Welcome to the Neurodiversity and Personalized Health Lab
Dr. Azadeh Kushki named Canada Research Chair in Neurodiversity and Personalized Health
Participate in our NEW research study trialing a VR experience of the TTC Subway!
Check out our newest publications!
E. Wan et al., 2025; Exploring Phenotypic and Sociodemographic Influences on Cognitive-Adaptive Functioning Gap in Neurodivergent Children (Preprint)
L. B. Norbom et al., 2025; Probing Autism and ADHD subtypes using cortical signatures of the T1w/T2w-ratio and morphometry
C. Smith et al., 2024; Harmonizing two measures of adaptive functioning using computational approaches: prediction of vineland adaptive behavior scales II (VABS-II) from the adaptive behavior assessment system II (ABAS-II) scores
M. Vandewouw et al., 2024; Dataset factors associated with age-related changes in brain structure and function in neurodevelopmental conditions
M. Vandewouw et al., 2024; Identifying novel data-driven subgroups in congenital heart disease using multi-modal measures of brain structure
P. Ahmadian et al., 2024; Usability of an Augmented Reality Bedtime Routine Application for Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder
Research Focus:
Dr. Kushki's research focuses on advancing personalized health for children with neurodevelopmental differences and disabilities. This is an approach to care where interventions and accommodations are informed by each individual’s biology and environmental context. Our existing diagnostic labels for neurodevelopment conditions, including autism and ADHD, are broad and encompass diverse sets of biologies, phenotypes, and experiences of distress. These labels lack precision to guide interventions and care suited to an individual’s uniqueness. In this context, our work includes using data science to understand individual biological and environmental characteristics that drive trajectories, responses to interventions, and long-term outcomes.
Characterizing Autism
Meet the staff and students
Scientist
Dr. Azadeh Kushki
Links:
- Please click here to learn more about Dr. Azadeh Kushki's education background and more.
- Azadeh Kushki, Associate Professor, University of Toronto - Institute of Biomedical Engineering Faculty
Research Staff
- Tithi Paul, Research Coordinator
- Harshit Bokadia, Research Engineer
- Julia Carbone, Research Assistant
- Aleena Walji, Project Coordinator
- Kamran Niroomand, Research Engineer
- Marlee Vandewouw, Research Associate
Current Trainees
- Eric Wan, PhD Candidate
- Sara Alatrash, PhD Candidate
- Zeeshan Siddiqui, MASc Candidate
Below are some of our publications.
Find more of our published work with Dr. Kushki on Google Scholar.
* denotes trainees.
E. Wan*, J. P. Lerch, E. Anagnostou, M. Penner, ... A. Kushki. (2025). Exploring Phenotypic and Sociodemographic Influences on Cognitive-Adaptive Functioning Gap in Neurodivergent Children. Molecular Autism (Preprint)
C. Smith*, A. Lautarescu, T. Charman, J. Crosbie, ... A. Kushki. (2024). Harmonizing two measures of adaptive functioning using computational approaches: prediction of vineland adaptive behavior scales II (VABS-II) from the adaptive behavior assessment system II (ABAS-II) scores. Molecular Autism.
M. Vandewouw*, Y. Ye*, J. Crosbie, R. J. Schachar, A. Iaboni, ... A. Kushki. (2024). Dataset factors associated with age-related changes in brain structure and function in neurodevelopmental conditions. Human Brain Mapping.
M. Vandewouw*, A. Norris-Brilliant, A. Rahman, S. Assimopoulos, S. U. Morton, A. Kushki et al. (2024). Identifying novel data-driven subgroups in congenital heart disease using multi-modal measures of brain structure. NeuroImage.
F. Kurth et al, D. Schijven, O. A. van den Heuvel , M. Hoogman, D. van Rooij, D. J. Stein, J. K. Buitelaar, S. Bölte, G. Auzias, A. Kushki et al. (2024). Large-scale analysis of structural brain asymmetries during neurodevelopment: Associations with age and sex in 4265 children and adolescents. Human Brain Mapping.
P. Ahmadian*, R. E. Cardy*, A. Kuhski. (2024). Usability of an Augmented Reality Bedtime Routine Application for Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder. Assistive Technology.
