UCLA professor wins NAM award for pioneering research and leadership in autism genetics

UCLA professor wins NAM award for pioneering research and leadership in autism genetics

Dr. Daniel Geschwind, Gordon and Virginia MacDonald Distinguished Professor of Human Genetics, Neurology and Psychiatry at UCLA, has been awarded the National Academy of Medicine (NAM) 2022 Rhoda and Bernard Sarnat International Prize in Mental Health in recognition of his groundbreaking research and leadership in autism genetics.

The Sarnat Prize, which includes a medal and $20,000 in prize money, is NAM's highest honor related to the brain and mental health. Geschwind, who was elected to the elite board in 2011, will receive the award at the NAM's annual meeting on October 16.

In its award announcement, NAM Geschwind recognized shaping the modern era of research in autism genetics by helping to create and lead the Autism Genetic Resource Exchange (AGRE) with the Cure Autism Now Foundation, the first open access resource for research into autism spectrum disorder (ASD) focused on by scientists at the all over the world. Established in 1997, the clinical and genetic information repository has led to discoveries in autism genetics, including the role of rare mutations and inherited variations, and created a model for how scientists can work together to accelerate research in psychiatric genetics.

The NAM Prize also recognizes Geschwind, director of the UCLA Center for Autism Research and Treatment, for his laboratory's highly influential research that has shaped our understanding of autism. His work focused on translating genetic findings into a biological understanding across brain diseases. In the case of ASD, this includes his formulation of the disorder as a developmental separation syndrome. He pioneered the study of language and social endophenotypes in genetic studies and showed how transcriptomic and epigenetic profiling could be used to define molecular pathology in ASD brain and other neuropsychiatric disorders. These latter studies have provided a roadmap for a broader understanding of the pathophysiology of neuropsychiatric disorders. Geschwind has also sought to promote the inclusion of underrepresented groups in autism research over the past decade, including leading the only study of autism genetics in African Americans.

The groundbreaking work of Dr. Geschwind has shown how research can help us meet the challenge of neurological and psychiatric diseases by identifying how they are genetically determined, and his founding of AGRE demonstrated the power of community resources to expand these important research efforts. His transformation work -; including its efforts to make research on ASD more comprehensive -; makes him very deserving of this recognition.”

Victor J. Dzau, President of the National Academy of Medicine

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“This award is a testament to the environment at UCLA that has supported my lab’s efforts over the years and to the students and postdocs who have been involved in advancing this work,” Geschwind said.

The Sarnat Prize, awarded annually since 1992, recognizes individuals or groups who have made outstanding achievements in improving mental health. UCLA's most recent honoree was Dr. Kenneth Wells, professor of psychiatry and biobehavioral sciences at the David Geffen School of Medicine, who was honored in 2018 for his work to improve mental health in underserved communities.

The Sarnat Prize is the second major honor for Geschwind, after he received the American Academy of Neurology's highest honor for research, the Cotzias Award, in the spring.

Source:

University of California – Los Angeles Health Sciences

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