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National Alliance for Autism Research: committed to accelerating biomedical autism research to unlock the mysteries of autism spectrum disorders. (organizational spotlight).

Article Excerpt
The National Alliance for Autism Research (NAAR) is the first national nonprofit organization dedicated to funding and accelerating biomedical research and scientific approaches that seek to determine the causes of, find treatment for and ultimately discover a cure for autism spectrum disorders.

Established in 1994, the National Alliance for Autism Research has committed more than $6 million in grants to fund more than 80 autism research projects worldwide. This year, the National Alliance for Autism Research will invest millions more to fund dozens of additional research projects and mentoring fellowships.

The driving force behind the creation of the National Alliance for Autism Research, Karen and Eric London, started the organization a few years after their son, Zachary, was diagnosed with autism.

As the Londons became immersed in learning all they could about autism and working with their son, they became increasingly aware of the dearth of serious research on autism spectrum disorders. Frustrated, Karen began to think of how they could make a difference.

A corporate attorney by training, Karen began to investigate the nation's leading disease-specific nonprofit groups and consider whether autism would benefit from a similar organization. She became more active in local autism organizations and began attending conferences, raising questions about the lack of autism research in the country.

Eric, a psychiatrist who had spent several years engaged in brain research, had also noticed his growing caseload of patients with autism. The Londons discussed the idea of forming an autism organization with pioneering autism researcher Dr. Margaret Bauman, who enthusiastically endorsed the idea.

The family's basement became NAAR's first office. Work was completed during the day, with the children at school, and in the evenings, after the children were asleep.

Karen and Eric persuaded 22 leaders from the nation's top universities and research centers to form the...