F. Morgado, M. Vandewouw*, C. Hammill, E. Kelley, J. Crosbie, R. Schachar, M. Ayub, R. Nicolson, S. Georgiades, P. Arnold, A. Iaboni, A. Kushki, M. Taylor, E. Anagnostou, and J. Lerch. (2024). Behaviour-Correlated Profiles of Cerebellar-Cerebral Functional Connectivity Observed in Independent Neurodevelopmental Disorder Cohorts. Translational Psychiatry.
M. Mahjoob*, R. E. Cardy*, M. Penner, E. Anagnostou, B.F. Andrade, J. Crosbie, E. Kelley, M. Ayub,
J. Brian, A. Iaboni, R. Schachar, S. Georgiades, R. Nicolson, J. Jones, A. Kushki. (2024). Predictors of Health-Related Quality of Life for Children with Neurodevelopmental Conditions. Scientific Reports.M. Mahjoob*, T. Paul*, J. Carbone*, H. Bokadia*, R. E. Cardy*, S. Kassam*, E. Anagnostou, B. Andrade, M. Penner, and A. Kushki. (2024). Predictors of Health-Related Quality of Life in Neurodivergent Children: A Systematic Review.Clinical Child and Family Psychology Review.
Y. Sadat-Nejad*, M. M. Vandewouw*, R. E. Cardy*, J. Lerch, M. Taylor, A. Iaboni, C. Hammill, B. Syed, J. A. Brian, E. Kelley, M. Ayub, J. Crosbie, R. Schachar, S. Georgiades, R. Nicolson, E. Anagnostou, and A. Kushki. (2023). Investigating heterogeneity across ASD, ADHD, and Typically Development Using Measures of Cortical Thickness, Surface Area, Cortical/Subcortical Volume, and Structural Covariance. Frontiers in Child and Adolescent Psychiatry.
M. Susko, V. L. Armstrong, J. A. Brian, S. E. Bryson, A. Kushki, L. R. Sacrey, L. Zwaigenbaum, I. M. Smith (2023) Behavioural Reactions to an Emotion-Evoking Task in Infants at Increased Likelihood for Autism Spectrum Disorder. Infant Behavior and Development.
M. M. Vandewouw*, J. Brian, J. Crosbie, R. J. Schachar, A. Iaboni, S. Georgiades, R. Nicolson, E. Kelley, M. Ayub, J. Jones, M. J. Taylor, J. P. Lerch, E. Anagnostou, and A. Kushki. (2023). Identifying replicable subgroups in ASD, ADHD and OCD: resting-state fMRI data from the Province of Ontario Neurodevelopmental and Healthy Brain Networks. JAMA Open Network.
R. Cardy*, C. Smith*, H. Suganthan*, Z. Jiang*, B. Wang*, M. Malihi*, E. Anagnostou, A. Kushki. (2023). Patterns and Impact of Technology Use in Autistic Children. Research in Autism Spectrum Disorders.
B. Trost, B. Thiruvahindrapuram, A.J.S. Chan, W. Engchuan, E. J. Higginbotham, J. L Howe, L. O. Loureiro, M. S. Reuter et. al. (2022). Genomic architecture of Autism Spectrum Disorder from comprehensive whole-genome sequence annotation. Cell.
L. R. Sacrey, S. Raza, V. Armstrong, J. A. Brian, A, Kushki, I. M. Smith, L. Zwaigenbaum. (2022). Physiological Measurement of Emotion from Infancy to Preschool: A Systematic Review and Meta- Analysis. Brain and Behaviour.
J. Nguyen*, R. E. Cardy*, E. Anagnostou, J. Brian & A. Kushki. (2021). Examining the effect of a wearable, anxiety detection technology on improving the awareness of anxiety signs in autism spectrum disorder: a pilot randomized controlled trial. Molecular Autism
A.Kushki, R. Cardy*, S. Panahandeh*, M. Malihi*, C. Hammill, J. Brian, A. Iaboni, M. Taylor, R. Schachar, J. Crosbie, P. Arnold, E. Kelley, M. Ayub, R. Nicolson, S. Georgiades, J. Lerch, E. Anagnostou. (2021). Cross-Diagnosis Structural Correlates of Social Communication Difficulties in ASD, ADHD, and OCD: Data- Driven Analysis of POND Network Data. Cerebral Cortex.
