Audrey Brumback, MD, PhD, has been awarded a $553,729 grant from the National Institutes of Health to study how the thalamus is involved in brain functions that pose challenges for people with autism spectrum disorder. Dr. Brumback and her team will use mouse models to map the brain circuits involved in social/emotional behaviors as well as cognitive functions like attention and working memory. Dr. Brumback intends to use the results of these studies to design future treatments for the symptoms of autism spectrum disorder.
Dr. Brumback is also a member of a multidisciplinary UT Austin team that was recently awarded a multi-million-dollar grant from the Maternal and Child Health Bureau to establish the Autism Consortium of Texas Leadership Education in Neurodevelopmental and Related Disabilities program (ACT LEND).
The ACT LEND program aims to increase the capacity of the workforce to better serve individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and other developmental disabilities (DD), especially those of underserved racial, ethnic, and rural populations in Texas. Dr. Brumback will oversee the training of medical students and residents who participate in the program. As a core team faculty member, Dr. Brumback will also provide mentorship as well as clinical and research opportunities for all ACT LEND trainees.
