MEDICAL & SCIENTIFIC ADVISORY BOARD
The Medical & Scientific Advisory Board (MSAB) serves in an advisory capacity to the ADNP Kids Research Foundation and provides strategic input, insight and expertise to the ADNP Kid's Research Foundation Board of Directors. The mission, goals and advisory role is strategically aligned with the ADNP-KRF.
CHAIR: Matt Davis, MD.
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Illana Gozes, Ph.D.
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Joseph Buxbaum, Ph.D.
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Alex Kolevzon, MD.
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Raphael Bernier, Ph.D.
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Jacob Eichenberger, MD.
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Frank Kooy, Ph.D.
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Matt Davis, MD. | CHAIRMAN
Dr. Matt Davis and his wife Anna Davis are the proud parents of Benjamin, diagnosed with ADNP syndrome in 2017. Dr. Davis specializes in the management of neurological disorders, and is completing his training in neurological surgery at the University of Alabama at Birmingham, with fellowship training in functional neurosurgery and epilepsy surgery. As a resident he additionally completed a Masters of Public Health in Health Care Organization and Policy.
Dr. Davis’ clinical interests include all aspects of neurological disease, with particular focus on epilepsy and functional neurosurgery. His research interests are in clinical outcomes research, quality improvement, innovative technologies, and global neurosurgery, with implications for healthcare infrastructure and policy.
He has implemented system-based means for improving care, demonstrating the feasibility of telecollaboration for international neurosurgical assistance. This work formed the basis for multiple projects in adapting technology to expand neurosurgical capacity both within the United States and world-wide, leading to collaborations with neurosurgeons in Vietnam, Myanmar, Guatemala, Ghana, and Kenya.
Illana Gozes, Ph.D.
Dr. Gozes is a Professor of Clinical Biochemistry the Lily and Avraham Gildor Chair for the Investigation of Growth Factors, Head of the Elton Laboratory for Molecular Neuroendocrinology, Department of Human Molecular Genetics and Biochemistry, Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Sagol School of Neuroscience and Adams Super Center for Brain Studies, Tel Aviv University. She is a former Director of the Adams Super Center for Brain Studies & the Edersheim Levie-Gitter Institute for Functional Brain Imaging and former President of the Israel Society for Neuroscience. She serves as Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of Molecular Neuroscience. She holds a B.Sc. from Tel Aviv University and a Ph.D. from the Weizmann Institute of Science.
Dr. Gozes is the inventor of CP201 and CP102. She serves as the Chief Scientific Officer and an Observing Member of the Board of Directors at Coronis Neurosciences, the Israeli company focused on developing CP201 for ADNP Syndrome. CP201 is planned for an advanced US clinical trial.
Her research focuses on neuronal plasticity and nerve cell protection in disease characterized by a multi-level approach to the study of brain function, behavior, memory and drug discovery, from molecules to cures. Targeting autism, schizophrenia as well as Alzheimer’s disease and related neurodegenerations and utilizing a multidisciplinary approach, her group investigates different aspects of neuronal plasticity and nerve cell protection, at the molecular, cellular and system levels.
Professor Gozes is the recipient of multiple national and international awards including the 2016 International Scientist Champion of Hope, for the discovery of ADNP. She has published over 300 scientific papers.
Dr. Gozes's published papers can be found at https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/m/pubmed/?term=gozes+I
Joseph Buxbaum, Ph.D.
Dr. Joseph Buxbaum is a world-renowned molecular geneticist who has been intimately affiliated with the Seaver Autism Center since joining the faculty at Mount Sinai in 1997. He was the Center's Director of Molecular Genetics for seven years prior to becoming the Director of the Center in 2008. Dr. Buxbaum has focused on understanding the molecular and genetic basis of autism, leading to the development of novel therapeutics for the negative aspects of the disorder.
Dr. Buxbaum also heads the Laboratory of Molecular Neuropsychiatry, which has taken the findings of the causes of autism and translated them into animal models where therapeutic approaches can be evaluated. In this context, Dr. Buxbaum has established the Autism Model Systems Initiative, which makes use of multiple experimental systems to develop and evaluate novel therapeutics in autism.
Additionally, he is the founder and co-leader of the Autism Sequencing Consortium, an international group of scientists who share autism samples, data, and ideas in order to accelerate our understanding of the causes and treatments of autism.
Dr. Buxbaum is a G. Harold and Leila Y. Mathers Professor who has received numerous awards for his research and was elected into the National Academy of Medicine, formerly the Institute of Medicine, in 2015.
