Lurie Autism Institute Announces Dr. Huda Zoghbi as the Inaugural Recipient of the Nancy Lurie Marks Prize for Autism Research

PHILADELPHIA and HOUSTON, March 12, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- The Lurie Autism Institute, a joint initiative of Children's Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) and Penn Medicine created to drive discovery, develop new treatments, and improve the lives of individuals and families affected by autism, is proud to announce that geneticist Huda Y. Zoghbi, MD, has been selected as the inaugural recipient of the Nancy Lurie Marks Prize for Autism Research, the Institute's highest honor recognizing transformative contributions to autism research.

Dr. Zoghbi is a Distinguished Service Professor in the Departments of Molecular and Human Genetics, Pediatrics, Neuroscience, and Neurology at Baylor College of Medicine, and Director of Texas Children's Duncan Neurological Research Institute (Duncan NRI). She is also an Investigator at the Howard Hughes Medical Institute. A pioneering pediatric neurologist and physician–scientist, Dr. Zoghbi has fundamentally reshaped understanding of the genetic and molecular basis of neurological disease – including autism spectrum disorder – by integrating human genetics, animal models, and systems-level neuroscience to define how disruptions in gene regulation, neuronal maturation, and circuit function drive disease.

"When thinking of an appropriate inaugural recipient of the Nancy Lurie Marks Prize for Autism Research, we wanted to consider the pre-eminent minds whose long history of incredible work in autism research continues to have a lasting effect," said prize committee chair Frances E. Jensen, MD, Chair of the Department of Neurology and Professor of Neurology at the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania and co-director of the Penn Translational Neuroscience Center. "Dr. Zoghbi's record speaks for itself, and we couldn't think of a more deserving inaugural recipient who exemplifies the pioneering work in autism research that the Lurie Autism Institute wants to make possible."

The Prize Selection Committee recognized Dr. Zoghbi for her landmark discovery that mutations in the MECP2 gene cause Rett syndrome, an autism-related neurodevelopmental disorder. This breakthrough transformed Rett syndrome from an enigmatic clinical condition into a foundational model for understanding autism genetics and neurobiology. Her work established core principles that have guided modern autism research; these principles now underpin contemporary large-scale genomic studies of autism and have shaped how investigators conceptualize risk, penetrance, and phenotypic variability across neurodevelopmental disorders.

"I am deeply honored to receive the inaugural Nancy Lurie Marks Prize for Autism Research," said Dr. Zoghbi. "Nancy's dedication to autism research and to the families she so passionately championed has left an indelible mark on our field. The Lurie Autism Institute's continued commitment to advancing impactful autism research benefits us all. I share this recognition with the patients and families who inspire our work every day, and with the remarkable trainees and collaborators whose insight, creativity, and dedication have advanced our understanding of how genetic disruptions alter brain function." She continued, "I hope that continued progress in this field will lead to better insights and treatments, ultimately improving the lives of individuals with autism and their families. This honor serves as a powerful reminder of the promise rigorous science holds for truly transforming lives."

By demonstrating that de novo mutations underlie Rett syndrome, Dr. Zoghbi helped catalyze study designs that enrich for de novo variation. These studies served as an important basis for projects such as the Simons Simplex Collection, a core project and resource of the Simons Foundation Autism Research Initiative (SFARI) that establishes a permanent repository of genetic samples of families of children with autism. This framework was then later adopted by Simons Foundation Powering Autism Research for Knowledge (SPARK) and the Autism Sequencing Consortium. This paradigm led to the discovery of dozens of de novo variants and hundreds of autism-related genes, many of which encode chromatin regulators, firmly establishing epigenetic and chromatin-mediated mechanisms as central pathways in autism.

"Dr. Zoghbi's incredible discoveries of some key biological mechanisms underlying autism are important steps in the journey we're on with the Lurie Autism Institute to provide patients with more answers," said Daniel Rader, MD, Interim Director, Lurie Autism Institute and Chief of Translational Medicine and Human Genetics, Penn Medicine and CHOP. "Her central role in advancing our understanding of neurobiology and translating that basic science into clinical progress makes her an extremely deserving recipient of the inaugural Nancy Lurie Marks Prize for Autism Research."

The Nancy Lurie Marks Prize for Autism Research honors the legacy of Nancy Lurie Marks, whose visionary philanthropy has played a pivotal role in advancing autism research and improving the lives of individuals with autism. The Prize includes a $100,000 award and recognizes a single individual whose work has made a profound and lasting impact on the field.

"The Lurie Autism Institute was established to usher in a new era of scientific discovery in autism, and the work of extraordinary talents like Dr. Zoghbi exemplifies the kind of breakthrough discoveries we hope to make possible," said Jeffrey Lurie, Chairman and CEO of the Philadelphia Eagles and founder of the Eagles Autism Foundation.

Dr. Zoghbi will be formally honored at the 2026 Lurie Autism Institute Symposium, to be held on May 7, 2026, in Philadelphia, where she will deliver a featured lecture.

The Lurie Autism Institute, which reflects the combined strength of Children's Hospital of Philadelphia and Penn Medicine, was made possible through the generosity of the Lurie Family Foundation and the Nancy Lurie Marks Family Foundation. Launched in June, 2025, the Institute is dedicated to advancing autism science and care, while aiming to accelerate discovery, deepen understanding of autism's complexities and improve outcomes for individuals and families.

To learn more, visit https://www.lurieautisminstitute.org/.

Media Contact:
Kaitlyn Dvorin
Children's Hospital of Philadelphia
[email protected]

SOURCE Children's Hospital of Philadelphia