Key takeaways
- UCLA has been awarded a $7.5 million grant from Aligning Research to Impact Autism to support the Innovative Medicine and Precision Approaches to Clinical Trials Network, which focuses on autism and related neurodevelopmental conditions.
- Shafali Jeste, chair of UCLA's department of pediatrics, will co-lead the ARIA Clinical Coordinating Center, which will provide clinical research operations and administrative leadership and oversight for the network.
- The network prioritizes patient-centered research, including partnerships with advocacy groups, longitudinal care for enrolled patients and a commitment to representing individuals with profound autism who have the most limited options for care.
UCLA has received a $7.5 million grant from Aligning Research to Impact Autism (ARIA) to serve as the Clinical Coordinating Center (CCC) for a landmark multicenter clinical research effort to accelerate clinical trial readiness and implementation for autism and related neurodevelopmental conditions.
The CCC will provide a centralized service for the Innovative Medicine and Precision Approaches Clinical Trials (IMPACT) Network, an international group of clinical trial sites working together to advance research. By ensuring standardization of clinical and data processes and efficient workflows for future clinical trials, the CCC will create an environment where clinical research can be effectively and efficiently designed, conducted and disseminated.
The CCC will be co-led by Dr. Shafali Jeste, chair and executive medical director of the department of pediatrics at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA and executive director of the Children's Discovery and Innovation Institute, and Dr. Mustafa Sahin, neurologist-in-chief at Boston Children's Hospital. Jeste and Sahin will manage participating sites within the IMPACT Network.
"This grant is a testament to Dr. Jeste's distinguished career as a pioneering researcher and compassionate advocate for children with neurodevelopmental disorders," said Dr. Steven Dubinett, dean of the Geffen School of Medicine. "Her leadership reflects UCLA's enduring commitment to translating scientific discovery into meaningful improvements in patient care. Additionally, we are pleased for the opportunity to partner with Boston Children's Hospital on this innovative model."
Despite promising developments in therapies for autism with known genetic origins, the field lacks a unified framework for conducting rigorous, inclusive clinical trials. Most studies have focused on verbal, higher-functioning individuals, leaving those who do not rely on speech alone to communicate or who require significant assistance in daily life underrepresented.
The ARIA IMPACT Network will address this gap by establishing a robust infrastructure for clinical trial readiness and implementation. Early next year, participating sites will be onboarded to begin standardized phenotyping and biomarker discovery. Each site will be expected to enroll a minimum of 125 participants for longitudinal study.
"The Clinical Coordinating Center serves as the nucleus of the ARIA Impact Network," said Dr. Ekemini Riley, managing director of ARIA. "We are proud to embark on this journey with Dr. Jeste, Dr. Sahin and future IMPACT Network investigators to contribute foundational datasets that will enhance our understanding of autism and related neurodevelopmental conditions."
The project places patients and families at the heart of its activities. UCLA, BCH and participating IMPACT Network sites will work closely with patient advocacy organizations to support outreach and enrollment. Enrolled participants will receive ongoing clinical care through the network.
"We envision a research and clinical care system working in concert to deliver therapies for autistic people seeking support, including people with co-occurring conditions like epilepsy," said Jeste. "This collaborative, international network will advance these efforts."
Jeste began her appointment as chair of the UCLA Department of Pediatrics on Oct. 1. She previously served as professor of pediatrics and neurology at the USC Keck School of Medicine, and as chair, chief of neurology and co-director of the Neurological Institute at Children's Hospital Los Angeles (CHLA). After earning a bachelor's in philosophy from Yale University in 1997 and her M.D. from Harvard Medical School in 2002, Jeste completed a residency in child neurology and a fellowship in behavioral child neurology at Boston Children's Hospital. She joined the faculty at UCLA in 2010, then moved to CHLA in 2021 as chief of neurology.