Dr. Buxbaum has published more than 200 publications in esteemed journals and his work on autism and related conditions has been published in major journals including Nature, Nature Genetics, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, Molecular Psychiatry, and Biological Psychiatry. He is the co-editor-in-chief of Molecular Autism, a journal that publishes cutting-edge research in autism genetics.
Dr. Buxbaum's publications can be found at https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/?term=Buxbaum+JD.
Alexander Kolevzon, MD.
Dr. Alex Kolevzon is a Professor of Psychiatry and Pediatrics at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai and serves as the Clinical Director of the Seaver Autism Center and the Director of the Child Behavioral Health and Science Center for the Mount Sinai Health System.
His research interests pertain to understanding the neurobiology of autism and developing novel therapeutics. Most recently, his group has focused on studying specific genetic forms of autism, including Fragile X syndrome and Phelan-McDermid syndrome, in order to better understand the clinical presentation and to explore possible targets for pharmacological intervention.
Dr. Kolevzon leads the Experimental Therapeutics Program at the Seaver Autism Center, which conducts studies that range from small pilot trials to multi-centered pivotal FDA studies and are funded internally, through industry, and through the National Institutes of Health. Dr. Kolevzon also leads a national Rare Disease Clinical Research Consortium in Phelan-McDermid syndrome and is the Principal Investigator on the only clinical trial in the United States of a novel therapeutic for this rare disorder.
Dr. Kolevzon is a frequently invited speaker regionally, nationally, and internationally and has published numerous papers on autism, won teaching and mentoring awards for the past 10 years and written several books.
Raphael Bernier, Ph.D.
Dr. Raphael “Raphe” Bernier is an Associate Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences and Educational Psychology, Center on Human Development and Disability, and an adjunct Assistant Professor of Psychology at the University of Washington. He also serves as the Clinical Director of the Seattle Children’s Autism Center in Seattle, Washington.
Dr. Bernier received his PhD at the University of Washington, his clinical training at UCLA, and also holds degrees from the University of Wisconsin and Tufts University. His research spans genetics, neural mechanisms, and behavior in autism. Additionally, through nationwide collaborations and independent projects at UW, Dr. Bernier’s research examines effective and accurate diagnosis and treatment.
As a clinical psychologist and the principle investigator on a number of research studies, he is actively involved in research at the intersection of genetics, the brain, and treatment of autism spectrum disorders.
Dr. Bernier studies the genetics, neurobiology, and behavioral characteristics of individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Bernier’s work in genetics includes studies to discover ASD-susceptibility genes and efforts to develop national genetic databases of ASD-linked genes. His neurobiology studies use EEG technology and focus on mirror neurons, which are involved in social interactions such as learning through imitation, comprehending language, and comprehending the feelings of other persons. Bernier also participates in a national effort to establish standards of care for the medical assessment and treatment of individuals with ASD.
Jacob Eichenberger, MD
Dr. Jacob Eichenberger is an Assistant Professor of Pediatrics at the Children’s Hospital of Georgia and the Associate Chief Medical Information Officer at Augusta University Health.
Jacob lives in Augusta, Georgia with his wife, Amanda, and five children. He has a diverse educational background that includes receiving undergraduate degrees in mathematics and computer science from Belmont University, graduating with a medical degree from the Indiana University School of Medicine, completing a pediatric residency at the Medical College of Georgia, and attending a fellowship in Clinical Informatics at Vanderbilt University. Jacob is board certified in pediatrics and clinical informatics. In his job as Associate CMIO, Dr. Eichenberger helps to manage changes in the Electronic Health System to improve the delivery of healthcare to patients.
In June of 2016, Jacob’s fourth child, Zella, was diagnosed with ADNP syndrome.
Frank Kooy, Ph.D.
Dr. Frank Kooy is a Professor in Cognitive Genetics at the University of Antwerp in Belgium. His research successfully focusses on the identification of genetic causes of cognitive disorders, such as intellectual disability and autism and the study of the defective genes with the ultimate goal of developing rational therapies.
His group was the first to discover that mutations in the ADNP gene cause autism in a subset of patients. More recently, Dr. Kooy and his team described a comprehensive overview of the clinical manifestation of ADNP syndrome. Although ADNP Syndrome is the more common secondary name for the syndrome, it was officially named Helsmoortel Van der Aa syndrome when the disease was originally discovered, named after the PhD student and the clinician from Dr. Kooy's lab.
