Mayada Elsabbagh

Mayada Elsabbagh is associate professor of neurology and neurosurgery at the Montreal Neurological Institute at McGill University in Canada. Her research focuses on understanding the root causes of autism and tracing its developmental pathways. The approach combines innovative research with the mission of accelerating the translation of scientific discoveries into community impact. Elsabbagh’s contributions include the discovery of early brain-function markers for autism prior to the onset of behavioral signs. She has supported the successful launch of several collaborative research and translational networks aimed at accelerating the pace of discovery in autism. This includes the Transforming Autism Care Consortium, a Québec research network supported by the Fonds de recherche du Québec-Santé and several community partners. She is also active in global efforts to improve evidence-based practice in the community and capacity-building in low- and middle-income countries. The public value and social relevance of Elsabbagh’s research has been recognized through various awards, including the Neville Butler Memorial Prize and the British Psychological Society Neil O’Conner Prize.