Center News

Duke’s Guillermo Sapiro Elected a Member of the National Academy of Engineering

Guillermo Sapiro, the James B. Duke Distinguished Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering at Duke University, has been named a member of the National Academy of Engineering (NAE)—among the highest professional distinctions for an engineer. Sapiro was cited “for contributions to the theory and practice of imaging,” which have had significant effects on fields as diverse as image recognition and stock market prediction.

Debate Over Applied Behavior Analysis at a Crossroads - Disability Scoop highlights ABA Town Halls

The therapy long considered the gold standard for autism faces an increasingly virulent opposition, mostly from people who experienced it in childhood.

Applied behavior analysis, or ABA therapy, involves a range of interventions based on the theory that the environment influences behavior. The therapy can reduce challenging behaviors and improve the quality of life for people with autism through positive reinforcement, advocates say.

Roundtable Discussion of Autistic Autism Researchers Share Challenges and Benefits

Historically, few autism researchers have been openly autistic. Fortunately, a growing number of openly autistic scholars have begun to make their presence known in the autism field. An article in Autism in Adulthood shares a roundtable discussion with autistic scholars, including Duke Center for Autism’s clinical research specialist Jordan Grapel, who are conducting autism and disability research.

Read the full article below.

Psychiatric News: Visual Diagnostics Become More Accessible

In this Psychiatric News podcast, Duke Center for Autism Director Geraldine Dawson, PhD, and Duke University James B. Duke Distinguished Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering Guillermo Saprio, DSc, highlight the center's digital screening app and the future of eye-based tools to screen for autism.

Listen to the full podcast here.

Largest Study of its Kind Finds Oxytocin is Safe, but Ineffective

A study published in the New England Journal of Medicine shows that the hormone oxytocin did not benefit autistic children. The multisite study was led by Duke Center for Autism's Linmarie Sikich, MD.

Read the article, in the October 14, 2021, issue of the NEJM here

NC PAL Spotlighted in NC Healthcare News - "Expanding Mental Healthcare for NC’s Kids"

Through affiliations between Duke Health and Duke School of Medicine, patients across the state benefit from academic research, grant funding and collaborative partnerships. One example is the NC-PAL line. This free telephone consultation program helps pediatricians across the state better treat children with mental health needs with the support of Duke Health’s psychiatrists and behavioral health specialists.