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Health Equity through Autism Research Translation (HEART) Lab

The Health Equity through Autism Research Translation (HEART) Lab focuses on reducing autism and neurodevelopmental health disparities through the development and evaluation of innovative models of care both within the US and globally. Our team of scientists, health care clinicians, caregivers of children with neurodevelopmental disabilities, autistic advocates and learners are passionate about applying cutting-edge research methods to solve real-world health problems and improve the lives of children, their families and the health care clinicians and systems that care for them. The community — whether rural Indiana or resource-constrained regions of Africa — is our living laboratory and the principles of inclusion, respect, mutual learning and benefit, and equitable partnership guide our scientific collaborations. At the HEART Lab, we believe that our science and impact is strengthened when we work together. Our areas of research focus include:

  • Understanding disparities in autism diagnosis to drive new methods for improving health care access and equity.
  • Building capacity of primary care to improve equitable access to autism evaluation at the earliest actionable point.
  • Using participatory methods to optimize primary care training in early autism evaluation.
  • Cultural adaptation of autism evaluation tools for use in resource-constrained local and global communities.
  • Development of autism evaluation models for children from minoritized racial, ethnic and language backgrounds and global settings.
  • Integration of clinical and biobehavioral approaches to advance early autism diagnosis.
boxy heart icon with text: health equity through autism research translation
Dr. Rebecca McNally Keehn working with a young patient

Active Research

Lab Personnel

Faculty

23179-McNally Keehn, Rebecca

Rebecca McNally Keehn, PhD

Assistant Professor of Pediatrics

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Manasa Swaminathan clinical psychology doctoral student

Manasa Swaminathan, MA

Clinical Psychology Doctoral Student

61004-Martin, Ann Marie

Ann Marie Martin, PhD

Assistant Professor of Clinical Pediatrics

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44123-Fauntleroy-Love, Kristin

Kristin D. Fauntleroy-Love, MA, MBBS

Neurodevelopmental Disabilities, PGY 6
St. George's Hospital Medical School

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Staff

Angela Paxton, BS

Project Manager and Clinical Research Coordinator

Annie Clark Program Manager

Annie Clark

Program Manager

Current Interns/Research Assistants

Malak Belkacemi

Intern

Anna Maddux HEART Lab Intern

Anna Maddux

Stephanie Pozuelos

Undergraduate Research Assistant

Affiliates

Brandon Keehn

Brandon Keehn, PhD

Associate Professor, Purdue University College of Health and Human Services

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Faculty Profile Picture Placeholder IUSM Logo

Patrick Forgey

Christy James Affiliate

Christy James

Paulina Medina Lopez

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Jasmine Rodriguez

Alumni

Gisela Perez


Sarah Langdon Alumni

Sarah Langdon

Leah Bode Alumni

Leah Bode

Past Grant Funding

  • Development of a Scalable Program for Training Community Pediatricians in the Diagnosis of Autism Spectrum Disorder
    Indiana Clinical and Translational Sciences Institute K12TR004415
  • Indiana Early Autism Evaluation and Biomarker Projects
    Riley Children’s Foundation
  • Interdisciplinary Leadership Education in Neurodevelopmental and Other Related Diseases
    Health Research & Services Administration T73MC00015

Supporting Organizations

Our research is made possible by generous support from:

  • Riley Children’s Foundation 
  • Kiwanis Indiana
  • Robert & Helen Haddad Family Foundation
  • National Institutes of Health
  • Indiana Clinical and Translational Sciences Institute
  • Indiana Department of Health
  • Purdue Big Ideas Competition 2.0
  • Society for Developmental Behavioral Pediatrics

Publications