CART is part of the UCLA Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior

Since the 1950s, UCLA has played a leading role in the history of autism research. In 2003, UCLA CART was established as one of eight national centers in the National Institutes of Health (NIH) funded research initiative, Studies to Advance Autism Research and Treatment (STAART).

NIH is ending the STAART program in May of 2008. However, CART is pleased to have been awarded two prestigious new NIH Autism Centers of Excellence (ACE) grants - as a Center, which began in August 2007, and as the lead research site in a Genetics Network project that began in early 2008.

CART's new ACE Center grant is funded for 2007-2012 and includes the five research projects listed below:

I. The development of the siblings of children with autism: A longitudinal study

PI: Marian Sigman, Ph.D.
Participants: Infants 6 months old at first visit.

II. Genetic investigation of language and social communication: Connecting genes to brain to cognition

PI: Daniel Geschwind, M.D., Ph.D.
Participants: Children from Projects I, III and V

III. Mirror neuron and reward circuitry in autism
PI: Mirella Dapretto, Ph.D.
Participants: Children with autism, ages 8-17 years old


IV. Optimizing social and communication outcomes for toddlers with autism

PI: Connie Kasari, Ph.D.
Participants: Toddlers from the UCLA Early Childhood treatment program

V. Understanding repetitive behavior in autism

PI: James McCracken, M.D.
Participants: ASD children, ages 8-16 years old

For more information about these ACE studies contact Dr. Candace J. Wilkinson at 310-825-9041