Dr. Kooy is keen on elucidating the mechanism of action of ADNP syndrome in order with time to be able to improve the condition of the patients. Dr. Kooy has teamed up with 3 additional groups in the context of an ERA-NET Neuron funded consortium to accelerate the pace of the discoveries.
Dr. Matt Davis and his wife Anna Davis are the proud parents of Benjamin, diagnosed with ADNP syndrome in 2017. Dr. Davis specializes in the management of neurological disorders, and is completing his training in neurological surgery at the University of Alabama at Birmingham, with fellowship training in functional neurosurgery and epilepsy surgery. As a resident he additionally completed a Masters of Public Health in Health Care Organization and Policy.
Dr. Davis’ clinical interests include all aspects of neurological disease, with particular focus on epilepsy and functional neurosurgery. His research interests are in clinical outcomes research, quality improvement, innovative technologies, and global neurosurgery, with implications for healthcare infrastructure and policy.
He has implemented system-based means for improving care, demonstrating the feasibility of telecollaboration for international neurosurgical assistance. This work formed the basis for multiple projects in adapting technology to expand neurosurgical capacity both within the United States and world-wide, leading to collaborations with neurosurgeons in Vietnam, Myanmar, Guatemala, Ghana, and Kenya.
Illana Gozes, Ph.D.
Dr. Gozes is a Professor of Clinical Biochemistry the Lily and Avraham Gildor Chair for the Investigation of Growth Factors, Head of the Elton Laboratory for Molecular Neuroendocrinology, Department of Human Molecular Genetics and Biochemistry, Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Sagol School of Neuroscience and Adams Super Center for Brain Studies, Tel Aviv University. She is a former Director of the Adams Super Center for Brain Studies & the Edersheim Levie-Gitter Institute for Functional Brain Imaging and former President of the Israel Society for Neuroscience. She serves as Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of Molecular Neuroscience. She holds a B.Sc. from Tel Aviv University and a Ph.D. from the Weizmann Institute of Science.
Dr. Gozes is the inventor of CP201 and CP102. She serves as the Chief Scientific Officer and an Observing Member of the Board of Directors at Coronis Neurosciences, the Israeli company focused on developing CP201 for ADNP Syndrome. CP201 is planned for an advanced US clinical trial.
Her research focuses on neuronal plasticity and nerve cell protection in disease characterized by a multi-level approach to the study of brain function, behavior, memory and drug discovery, from molecules to cures. Targeting autism, schizophrenia as well as Alzheimer’s disease and related neurodegenerations and utilizing a multidisciplinary approach, her group investigates different aspects of neuronal plasticity and nerve cell protection, at the molecular, cellular and system levels.
Professor Gozes is the recipient of multiple national and international awards including the 2016 International Scientist Champion of Hope, for the discovery of ADNP. She has published over 300 scientific papers.
Dr. Gozes's published papers can be found at https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/m/pubmed/?term=gozes+I
Joseph Buxbaum, Ph.D.
Dr. Joseph Buxbaum is a world-renowned molecular geneticist who has been intimately affiliated with the Seaver Autism Center since joining the faculty at Mount Sinai in 1997. He was the Center's Director of Molecular Genetics for seven years prior to becoming the Director of the Center in 2008. Dr. Buxbaum has focused on understanding the molecular and genetic basis of autism, leading to the development of novel therapeutics for the negative aspects of the disorder.
Dr. Buxbaum also heads the Laboratory of Molecular Neuropsychiatry, which has taken the findings of the causes of autism and translated them into animal models where therapeutic approaches can be evaluated. In this context, Dr. Buxbaum has established the Autism Model Systems Initiative, which makes use of multiple experimental systems to develop and evaluate novel therapeutics in autism.
Additionally, he is the founder and co-leader of the Autism Sequencing Consortium, an international group of scientists who share autism samples, data, and ideas in order to accelerate our understanding of the causes and treatments of autism.
Dr. Buxbaum is a G. Harold and Leila Y. Mathers Professor who has received numerous awards for his research and was elected into the National Academy of Medicine, formerly the Institute of Medicine, in 2015.
Dr. Buxbaum has published more than 200 publications in esteemed journals and his work on autism and related conditions has been published in major journals including Nature, Nature Genetics, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, Molecular Psychiatry, and Biological Psychiatry. He is the co-editor-in-chief of Molecular Autism, a journal that publishes cutting-edge research in autism genetics.
