Center News

Born and raised in the quaint village of Peninsula, Ohio, Lori Reinhart-Mercer grew up surrounded by the picturesque landscape of the Cuyahoga Valley National Park, historical and natural wonders, and a deeply rooted sense of community. Her journey beyond Peninsula led her to Ohio University, where she pursued a passion for animal behavior, earning a Bachelor’s degree in Zoology. Following this, a shift into healthcare beckoned, prompting her to obtain a Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree from Goshen College in Indiana.

A line of people of all ages eagerly wound their way through the lobby of Duke University’s Gross Hall, many of them hoping to get an autograph and a moment to meet a celebrity in the autism community.

The Duke Multi-Modal Evaluation (MME) clinic team was awarded the Systemic, Therapeutic, Assessment, Resources and Treatment (START) Network Partner Award in Children’s Services. The award was presented at the 2024 START National Training Institute (SNTI) conference in Philadelphia in May 2024.

A meta-analysis of interventions for autism finds that increasing intervention is not associated with greater improvement in development for young children with autism. JAMA Pediatrics Editor in Chief Dimitri Christakis, MD, and JAMA Pediatrics Associate Editor Alison Galbraith, MD, discuss autism treatments with Geraldine Dawson, PhD, Founding Director of the Duke Center for Autism and Brain Development.

A tablet-based screening tool that analyzes children’s behavior in response to specific video clips shows promise for enhancing early autism screening, according to a study supported in part by the National Institute of Mental Health.

Scientists who study autism in lower-income countries are working to end practices that exploit or ignore collaborators and communities on the ground. Interim Director Lauren Franz, M.B., CH.B. is quoted in the article.

Jane Yang, from Asheville North Carolina, has been a Duke Center for Autism team member since December 2023. Jane received her Bachelor’s degree from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Afterwards, she continued her education at North Carolina State University where she received a Master’s degree in Physiology. So far, Jane says that her experience here at the center has been very rewarding, and she is happy to have the opportunity to work with a collaborative team in a supportive environment that allows her to make a positive impact on our research participants every day.

Like all children, autistic students benefit from a welcoming school environment. Having classmates who understand autism – especially the sensory and communication differences that can come with autism – can go a long way towards creating a sensory-friendly classroom, reducing bullying, and helping autistic children enjoy school.

Recent data suggests that the gap in autism diagnosis between Black and white youth has narrowed. In a new open access article in Autism Research, Danai Fannin, PhD, and colleagues question whether this means better access to supports for Black autistic youth.

Dr. Fannin is a member of the Duke Autism Center of Excellence Community Engagement Advisory Board and an adjunct faculty member at Duke Head and Neck Surgery & Communication Sciences.

As an advocate, educator, and dedicated clinical care professional, Mary Beth Hooks serves as an esteemed clinician here at the Duke Center for Autism. Mary Beth, originally from a small town in eastern North Carolina called Fremont, moved to the sprawling metropolis of the Triangle in 2004. She received her Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from North Carolina State University (NCSU) in 2008, and continued her education through training in Applied Behavior Analysis, and eventually receiving a Master of Social Work graduate degree from NCSU.