Duke Center for Autism and Brain Development

10/08/2026

Dr. Lauren Franz, director of the Duke Center for Autism, will join this webinar from North Carolina Council on Developmental Disabilities next Thursday, Oct 15 to talk about the Early Start Denver Model, among other supports and strategies for autism.

Register at the link below to hear from Dr. Franz and these other experts!

Introduction to Research-Based Autism Supports: Session B
October 15th, at 6:30 p.m. on Zoom

Autism supports are not one-size-fits-all. The third webinar will continue the discussion over several established approaches and help participants understand their purposes, principles, and differences.

This session will provide an accessible overview of the PLAY Project, the Developmental, Individual Differences, Relationship-Based model—commonly known as DIR or Floortime—, the TEACCH approach, the Early Start Denver Model, Applied Behavior Analysis, the Cortica Model, and other approaches.

Parents and professionals will gain information to help them ask informed questions and consider which supports may align with an individual’s needs. Policymakers will learn why families need access to a range of evidence-informed options.

Topics will include:
- Understanding the range of autism support models
- The PLAY Project
- DIR/Floortime
- The TEACCH approach
- The Cortica model
- Occupational therapy and related therapies
- Applied Behavior Analysis
- Understanding and responding to challenging behaviors
- Coordinating supports around individual and family needs

Speakers:
- Dr. Andrea Davis – Owner/Founder, Greenhouse Therapy Center; Special Advisor, Policy Development, DIR/Floortime
- Dr. Lauren Franz – Early Start Denver Model
- Whitney Sukonick – Clinical Director, Autism Society of North Carolina, ABA
- Perspectives from Individuals with Autism.

Register here: https://www.zoomgov.com/meeting/register/0MUbm3ohQbaSiHpBbxNUjA #/registration

10/08/2026

You're invited to join us as Duke Women's Soccer dedicates their home game against NC State on Saturday, Oct 24 to the Duke Center for Autism and Brain Development!

As a member of our valued community, you can get tickets to the game at a discounted rate:
First Ticket: FREE
Each additional ticket: $4.18
Click here to get tickets at our special community rate: https://goduke.evenue.net/promotions/DCABD

10/07/2026

In this feature from the Fogarty International Center at the National Institutes of Health (NIH), Dr. Lauren Franz reflects on how her early research in South Africa as a Fogarty Fellow shaped her career.

The partnerships she developed there shifted her focus from identifying autism to understanding how autism services can be implemented across communities and health care settings and adapted to each autistic person’s unique needs and experience.

Lessons from this work continue to inform efforts both globally and locally, including our work to improve access to autism supports and services in the US.

Read more: https://www.fic.nih.gov/News/GlobalHealthMatters/september-october-2026/Pages/developing-interventions-for-subgroups-within-the-autism-spectrum.aspx
Duke Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences Duke University School of Medicine

10/01/2026

In a new study, about 90% of autistic children had at least one other neurodevelopmental condition diagnosed before their autism diagnosis. Duke researchers examined what co-occurring conditions are most often diagnosed before an autism diagnosis, and whether having these conditions is linked to being diagnosed with autism earlier or later.

Read more:

October 1, 2026 Why We Did This Study Autistic children often have other neurodevelopmental conditions, such as language delay, motor delay, ADHD, and global developmental delay. However, until now we did not know how common it was for an autistic child to have multiple additional neurodevelopmental...

09/30/2026

One more week until Dr. Lindsay Oberman's presentation kicks off our 2026-27 Autism Seminar Series! Register at https://duke.zoom.us/meeting/register/cGZqDPU-RfW0aV4bgaKozw

Please join us for the first presentation in the 2026-27 Duke Autism Seminar Series!
Wed, Oct 7 at 4pm ET
Lindsay M. Oberman, PhD, Director, Developmental Clinical Neurophysiology and Neurostimulation Research Program at the National Institute of Mental Health will present "TMS in Autism Spectrum Disorder: From Pathophysiology to Development of Novel Therapeutic Protocols"
Register here: https://duke.zoom.us/meeting/register/cGZqDPU-RfW0aV4bgaKozw

09/17/2026

Please join us for the first presentation in the 2026-27 Duke Autism Seminar Series!
Wed, Oct 7 at 4pm ET
Lindsay M. Oberman, PhD, Director, Developmental Clinical Neurophysiology and Neurostimulation Research Program at the National Institute of Mental Health will present "TMS in Autism Spectrum Disorder: From Pathophysiology to Development of Novel Therapeutic Protocols"
Register here: https://duke.zoom.us/meeting/register/cGZqDPU-RfW0aV4bgaKozw

09/11/2026

We are pleased to announce the presenters for our 2026-27 Duke Autism Seminar Series. These researchers, clinicians, and advocates will share their latest practices and perspectives in monthly webinars.

[View in Browser]( #) The Duke Center for Autism Seminar Series features autism researchers, clinicians, and self-advocates sharing their latest research, intervention practices, and perspectives. We are pleased to announce the presenters for our 2026-27 Duke Center for Autism and Brain Development S...

09/10/2026

Autism is often diagnosed long after the earliest signs may be present. Earlier identification could help people receive support sooner, but acting too early when less information is available can be less accurate.
Duke researchers are developing a method that uses information collected over time in electronic health records to help determine when there is enough evidence to notify a healthcare provider and when it may be better to wait for more information.

September 9, 2026 Why We Did This Study Many chronic conditions, such as Alzheimer’s disease and autism, are often diagnosed long after the earliest signs may be present. Earlier identification could help people receive support, screening, and treatment sooner, but acting too early when less infor...

09/08/2026

Dr. Lauren Franz, director of the Duke Center for Autism and Brain Development, will join other experts in this upcoming webinar series hosted by North Carolina Council on Developmental Disabilities to talk about the Early Start Denver Model, among other supports and strategies for autism. Dr. Franz will be speaking in part 3 on October 15.

Autism Supports: A Three-Part Webinar Series for Families, Professionals, and Policymakers

Families often face difficult questions when seeking autism services: Where do we begin? Which supports are available? What does the research tell us? How do we navigate insurance, Medicaid, therapies, and community resources?

This three-part webinar series will provide parents, caregivers, professionals, and policymakers with a practical introduction to autism diagnoses, services, and research-based approaches. Participants will gain a clearer understanding of the systems families must navigate, the range of available supports, and the policies and resources needed to help people with autism thrive.
Introduction to Autism Supports

Date/Time: September 17, 2026, at 6:30 p.m.
Location: Zoom https://www.zoomgov.com/meeting/register/uOVKENwFTaOzQLDSXnnLFw #/registration

Receiving an autism diagnosis can leave families with many questions about what to do next. This introductory webinar will explain autism, how families can pursue a diagnosis, and where they can turn for reliable information and support.

Participants will also learn about identifying community resources and taking the next steps after a diagnosis. Professionals and policymakers will gain insight into the challenges families face when trying to access timely, appropriate services.

Topics will include:
- Understanding autism
- Pursuing and receiving a diagnosis
- Finding trustworthy information and research
- Identifying services and community resources

09/02/2026

As part of Duke’s NIH Autism Center of Excellence research program, Duke researchers are developing an artificial intelligence (AI)-based tool that uses information already collected in a child’s electronic medical record to estimate the likelihood of autism.

Before a screening tool like this can be used in pediatric primary care, it is important to understand how clinicians and caregivers want the information presented and used. We conducted this study to learn their preferences and use that information to guide the design of the tool.

Learn more: https://autismcenter.duke.edu/news/designing-ai-based-autism-screening-tool-users-mind