Gari Clifford, PhD

Professor, Biomedical Engineering and Department of Anesthesiology and Critical Care Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine

Gari Clifford, DPhil, FIEEE, is a Distinguished Professor at Johns Hopkins University in the Department of Anesthesiology and Critical Care Medicine and the Department of Biomedical Engineering. He also serves as the Director of Perioperative and Critical Care Data Science and Executive Director for Translational Biomedical Data Science & AI at the Johns Hopkins Medical School & Whiting School of Engineering. Dr. Clifford leads a comprehensive research enterprise centered on developing novel approaches to signal processing, edge artificial intelligence, machine learning, and mathematical modeling of physiological time series. His group focuses on translating complex, high-frequency multimodal datasets — from continuous ICU bedside telemetry to low-power wearable, hearable, and nearable devices — into low-resource real-time clinical decision support systems to enhance access to care.

Michael R. Cummings, MD

Vice Chair of Community Affairs and Outreach, The Department of Psychiatry of the University at Buffalo; Associate Medical Director, ECMC

Dr. Michael Cummings has over 15 years of experience treating children, adolescents, and adults for all major psychiatric conditions and developmental challenges in a wide array of community and institutional settings. He currently serves as Vice Chair of Community Affairs and Outreach for the Department of Psychiatry of the University at Buffalo, Associate Medical Director of Erie County Medical Center, and Medical Director of NYSTART (Region 1). In addition to his clinical and administrative work, his major focus is on developing and integrating systems of care for individuals with mental illness and developmental disabilities who are at high risk of avoidable hospitalization or incarceration.

Juergen Hahn, PhD

Professor of Biomedical Engineering and Director of the Center for Biotechnology & Interdisciplinary Studies, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute

Juergen Hahn is the Director of the Jackson Center for Biotechnology and Interdisciplinary Studies at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in addition to holding appointments in the Department of Biomedical Engineering and the Department of Chemical & Biological Engineering. His research interest focuses on computational systems biology with a specific emphasis on data science approaches applied to autism spectrum disorder and he has authored over 170 peer-reviewed publications. Dr. Hahn is also leading an exploratory analysis of how The Center for Discovery’s data can be used to better understand and improve patient outcomes.

Donald W. Landry, MD, PhD

Former Physician-in-Chief, New York-Presbyterian/Columbia University Irving Medical Center of Surgery

Donald W. Landry, MD, PhD, served as the Physician-in-Chief at New York-Presbyterian/Columbia University Irving Medical Center and Chair of the Department of Medicine at the Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons (through April 1, 2023). For nearly four decades, Dr. Landry has conducted exceptional pioneering research and forged new medical approaches to intractable health challenges. Dr. Landry’s work as a biomedical researcher and clinician is matched in significance by the enduring institutional contributions he has made to the Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons and to New York-Presbyterian.

Eric London, MD

Psychiatrist, The Center for Discovery

Dr. Eric London is the director of the Autism Treatment Laboratory for the NYS Institute for Basic Research in Developmental Disorders. His primary research interests are in very early screening and diagnosis, and novel treatment strategies. Dr. London is the founder of the National Alliance for Autism Research (NAAR), the first nonprofit organization in the country dedicated to advancing autism research. He served as the Chief Science Officer, as well as the Chair of its Scientific Advisory Committee. Following NAAR’s merger with Autism Speaks in 2006, Dr. London served on the organization’s Scientific Affairs Committee and currently participates on the Scientific Advisory Committee for the Autism Science Foundation. His paper, “Early Medical and Behavioral Challenges of NICU Infants Later Classified with Autism Spectrum Disorders,” in Pediatrics, was honored by Autism Speaks as one of the 10 most important papers on autism in 2010.

Ruth Ann Luna, PhD

Assistant Professor, Pathology and Immunology, Baylor College of Medicine and Director of Medical Metagenomics, Texas Children’s Hospital

Dr. Luna is the Director of Medical Metagenomics of the Microbiome Center at the Texas Children’s Research Institute and an Associate Professor in the Department of Pathology & Immunology at Baylor College of Medicine. Her primary research focus is the microbiome-gut-brain axis in autism spectrum disorder (ASD). She also directs the development of metagenomic sequencing-based diagnostics for Texas Children's Hospital.

Kara Gross Margolis, MD

Professor of Molecular Pathobiology at NYU College of Dentistry, Cell Biology and Pediatrics

Dr. Kara Gross Margolis is a pediatric gastroenterologist, physician-scientist, and internationally recognized expert in disorders of the brain-gut axis, including autism spectrum disorder. She leads translational research focused on the gut microbiome, neurotransmitters, and novel therapies for gastrointestinal and neurodevelopmental conditions. Her NIH- and Department of Defense-funded research advances new approaches to improving health through gut-focused interventions.

Gene D. Morse, PharmD, FCCP, BCPS

Professor, University at Buffalo (UB) School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences; Director, Translational Research, UB NYS Center of Excellence in Bioinformatics and Life Sciences; Co-Director, SUNY Global Health Institute

Dr. Morse has been involved in HIV clinical pharmacology research since the inception of antiretrovirals in 1986, with more recent emphasis on HCV infection and drug development. Within the UB Clinical and Translational Science Institute, Dr. Morse is the Drug Development Core and Translational Research Workforce Development Associate Director. Additionally, he is associate director for the Clinical Trials Methods and Technologies Pillar for the Clinical and Translational Sciences Institute at the University of Rochester Medical Center. Dr. Morse is co-founder of the Buffalo Jamaica Innovation Enterprise, a partnership between UB, the University of the West Indies, Mona Campus and the Jamaica Ministry of Health. He has more than 25 years of NIH, industry, and philanthropic research support with wide-ranging experience in grant applications and mentoring. Dr. Morse was the recipient of the 2012 Volwiler Research Achievement Award from the American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy.

Rune Simeonsson, PhD, MS.PH.

Professor Emeritus, Psychology Department, University of North Carolina Chapel Hill

Dr. Simeonsson, Professor Emeritus at the University of North Carolina Chapel Hill, previously held appointments as a research professor of psychology and fellow at the Frank Porter Graham Child Development Institute. His academic preparation and professional background reflect the intersection of child development, special education and public health, particularly the developmental and psychological characteristics of children and youth with chronic conditions and disabilities. Dr. Simeonsson’s research includes studies of the role of school and community environments on school participation of students, and analyses of the developmental progress of young children, with data collected from the National Early Intervention Longitudinal Study

Nancy M. Wells, PhD

Professor, Human Centered Design; Senior Associate Dean, College of Human Ecology, Cornell University

Nancy Wells is Professor in the Department of Human Centered Design within the College of Human Ecology at Cornell University. As an environmental psychologist, Wells studies people's relationship to the built and natural environment through the life course. Her studies have focused on residential environments -- housing and neighborhoods -- and more recently, schools. Dr. Wells’ research focuses on the beneficial effects of nature on human health, functioning, and resilience. Her current focus is how time in the natural environment may affect the functioning and well-being of individuals with autism and severe disability.