Welcome to

Developmental Medicine

Research

In Developmental Medicine, we remain committed to advancing care through rigorous clinical and scientific research.

In collaboration with Albert Einstein College of Medicine’s Children's Evaluation and Rehabilitation Center (CERC), our team has launched an array of research initiatives, many focused on investigating the underlying causes of autism, learning disabilities, cerebral palsy and other developmental disabilities.

These efforts have a clear, unswerving goal: to find cures and more effective treatments for these conditions by identifying their genetic, neurologic, physiologic and environmental etiologies. Once we understand these causes, the medical community will be empowered to take on these disabilities at the source, rather than treat the symptoms.

Beyond finding the bases of these problems, our research aims to evaluate and increase the efficacy of currently used treatments. We’re also actively involved in studies on physical rehabilitation, speech pathology, hearing and language development, social and behavioral adjustment, learning disabilities and more.

The Rose F. Kennedy Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities Research Center (IDDRC)

Specializing in intellectual and developmental disabilities in children and adolescents, the Rose F. Kennedy IDDRC serves as our central hub of research labs and patient clinics. For more than four decades, the IDDRC has been a vanguard of new research on brain development and function. Bridging the gap between academic research and clinical care, the scientists at IDDRC contribute landmark research on autism, Rett syndrome, Fragile X syndrome, Niemann-Pick C, seizure disorders, deafness, communication disorders and more.

The Rose F. Kennedy University Center for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities (UCEDD)

The Rose F. Kennedy UCEDD is dedicated to improving the lives of those with developmental disabilities. Along with offering direct services and providing interdisciplinary training, the UCEDD’s research focuses on creating, implementing and evaluating family-oriented strategies. By sharing this applied research openly with aligned agencies, Einstein’s UCEDD aims to enhance access to cutting-edge care.

Meet Sophie Molhom, director for research at CERC

Trial Description
Disease / Condition
Principal Investigator
Contact
Trial DescriptionAn Open-Label Extension Study of CM-AT for the Treatment of Children With Autism With All Levels of Fecal Chymotrypsin - Autism is clearly a significant cause of disability in the pediatric population. Treatment is based on the observation that many children with autism do not digest protein. CM-AT is a proprietary enzyme that is designed as a granulated powder taken three times daily.NCT02649959
Disease/ConditionAUTISM
Principal InvestigatorEric Hollander
Contact
Email Contact
Trial DescriptionCannabidivarin (CBDV) vs. Placebo in Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) - There is a clear unmet need for new therapeutics to treat irritability in children with ASD that do not have the metabolic and weight adverse event profiles of the currently approved treatments. Cannabidivarin (CBDV) is a nonpsychoactive phytocannabinoid and a safe variant of Cannabidiol (CBD). It has no appreciable tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) \[less than 0.01%\], has been shown to have no impact on weight or metabolism, and improves both social and cognitive functioning in animal models of idiopathic and syndromal autism (Fragile X, Rett Syndrome, Angelman Syndrome). The CDC currently estimates 1 in 59 children have ASD. ASD is characterized by deficits in social communication, irritability, repetitive behaviors, impulsivity, temper tantrums, and high caregiver burden. Currently, the only FDA-approved medications for symptoms of ASD are aripiprazole and risperidone, both of which are indicated for irritability in pediatric ASD. These medications are effective but are associated with considerable side effects with long term treatment in this chronic developmental disorder, including weight gain, metabolic syndrome and the risk of type 2 diabetes, prolactin elevation and growth of breast tissue, extrapyramidal symptoms and the risk of tardive dyskinesia. The anticonvulsant divalproex sodium (valproate/VPA) also significantly reduces irritability and repetitive behaviors in individuals with ASD. Although VPA is efficacious for pediatric epilepsy and some symptoms of ASD, it also has significant side effects, including weight gain, sedation and nausea. CBDV, like VPA, is effective in the treatment of pediatric epilepsy, and ASD mouse models demonstrate potential mechanisms for treatment with CBDV, including potential therapeutic effects on repetitive behaviors, irritability, sociability, and quality of life, and the capacity to reduce inflammation. This study aims to examine the efficacy and safety of cannabidivarin (CBDV) with a primary aim of studying its effect on irritability in children with ASD. STUDY DESIGN: This is a 12-week randomized, double-blind study of CBDV vs. placebo in 100 child and adolescent subjects aged 5 to 18 years with a diagnosis of ASD.NCT03202303
Disease/ConditionAUTISM SPECTRUM DISORDER
Principal InvestigatorEric Hollander
View all Clinical Trials