Audrey Brumback, MD, PhD, was recently awarded a $110,000 grant from the Albany Foundation, an Austin-based nonprofit organization, to fund a precision medicine program she is creating in collaboration with pediatric neurogenetics chief Kristina Julich, MD. The goal of the Gene-to-Treatment program is to rapidly develop personalized treatments for patients with autism and other severe neurodevelopmental disorders based on a patient’s genetic profile.
Approximately 1 in 4 patients with a neurodevelopmental disorder (e.g., autism, epilepsy, and/or developmental delay) has a genetic cause that can be detected with a simple cheek swab. Brumback is partnering with basic scientists at UT Austin to assess each patient’s genetics and screen FDA-approved medications in order to determine whether they can be repurposed to treat the patient’s condition.
