Mark O. Hatfield Research Fellowship
The Mark O. Hatfield Research Fellowship Program was established in 2005 to advance the research career of health practitioners who serve communities in Oregon and southwest Washington. The fellowship program also seeks to increase the intellectual resources of research-based institutions, while encouraging fellows to be leaders and spokespersons in their field of research. Currently the program focuses on autism research, to honor the legacy of Senator Hatfield, our founding Board Chairman, who for many years has been interested in autism and supporting research to improve the lives of families coping with the disorder. One, two-year fellowship of up to $150,000 is awarded annually.
The 2008 request for proposals is closed.
Please contact David Rebanal for more information.
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2008 Hatfield Fellow: Louisa Silva, MD, MPH
Qigong Massage for Early Intervention in Autism Spectrum Disorders: Parent Training Aspect
Dr. Louisa Silva, MD MPH, is currently the Director of the Traditional Chinese Medicine Clinic in Salem, Oregon, where she treats acute and chronic illnesses.
Dr. Silva is also the Medical Director and Founder of a non-profit community health service clinic that serves Spanish speaking and uninsured patients, with an emphasis on integrating Western and Chinese medical approaches. In the past seven years, Dr. Silva has been engaged in investigating an intervention for sensory impairment and autism that can be implemented in a community setting by trained, early intervention staff.
Dr. Silva's research will determine the effect of qigong massage as an early intervention for autism, especially as it at relates to a child's social and communication abilities and functions. Qigong massage is a type of Chinese massage that is based on the understanding of channels and points and the flow of energy between them. This research builds off earlier studies on qigong massage, and will include the testing of a parent and provider training intervention that can be delivered in the educational settings. In addition, Dr. Silva proposes to explore the use of vagal tone monitoring and to evaluate two instruments she has used in previous work with a methodology called Qigong Sensory Training.
The Teaching Research Institute of Western Oregon University will provide the research support and facilities to conduct this research.
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2007 Hatfield Fellow: Trevor Hall, PsyD
Possible Role of Cholesterol Metabolism in the Etiology of Autism, and Correlates with Neurocognitive / Neurobehavioral Phenotype
Trevor Hall, PsyD is an assistant professor in the Department of Pediatrics at Oregon Health and Science University (OHSU) and director of the Neuropsychology Program at OHSU’s Child Development and Rehabilitation Center.
Oregon Health and Science University will receive $150,000 over two years to directly support Dr. Hall’s research into the role of cholesterol metabolism in the development of autism. This research is based on the finding by investigators at OHSU and elsewhere of a high prevalence of autism in children with Smith-Lemli Opitz syndrome, a genetic disorder characterized by abnormal cholesterol metabolism. Dr. Hall aims to confirm a relationship between cholesterol metabolism and autism, which would shed light on the causes of autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) and might also lead to new screening protocols and treatment interventions. More than 1.5 million individuals in the U.S. have been diagnosed with an ASD. In Oregon, one in 120 children has autism.