Penn and CHOP name founding director for Lurie Autism Institute, advancing new era of autism research
Renowned Brown University physician-scientist Eric M. Morrow, MD, PhD, will lead the trailblazing initiative focused on accelerating discovery and improving care across the lifespan.
Penn Medicine and Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) today announced the appointment of Eric M. Morrow, MD, PhD, as the founding director of the Lurie Autism Institute. Morrow will assume this role on September 1, 2026, and will join the departments of Pediatrics and Genetics at the Perelman School of Medicine (PSOM) at the University of Pennsylvania.
The appointment marks a pivotal milestone for the Lurie Autism Institute, launched by a transformational, $50 million gift from Jeffrey Lurie Family Foundation and the Nancy Lurie Marks Family Foundation in 2025. It is the largest single donation to a U.S. academic medical center focused on autism research across the lifespan. The institute will serve as a nationally and globally recognized hub for autism spectrum disorder research, collaboration, clinical care, and advocacy. The institute's headquarters and research laboratories will be located on Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia’s campus, spanning adjacent buildings to facilitate close collaboration and discovery between Penn Medicine and CHOP.
“We are thrilled to welcome Dr. Morrow to lead this once-in-a-generation initiative,” said Jonathan A. Epstein, dean of the Perelman School of Medicine and executive vice president of the University of Pennsylvania for the Health System. “His extraordinary depth of scientific and clinical expertise in autism and related neurodevelopmental disorders, combined with his collaborative approach and longstanding ties to both Penn and CHOP, position him to drive the kind of cross-disciplinary discovery that this moment demands.”
“At Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, we see firsthand how autism affects children and families,” said Madeline Bell, chief executive officer of Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. “Dr. Morrow is an extraordinary scientist who is committed to translating research into life-changing breakthroughs in care. Under his leadership, the Lurie Autism Institute will focus on finding innovative ways to deliver better care and outcomes for patients throughout their lives.”
Following a highly competitive national search that attracted outstanding candidates across the country, Morrow emerged as the primary choice. His extensive knowledge of autism spectrum disorder, rigorous research program, and longstanding research collaboration with Penn Medicine and CHOP distinguished him as a visionary leader for the institute’s ambitious mission.
“From the very beginning, our family’s vision for the Lurie Autism Institute has been to create something truly transformational for the millions of families touched by autism around the world,” said Jeffrey Lurie, chairman and CEO of the Philadelphia Eagles and founder of the Eagles Autism Foundation. “Dr. Morrow is exactly the kind of bold, rigorous, and compassionate leader this institute requires. His decades of scientific achievement, deep commitment to the autism community, and belief in the power of partnership give us tremendous confidence that the institute will make life-changing discoveries. We are so excited to continue this journey together.”
A distinguished physician-scientist
Morrow currently serves as the Mencoff Family Professor in the departments of molecular biology, cell biology and biochemistry, neuroscience, and psychiatry at Brown University. He also serves as director of the Center for Translational Neuroscience and director of the Developmental Disorders Genetics Research Program at Emma Pendleton Bradley Hospital.
He earned his PhD in genetics and neurodevelopment from Harvard University and his MD through the Health Science Training Program at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Harvard Medical School. He completed clinical and scientific training in neurology and psychiatry at Harvard Medical School.
Morrow’s laboratory is a global leader in translational neurogenetics. His research focuses on the molecular mechanisms and genetic underpinnings of neurodevelopmental disorders, including autism and intellectual disability. His laboratory investigates the tiny structures inside brain cells that handle critical jobs like generating energy and clearing out cellular waste. When these structures stop working properly, neurons can be damaged or even die off over time. Morrow’s lab has made important strides in understanding rare inherited conditions – including Christianson syndrome and GPT2 deficiency – shedding light on why certain brain cells are more vulnerable to deterioration than others. Building on these discoveries, his work focuses on developing treatments that target the underlying biological causes of these disorders.
Deep ties to Penn Medicine, CHOP, and the autism research community
Morrow brings both scientific excellence and a well-established relationship with both institutions. In 2023, he served on both CHOP’s and Penn Medicine’s Autism External Scientific Advisory Boards. That experience deepened his understanding of the partnership between the two organizations and reinforced his view that Penn Medicine and CHOP are uniquely positioned to accelerate progress.
For seven years, he has also served on the Eagles Autism Foundation’s scientific review panel, helping guide a competitive process of evaluating research and funding priorities for one of the nation’s leading autism-focused philanthropic organizations with international reach.
“I am deeply honored to join Penn Medicine and CHOP in building the Lurie Autism Institute,” said Morrow. “We are at an unprecedented moment in autism research. The convergence of genomic science, artificial intelligence, and institutional collaboration creates extraordinary opportunities to close knowledge gaps and develop therapies that can change lives. I look forward to working alongside the faculty, clinicians, trainees, families, and community members who make this partnership so strong.”
A pivotal moment for autism research
The urgency driving the Lurie Autism Institute reflects several converging forces in science and medicine. Advances in human genome sequencing and behavioral measurement, the integration of large-scale datasets through artificial intelligence and machine learning, and new approaches to therapeutic development are quickly reshaping autism research. At the same time, work in the field has historically been fragmented across disciplines, slowing progress and contribution to a lack of approved therapies for core symptoms.
The institute is designed to unite these efforts, build on decades of groundwork from the Nancy Lurie Marks Family Foundation and the Eagles Autism Foundation, and create a global hub for discovery and clinical advancement. Penn Medicine and CHOP’s combined expertise and close collaboration position the institute to accelerate the journey from discovery to care.
Morrow will attend the inaugural Lurie Autism Institute Annual Symposium on May 7, 2026, which convenes thought leaders in autism research to advance understanding of autism as a biologically and clinically heterogeneous condition across the lifespan.
A note of gratitude
Penn Medicine and CHOP extend their gratitude to Daniel Rader, MD, Seymour Gray Professor of Molecular Medicine, chief, division of translational and human genetics in the department of Medicine, and chair, department of Genetics at the Perelman School of Medicine, who played an instrumental role in establishing the Lurie Autism Institute and provided steady leadership as its interim director.