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.
Inflammatory Conditions During Pregnancy Linked to Increased Risk of Autism in Offspring
Moms with Asthma Were 62% More Likely to Deliver an Infant Later Diagnosed with ASD, Moms with Obesity 51% Liklier New research from Kaiser Permanente has found that mothers with asthma or obesity during pregnancy were more likely to have children later diagnosed with autism. The current study analyzed the medical records of mothers who […]
Glutathione and GABA Levels Appear Normal in Kids with Autism
Authors Note that Studying GSH and GABA Levels for ASD Subgroups Could Be Warranted Researchers from the Kennedy Krieger Institute recently set out to investigate the levels of cerebral glutathione (GSH) and gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) in children with autism using edited spectroscopy. Altered neurometabolite levels, including GSH and GABA, have been proposed as potential contributors […]
Post-Mortem Study Links Brain Inflammation to Autism and Schizophrenia
Sample Donors Had Experienced Inflammation from Encephalitis and Severe Asthma Attacks Neuroscientists from the University of Maryland have discovered how inflammation in the brain during early childhood can affect human brain cells and their development, offering a potential mechanism for the link between inflammation and neurodevelopmental disorders such as autism and schizophrenia. The authors conducted […]
Children with Autism Have a Higher Body Lead Burden than Neurotypical Controls
Increased Levels Found in Hair, Blood, and Urine in Kids with ASD According to a new systematic review and meta-analysis, children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) have higher lead (Pb) levels in their hair, whole blood, and urine compared to neurotypical control children. This finding suggests that Pb exposure might be a contributing factor to […]
People with Autism Face Increasing Risks of Chronic Physical Health Conditions
Conditions Occur Across All Organ Systems, Including the Brain, Gastrointestinal Tract and Endocrine System A study led by researchers at the University of Cambridge has found that individuals with autism have higher rates of chronic physical health conditions and are more likely to have complex health needs than previously thought. The study, published in the […]
New Study Shows Nearly 2% of 16-Year-Olds in New Jersey Were Identified with ASD
Rate is Consistent with Prevalence Estimate for 8-Year-Olds, But Lower than Parent-Report Surveys and Registries A new brief report conducted by a team of researchers led by Dr. Walter Zahorodny, Principal Investigator of the New Jersey Autism Developmental Disabilities Monitoring (ADDM) network, has discovered that nearly 2% (17.7 per 1000) of 16-year-olds in a four-county […]
