Mayada Elsabbagh is associate professor of neurology and neurosurgery at the Montreal Neurological Institute at McGill University in Canada. Her research focuses on understanding the root causes of autism and tracing its developmental pathways. The approach combines innovative research with the mission of accelerating the translation of scientific discoveries into community impact. Elsabbagh’s contributions include the discovery of early brain-function markers for autism prior to the onset of behavioral signs. She has supported the successful launch of several collaborative research and translational networks aimed at accelerating the pace of discovery in autism. This includes the Transforming Autism Care Consortium, a Québec research network supported by the Fonds de recherche du Québec-Santé and several community partners. She is also active in global efforts to improve evidence-based practice in the community and capacity-building in low- and middle-income countries. The public value and social relevance of Elsabbagh’s research has been recognized through various awards, including the Neville Butler Memorial Prize and the British Psychological Society Neil O’Conner Prize.
Mayada Elsabbagh
Assistant Professor
McGill University
From this contributor
Autism therapies blur boundary between clinic, everyday life
Modern treatments for autism are often led by parents and integrated into a child’s daily life.
Autism therapies blur boundary between clinic, everyday life
To screen or not to screen: That is not the question
Instead of debating about whether to screen all children for autism, we should be looking for better ways to identify children at risk and help them access services.
To screen or not to screen: That is not the question
Why inferring autism’s causes from epidemiology is dangerous
Epidemiological 'just-so' stories, which infer causes of autism from general trends in prevalence, are in danger of repeating the mistakes of social Darwinism, says Mayada Elsabbagh.
Why inferring autism’s causes from epidemiology is dangerous
A global vision for autism with community solutions
A global approach to understanding autism that respects the uniqueness of different communities is not a choice, but a necessity, says Mayada Elsabbagh.
A global vision for autism with community solutions
Explore more from The Transmitter
Cracking the code of the extracellular matrix
Despite evidence for a role in plasticity and other crucial functions, many neuroscientists still view these proteins as “brain goop.” The field needs technical advances and a shift in scientific thinking to move beyond this outdated perspective.
Cracking the code of the extracellular matrix
Despite evidence for a role in plasticity and other crucial functions, many neuroscientists still view these proteins as “brain goop.” The field needs technical advances and a shift in scientific thinking to move beyond this outdated perspective.
Huntington’s disease gene variants past a certain size poison select cells
The findings—providing “the next step in the whole pathway”—help explain the disease’s late onset and offer hope that it has an extended therapeutic window.
Huntington’s disease gene variants past a certain size poison select cells
The findings—providing “the next step in the whole pathway”—help explain the disease’s late onset and offer hope that it has an extended therapeutic window.
X marks the spot in search for autism variants
Genetic variants on the X chromosome, including those in the gene DDX53, contribute to autism’s gender imbalance, two new studies suggest.
X marks the spot in search for autism variants
Genetic variants on the X chromosome, including those in the gene DDX53, contribute to autism’s gender imbalance, two new studies suggest.