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.
The Prevalence of Physicians with Disabilities in the United States
New Survey Estimates 3.1% of Doctors Self-Identify as Having a Disability American physicians spend a good amount of their time treating and caring for individuals with disabilities. But how many of these doctors themselves have a disability? That’s a question a research letter answers this month in an issue of JAMA Network Open. This pioneering […]
“Family Navigation” Assists At-Risk Children Receive Timely ASD Diagnoses and Services
New Approach Helps Vulnerable Families Overcome Barriers to Early Intervention As reported previously in SafeMinds Shares, autism rates have been increasing among the socioeconomically disadvantaged as well as in African American and Hispanic families. Sadly, each of these groups tend to receive autism diagnoses and services later than other demographics. In order to address these […]
Mitochondrial Energy Production Linked with Autism-Like Traits
Mice Study Shows Mutation in Mitochondrial DNA Exhibits Altered Brain Activity A new study has demonstrated that defects in the mitochondria of brain cells may be the root cause of autism spectrum disorder (ASD). This compelling work was produced by researchers at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) and published online in the Proceedings of the […]
IVIG Shows Promise for Treating Pediatric Acute-Onset Neuropsychiatric Syndrome
Extended Dosing Provided Sustained Benefits up to 46 Weeks After Final Infusion Children who present with sudden and severe neuropsychiatric behaviors such as obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD), eating disorders, tics, anxiety, irritability, and problems with attention and focus are typically diagnosed with either pediatric acute-onset neuropsychiatric syndrome (PANS) or pediatric autoimmune neuropsychiatric disorders associated with […]
Assisted Autistic Communication Does Not Warrant Blanket Dismissal by Critics
Eye-Tracking Study Proves Genuine Communication Generated by Participant A recent study affiliated with the University of Virginia has examined the authenticity of a controversial communication practice for non-verbal individuals on the spectrum called facilitated communication or assisted autistic communication. For years, this method has come under scrutiny due its reliance upon the assistance of another […]
