Parents, clinicians and leading scientists committed to accelerating the pace of biomedical research in autism through research support, education and outreach programs.

I’ve long been a big supporter of autism research and outreach and there’s really no more powerful organization in those respects than Autism Speaks.

Founded in 2005 by Bob Wright, vice chairmain of GE, whose life, like so many of ours, has been touched by the disease, Autism Speaks has merged with major players the National Alliance for Autism Research (NAAR) and Cure Autism Now (CAN) to become the most influential player on the scene. Where there is power, there is the ability to enact progress.

The organization supports research in four main areas: The genetic causes of autism, the biology of the disease and how it affects the body, the diagnosis and epidemiology of the disease, and autism therapies and treatment. Over the past couple years, Autism Now has shifted its main focus from basic research, to applying what has been learned to clinical trials. Awareness is also a big priority.

This is an organization with which I look forward to collaborating for a long time to come.