Mayada Elsabbagh

Assistant Professor
McGill University

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.

From this contributor

Explore more from The Transmitter

Research image of neurons in the fly’s ventral nerve cord.

New connectomes fly beyond the brain

Researchers are mapping the neurons in Drosophila’s ventral nerve cord, where the central nervous system meets the rest of the body.

By Laura Dattaro
26 July 2024 | 7 min read
Illustration of researchers talking to laypeople amidst strands of DNA.

Building an autism research registry: Q&A with Tony Charman

A purpose-built database of participants who have shared genomic and behavioral data could give clinical trials a boost, Charman says.

By Cathleen O’Grady
25 July 2024 | 8 min read

Cerebellar circuit may convert expected pain relief into real thing

The newly identified circuit taps into the brain’s opioid system to provide a top-down form of pain relief.

By Angie Voyles Askham
24 July 2024 | 6 min read