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Dr. Rebecca Landa is the Director of the Center for Autism and Related Disorders (CARD) and the REACH research program at Kennedy Krieger Institute. She is also an Associate Professor of Psychiatry at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine.
Biographical Sketch:
Dr. Landa received her BA in Speech Pathology and Audiology summa cum laude from Towson State University, and went on to obtain a summa MS in Communication Sciences and Disorders at Penn State, followed by a PhD at the University of Washington in 1985. She pursued postgraduate work at the University of Maryland, Washington State College of Veterinary Medicine, and Johns Hopkins, and worked extensively as a speech-language pathologist before joining the Hopkins faculty in 1989.
Dr. Landa is a member of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association and reviews the Autism Society of America Foundation’s grants. She serves on both the Maryland State Department of Education Autism Task Force, the First Signs Clinical Advisory Board, and the Working Committee on Brain Growth Factors in Autism at NINDS. Dr. Landa is a recipient of the National Institute of Mental Health’s Shannon Award for excellent and innovative research design and content, the Rita Rudel Prize for Research in Developmental Neuropsychology, and the Maryland Speech-Language-Hearing Association’s prize for Outstanding Contribution to the Field.
Research Summary:
Kennedy Krieger's Autism Research featured on ABC World News Tonight
Kennedy Krieger's Autism Programs featured in FOX 45 "Cover Story"
One in every 166 individuals living in the US have been diagnosed with autism. Autism is an incapacitating, lifelong developmental disability that typically appears within the first three years of life. It is the result of a neurological disorder that affects the functioning of the brain. Individuals with autism frequently exhibit developmental delays in physical, social and language skills, have abnormal responses to sensations, communicate unusually, and have abnormal ways of relating to people, objects and events in the environment. The condition is four times more likely in boys than girls, and sometimes occurs in association with other disorders. Though the cause of Autism is unknown and the condition cannot be "cured," structured educational programs geared to the child’s level can help children with Autism lead happy, productive lives.
Dr. Landa directs the Center for Autism and Related Disorders (CARD) at Kennedy Krieger Institute, which offers a uniquely interdisciplinary approach to serving children with autism spectrum disorders and their families. The Center combines educational, clinical, diagnostic, out-patient and outreach programs to create treatment that is tailored to the particular needs of individual children and their families.
In her research, Dr. Landa works with professionals from other disciplines and uses a variety of approaches to explore the causes, indicators, and treatment of autism. One of her studies is the first to follow infants at risk for autism through their first year of life and beyond. In collaboration with neurologists, developmental pediatricians, epidemiologists, developmental psychologists, and speech-language pathologists, Dr. Landa will examine neurobiological and developmental patterns in these children. These findings will improve the early detection and instructional techniques used to help very young children.
Recent Publications/Presentations:
Focus on Autism Podcast: Listen to Dr. Landa talk about current autism
research and how it will change the way we diagnose and treat the disorder
Landa R, Garrett-Mayer E. (2006). Development in infants with autism spectrum disorders: a prospective study Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry 47:6 629
Landa R. (2000). Social language use in Asperger syndrome and high-functioning autism. A. Klin, F. Volkmar, and S. Sparrow (Eds). Asperger Syndrome. New York: Guilford Press.
Goldberg MC, Landa R, Lasker A, Cooper L, Zee D. (2000). Evidence of normal cerebellar control of the vestibulo-ocular reflex (VOR) in children with high-functioning autism. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disabilities.
Mostofsky SH, Goldberg MC, Landa R, Denckla MB (2000). Evidence for a deficit in procedural learning in children and adolescents with autism: Implications for cerebellar contribution. Journal of the International Neuropsychology Society, 6, 752-759.
Barrett S, Beck JC, Bernier R, Bisson E, Braun TA, Casavant TL, Childress D, Folstein S, Garcia M, Gardiner MB, Gilman S, Haines JL, Hopkins K, Landa R, Meyer NH, Mullane JA, Nishimura DY, Palmer P, Piven J, Purdy J, Santangelo SL, Searby C, Sheffield V, Singleton J, Slager S, Struchen T, Svenson S, Vieland V, Wang K, Winklosky B. (1999). An autosomal genomic screen for autism. American Journal of Medical Genetics/Neuropsychiatric Genetics, 88, 609-615.
Landa R, Swartz K, Folstein M. (1994). A brief method of assessing communication in psychiatric patients. Journal of Psychiatric Research, 27, 395-408.
Landa R, Piven J, Wzorek M, Gayle J, Chase G, Folstein S. (1992). Social language use in parents of autistic individuals. Psychological Medicine, 22, 245-254. |
