Scientific and Clinical Advisory Council
SafeMinds Scientific & Clinical Advisory Council is comprised of clinicians, health professionals, and scientists from a variety of disciplines, including, among others, specialists and experts in autism, environment, toxicology, pediatrics, neuroscience, pharmacology, and psychology.
José G. Dórea, Ph.D.
Professor of Nutritional Sciences, University of Brasília
A graduate of the University of Pernambuco with advanced degrees from the University of Massachusetts (MSc and PhD), Dr. Dorea has worked at Iowa State University (USA), University of Hawaii (USA), and University of Campinas (Brazil). He has authored numerous book chapters, and has published on infant nutrition and the environmental impact of toxic (natural and man made) substances on the growth and development of children. Dr. Dorea is on the editorial board of peer-reviewed scientific journals, and has authored and co-authored more than 180 papers in journals of public health, medical and environmental sciences, toxicology, and pharmacology.
Cindy Schneider, MD
Medical Director, Center for Autism Research and Education
Dr. Schneider is the Medical Director of CARE, the Center for Autism Research and Education. Her integrative medical practice is exclusively dedicated to individuals with autism and related neurological and immune disorders. Dr. Schneider’s areas of special interest include treatment of the immune, gastrointestinal, and metabolic aspects of autism and the identification of environmental toxins contributing to the autism epidemic. She has designed and implemented multiple research studies, and collaborated with researchers worldwide. Dr. Schneider’s priorities in both her medical practice and her research include the identification of the causes of autism, the formulation of effective treatment protocols, and the prevention of autism in future generations.
Dr. Schneider has served as a member of the Defeat Autism Now! think tank since 1997, and serves on the Clinician Advisory Committee at the Autism Research Institute. She was the founding president and medical director of two nonprofit organizations for autism research, and is a medical advisor for SafeMinds. Dr. Schneider has published extensively in the areas of genetic vulnerability to environmental toxins, and innovative treatments for the gastrointestinal and immune complications of autism.
As the mother of two children with autism and a leading authority in the field, Dr. Schneider closely tracks developments in autism research, and provides both a medical and personal assessment of current and promising treatment options.
Robert Sears, M.D.
Robert W. Sears, MD, FAAP, is a board-certified pediatrician in a full-time private practice in Dana Point, Calif. He received his medical degree from Georgetown University, and did his pediatric residency training at Childrens Hospital Los Angeles. “Dr. Bob,” as he likes to be called by his little patients, provides a unique blend of mainstream and integrative medical care. He is a co-author in the Sears Parenting Library, including The Baby Book and The Portable Pediatrician, and is the author of The Vaccine Book, The Autism Book, and HappyBaby: The Organic Guide to Baby’s First 24 Months. Dr. Bob has appeared on Dr. Oz, The Doctors, CNN, CBS Early Show, Fox Morning News, and Dr. Phil discussg parenting advice and pediatric health issues. He is a frequent speaker at parenting conferences, and serves on the medical advisory board for various organizations, including Talk About Curing Autism, Autism Care and Treatment Today, HappyBaby Organic Baby Food, and Kaplan University Department of Health Sciences. Dr. Bob is a contributor to AskDrSears.com, and regularly answers questions on his Mothering.com Ask the Experts forum.
How Do Women Who Identify on the Spectrum Mother Children Who Are Also on the Spectrum?
New Study Says They Perform at the Same Level as Neurotypical Mothers Little is known about parents who have autism. Since autism rates continue to climb and individuals on the spectrum are more likely to have children with the disorder, parents with autism will become more commonplace in the future. Research examining the parenting skills […]
Part 2: A SafeMinds Special Report “I don’t see how we can overlook 5-10% of boys with autism.”
Interview with Toms River’s Autism Report Co-Author Walter M. Zahorodny SafeMinds had the pleasure of conversing with Walter M. Zahorodny, Ph.D., co-author of the new report: Higher Than Expected ASD Prevalence in Toms River, New Jersey in 2016. He is an Associate Professor of Pediatrics at Rutgers New Jersey Medical School. Dr. Zahorodny is also […]
Accurate Autism Biomarkers Used for Diagnostics Could Save the U.S. $37B Each Year
Substantial Lifespan Cost Savings Occur when ASD is Diagnosed and Treated Early According to a new paper published in the journal Autism Research, using accurate biomarkers to detect autism in children at the earliest age possible could save the United States billions of dollars. This new paper hypothesizes that if more preschoolers and toddlers received […]
Study Shows No Association Between Epidural Analgesia and Autism Risk
However Previous Recent Research Links the Two A new Canadian study has found no association between epidural labor analgesia (ELA) and the risk of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in offspring. The results from this longitudinal study reported that 2.1% of children exposed to ELA later developed ASD, compared to 1.7% whose mothers did not utilize […]
New Drug Improves Cognitive Function in Adult Males with Fragile X Syndrome
Exciting Study Shows Cognition and Behavior Gains are Possible in Adulthood Fragile X syndrome is recognized as a common genetic cause of autism and intellectual disability. Advancements made in treating fragile X also have implications for treating autism. This is why a recently published study in Nature Medicine has shown promise for the autism community. […]
Mobility Device Shows Promise for Perioperative Transfers for Children with ASD
Multi-position Configuration Mobile Chair-Bed Could Make Medical and Dental Procedures Less Traumatizing Guiding a typical child through a needed medical or dental procedure is challenging on its own, but managing a child with autism through a similar procedure can prove exceptionally stressful. Changes in routine, unfamiliar people, strange lights, new noises are all stressors that […]
