One in 68 children in the United States is diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder, which is characterized by a wide range of challenges related to communication, social skills and repetitive behaviors. North Carolina’s autism rate is above the national average with about 65,000 people diagnosed with the condition.
The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill has long been one of the world’s premier autism research universities, taking on the disorder from every angle — genetics, developmental, biomedical and cognitive. Currently, nearly 100 faculty members, students and postdoctoral researchers from 32 departments within five schools work on autism-related research.