The Dan Marino Foundation announced a pledge of $1.2 million over 3 years to establish the Marino Autism Research Institute (MARI) as a joint partnership with the University of Miami Center for Autism and Related Disabilities (CARD) and the Vanderbilt Kennedy Center’s Treatment and Research Institute for Autism Spectrum Disorders (TRIAD).

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What is MARI?

The Marino Autism Research Institute (MARI) is a joint partnership with the University of Miami Center for Autism and Related Disabilities (CARD) and Vanderbilt Kennedy Center’s Treatment and Research Institute for Autism Spectrum Disorders (TRIAD). MARI was established by The Dan Marino Foundation in January 2006 with a generous pledge of $1.2 million over 3 years.

MARI is the first philanthropically funded ‘virtual institute’ designed to sponsor cross-university collaborative research and community outreach on autism. Mary Partin, CEO of the Dan Marino Foundation, says: “Dan and Claire Marino and the Foundation’s Board of Directors believe that this collaboration between two exceptional centers at national universities will provide a powerful means to address key questions about the nature of autism and to accelerate the discovery of new strategies for treating and preventing autism.”

Who are MARI Investigators?

MARI has brought together distinguished researchers in psychology, neurology, neuroscience, medicine, genetics, engineering, behavior analysis, communication disorders, and special education from both universities who conduct cutting edge research to answer key questions regarding the causes of autism, the earliest behavioral and biological markers of autism, and the development of creative, evidence-based treatments designed to improve the lives of children with autism and their families.

The University of Miami effort is led by MARI Co-Directors Michael Alessandri, Ph.D., clinical professor of psychology and executive director of CARD, and Daniel Messinger, Ph.D., associate professor of psychology.

The Vanderbilt Kennedy Center effort is led by Wendy Stone, Ph.D., professor of pediatrics and psychology and director of TRIAD.

The distinguished Miami-based researchers currently serving as MARI Investigators include:

What are MARI Investigators Studying?

MARI Investigators have accessed pilot grants to establish innovative and collaborative efforts.

Current Funding Cycle: Project Descriptions

Marino Autism Research Institute
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