Charles A. Nelson

Research director
Boston Children's Hospital

Charles A. Nelson is professor of pediatrics and neuroscience at Harvard Medical School and director of research at Boston Children’s Hospital’s Developmental Medicine Center.

From this contributor

Spectrum

By Charles A. Nelson

26 June 2018

4 min read

How separating children from parents causes irreparable harm

Science teaches us that housing children in institution-like settings is likely to cause severe and permanent damage to their minds and bodies.

Spectrum

How separating children from parents causes irreparable harm

By Charles A. Nelson

26 June 2018 | 4 min read

Spectrum

By Charles A. Nelson

25 April 2017

6 min read

Romanian orphans reveal clues to origins of autism

Understanding autism features in children who were deprived of social contact as infants could offer clues to the condition.

Spectrum

Romanian orphans reveal clues to origins of autism

By Charles A. Nelson

25 April 2017 | 6 min read

Explore more from The Transmitter

Spectrum

By Holly Barker

8 July 2026

5 min read

Research image of proliferating neural cells.

Diverse autism genes derail common developmental pathways

Multiple genetic mouse models initially show delayed cortical development, but the animals’ molecular trajectories diverge within weeks after birth, a new study finds.

Spectrum

Diverse autism genes derail common developmental pathways

Multiple genetic mouse models initially show delayed cortical development, but the animals’ molecular trajectories diverge within weeks after birth, a new study finds.

By Holly Barker

8 July 2026 | 5 min read

Sex differences

By Lauren Schenkman

8 July 2026

5 min read