L – R is Damon Page, Christina Worley, and Gary Sellari.
The Scripps Research Institute, Scripps Florida is pleased to announce it has received a generous grant from the Elise M. Besthoff Charitable Foundation. The $90,000 gift will be used to support postdoctoral training in autism research. In particular, the supported postdoctoral fellow will be investigating causes and treatments of autism spectrum disorder.
Scripps Florida is at the forefront of autism research with Damon Page, Associate Professor, Department of Neuroscience, leading the way. Page studies the relationship between specific risk factors and key brain and behavioral symptoms of autism spectrum disorder (ASD). His research includes exploring how the symptoms of autism are shaped by changes in brain wiring during early development and subsequent adaptation to these changes, with the ultimate goal of moving toward individualized treatments for particular subgroups of individuals with ASD across the lifespan.
“I am very grateful for the generous support of the Besthoff Foundation, which will make a substantial impact in advancing our understanding of autism and in training the next generation of autism researchers, said Damon Page. "I am enthusiastic to have this opportunity to work with the Foundation to improve the lives of individuals and families affected by autism."
"One of Mrs. Besthoff’s passions was helping children with autism," said Christina Worley, founder and managing member of Castle Wealth Management. "This gift to Scripps Florida is to support the effective and groundbreaking work done in Dr. Page's laboratory in the areas of autism as it relates to the special needs of kids, research and intervention."
Autism is a complex neurodevelopment disorder that impairs the normal development of social and communication skills, among other facilities. Autism is the most severe form of autism spectrum disorders; milder forms include Asperger syndrome. According to the National Institutes of Health, six children out of every 1,000 have autism spectrum disorder, with males four times more likely to be afflicted than females.
To learn more about the Page Laboratory at Scripps Florida see:
www.scripps.edu/page/autism.
“The Elise M. Besthoff Charitable Foundation is represented by President, Christina Worley, also of Castle Wealth Management, a Registered Investment Advisory firm founded in 1997. The Elise M. Besthoff Charitable Foundation local board of directors includes: Treasurer, Gary Sellari, also of Divine, Blalock, Martin and Sellari, a CPA firm founded in 1943; Secretary, Jeanne Browning and New York board members, Vice-President, Wyatt Rushton and Director, Jenny Rushton.”
To learn more about Castle Wealth Management and Christina Worley, see www.castlewm.com.
About The Scripps Research Institute:
The Scripps Research Institute is one of the world's largest independent, not-for-profit organizations focusing on research in the biomedical sciences. Over the past decades, Scripps Research has developed a lengthy track record of major contributions to science and health, including laying the foundation for new treatments for cancer, rheumatoid arthritis, hemophilia, and other diseases. The institute employs about 3,000 people on its campuses in La Jolla, CA, and Jupiter, FL, where its renowned scientists—including two Nobel laureates—work toward their next discoveries. The institute's graduate program, which awards Ph.D. degrees in biology and chemistry, ranks among the top ten of its kind in the nation. For more information, see www.scripps.edu.
