwan University of Michigan

Associate Professor of Human Genetics Research Associate Professor of Molecular & Behavioral Neuroscience Institute