Israel opens national center for autism research

JERUSALEM, March 17 (Xinhua) -- Israel's Ben-Gurion University (BGU) and Soroka Medical Center, both located in the southern city of Be'er-Sheva, launched on Sunday a national Center for autism research.

The new Center, located at the university, was established with the support of the state's Ministry of Science and Technology. Last July, the university won the ministry's tender for establishing the Center.

The aim of the new Center is to lead the research of autism in Israel by creating interdisciplinary partnerships to integrate knowledge from medicine, genetics, neuroscience, molecular biology, psychology, and biomedical engineering, thus advancing the diagnosis and treatment methods.

The new Center will coordinate national research, by providing methods to researchers throughout the state, creating common national databases, and disseminating information to the general public and decision makers.

BGU President Daniel Chamovitz said that the new Center "is an important benchmark for the study and treatment of the range of conditions that fall under the 'autism' rubric."

"It will serve academic researchers and healthcare professionals alike with a wealth of up-to-date research, detailed case studies, treatment methods and more, making the national Center an invaluable warehouse of data and information," Chamovitz said.

The Ministry of Science and Technology added that "this Center will foster research collaboration on an international level." Enditem