Dr. Buxbaum's publications can be found at https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/?term=Buxbaum+JD.
Alexander Kolevzon, MD.
Dr. Alex Kolevzon is a Professor of Psychiatry and Pediatrics at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai and serves as the Clinical Director of the Seaver Autism Center and the Director of the Child Behavioral Health and Science Center for the Mount Sinai Health System.
His research interests pertain to understanding the neurobiology of autism and developing novel therapeutics. Most recently, his group has focused on studying specific genetic forms of autism, including Fragile X syndrome and Phelan-McDermid syndrome, in order to better understand the clinical presentation and to explore possible targets for pharmacological intervention.
Dr. Kolevzon leads the Experimental Therapeutics Program at the Seaver Autism Center, which conducts studies that range from small pilot trials to multi-centered pivotal FDA studies and are funded internally, through industry, and through the National Institutes of Health. Dr. Kolevzon also leads a national Rare Disease Clinical Research Consortium in Phelan-McDermid syndrome and is the Principal Investigator on the only clinical trial in the United States of a novel therapeutic for this rare disorder.
Dr. Kolevzon is a frequently invited speaker regionally, nationally, and internationally and has published numerous papers on autism, won teaching and mentoring awards for the past 10 years and written several books.
Raphael Bernier, Ph.D.
Dr. Raphael “Raphe” Bernier is an Associate Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences and Educational Psychology, Center on Human Development and Disability, and an adjunct Assistant Professor of Psychology at the University of Washington. He also serves as the Clinical Director of the Seattle Children’s Autism Center in Seattle, Washington.
Dr. Bernier received his PhD at the University of Washington, his clinical training at UCLA, and also holds degrees from the University of Wisconsin and Tufts University. His research spans genetics, neural mechanisms, and behavior in autism. Additionally, through nationwide collaborations and independent projects at UW, Dr. Bernier’s research examines effective and accurate diagnosis and treatment.
As a clinical psychologist and the principle investigator on a number of research studies, he is actively involved in research at the intersection of genetics, the brain, and treatment of autism spectrum disorders.
Dr. Bernier studies the genetics, neurobiology, and behavioral characteristics of individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Bernier’s work in genetics includes studies to discover ASD-susceptibility genes and efforts to develop national genetic databases of ASD-linked genes. His neurobiology studies use EEG technology and focus on mirror neurons, which are involved in social interactions such as learning through imitation, comprehending language, and comprehending the feelings of other persons. Bernier also participates in a national effort to establish standards of care for the medical assessment and treatment of individuals with ASD.
Jacob Eichenberger, MD
Dr. Jacob Eichenberger is an Assistant Professor of Pediatrics at the Children’s Hospital of Georgia and the Associate Chief Medical Information Officer at Augusta University Health.
Jacob lives in Augusta, Georgia with his wife, Amanda, and five children. He has a diverse educational background that includes receiving undergraduate degrees in mathematics and computer science from Belmont University, graduating with a medical degree from the Indiana University School of Medicine, completing a pediatric residency at the Medical College of Georgia, and attending a fellowship in Clinical Informatics at Vanderbilt University. Jacob is board certified in pediatrics and clinical informatics. In his job as Associate CMIO, Dr. Eichenberger helps to manage changes in the Electronic Health System to improve the delivery of healthcare to patients.
In June of 2016, Jacob’s fourth child, Zella, was diagnosed with ADNP syndrome.
Frank Kooy, Ph.D.
Dr. Frank Kooy is a Professor in Cognitive Genetics at the University of Antwerp in Belgium. His research successfully focusses on the identification of genetic causes of cognitive disorders, such as intellectual disability and autism and the study of the defective genes with the ultimate goal of developing rational therapies.
His group was the first to discover that mutations in the ADNP gene cause autism in a subset of patients. More recently, Dr. Kooy and his team described a comprehensive overview of the clinical manifestation of ADNP syndrome. Although ADNP Syndrome is the more common secondary name for the syndrome, it was officially named Helsmoortel Van der Aa syndrome when the disease was originally discovered, named after the PhD student and the clinician from Dr. Kooy's lab.
Dr. Kooy is keen on elucidating the mechanism of action of ADNP syndrome in order with time to be able to improve the condition of the patients. Dr. Kooy has teamed up with 3 additional groups in the context of an ERA-NET Neuron funded consortium to accelerate the pace of the discoveries.