Heterogeneity in Autism: Impact of Co-Occurring Psychiatric and Neurodevelopmental Disorders

Dr. Carpenter is a clinical neuroscientist specializing in the identification of neural and behavioral biomarkers as targets for early identification and treatment of autism and associated disorders in young children. The complexity of this work requires an innovative, interdisciplinary, and collaborative approach. She has thus developed a multi-disciplinary research program that combines neuroscience, early childhood mental health, and information sciences. She uses her expertise in clinical research in autism and preschool anxiety disorders in combination with her training as a developmental neuroscientist to both understand the complex brain-behavior relationships in young children with autism and associated disorders, as well as to foster the development of the next generation of researchers through mentorship and teaching. Four interrelated research themes encapsulate her approach: (1) Understanding the impact of comorbid disorders on clinical and behavioral outcomes of young children with autism; (2) Identification of early risk factors for the development of psychiatric and neurodevelopmental disorders; (3) Identification of brain-based biomarkers for group stratification and treatment response tracking in young children; and (4) Improving methods for screening, early identification, and treatment monitoring in autism. Through this work, she aims to increase access to, and provide a solid neurobiological foundation for, evidence-based screening, diagnosis and treatment