Texas Children’s Hospital and Baylor researcher joins ARIA IMPACT Network to advance autism therapies

Dr. Jimmy Holder, an associate professor of pediatrics at Baylor College of Medicine and principal investigator at the Jan and Dan Duncan Neurological Research Institute at Texas Children’s Hospital, has secured a $17.25 million grant from the Aligning Research to Impact Autism (ARIA) initiative. This funding allows his team to join the ARIA IMPACT Network, a global collaboration of 12 research sites focused on accelerating clinical trials for autism therapies, including those targeting genetic mutations and non-genetic forms of the disorder. The Duncan Neurological Research Institute, established in 2010, has been a leader in autism research, contributing to discoveries like the genetic basis of Rett syndrome. Holder’s lab specializes in genes *SHANK3* and *SYNGAP1*, which, when mutated, cause severe neurodevelopmental disorders. By studying these mutations, his team aims to identify therapeutic targets for autism spectrum disorders and intellectual disabilities. As part of the ARIA IMPACT Network, Baylor and Texas Children’s will participate in a short-term study to better understand how autism and related conditions progress in children with profound autism. The initiative emphasizes that no single institution can achieve the scale needed for breakthroughs, and the collaboration will combine expertise to advance treatment options. Key collaborators include Dr. Holly Harris, a developmental-behavioral pediatrics specialist, and Dr. Mirjana Maletic-Savatic, a neurology professor at Baylor. The team will work alongside other researchers to translate scientific progress into clinical trials, offering hope for families affected by autism and related neurodevelopmental disorders. ARIA’s mission is to bridge research, technology, and clinical insights to create new therapeutic opportunities. The partnership with Texas Children’s Hospital and Baylor underscores the importance of multidisciplinary collaboration in addressing unmet medical needs for autistic individuals.