Uta Frith


Uta Frith studied experimental psychology at the Universität des Saarlandes, Saarbrücken and trained in clinical psychology at the University of London’s Institute of Psychiatry She completed her Ph.D. thesis on autism in 1968 and from then on has worked as a research scientist funded mainly by the Medical Research Council UK. She has been Visiting Professor at the University of Aarhus, Denmark from 2007-2015. She is now Emeritus Professor of Cognitive Development at the UCL Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience.
Autism and dyslexia have been her main focus of research. In both fields she has pioneered an experimental neuropsychological approach. She has contributed some of the major theories explaining these disorders and has identified specific deficits in underlying cognitive mechanisms and their basis in the brain. She has published some 250 papers and books, and in 2014 she was listed by the APA as among the 200 most eminent psychologists of the modern era.
In the last few years she has increased her work in science communication, and in championing women in science.

From this contributor

Explore more from The Transmitter

Research image of autism-linked gene PTEN changes in neurons.

A consensus on the definition of profound autism, and more

Here is a roundup of autism-related news and research spotted around the web for the week of 5 July.

By Sarah Thau
7 July 2026 | 2 min read

‘Completely new learning mechanism’ drives navigation in fruit flies

The neuromodulator octopamine, the insect counterpart to norepinephrine, helps flies get their bearings in an unfamiliar environment.

By Natalia Mesa
7 July 2026 | 0 min watch
Illustration of needle sewing through multicolor strips.

How to use artificial intelligence to strengthen scientific processes and scholarly output

As AI-driven systems are integrated into all aspects of science, we need to make sure that they read and write to a shared data and knowledge space.

By Satrajit Ghosh
6 July 2026 | 5 min read