Dr. Melanie Penner, a senior clinician scientist and developmental pediatrician, has been awarded the Emerging Research Leadership Award earlier this summer.

“I am thrilled to receive this award from the University of Toronto Department of Paediatrics recognizing my achievements and progress in research,” says Dr. Penner. “I hope that my research continues to bring timely, inclusive autism care closer to home for families in Canada and beyond.”

Dr. Penner’s research contributions have transformed the landscape of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) care across Canada.

With an h-index of 16 and over 1,400 citations, her program of research into expanding diagnostic capacity for ASD has led to substantial innovations across Canada and beyond, including shaping the current Canadian Paediatric Society Guidelines, consulting on autism policies in many provinces and advising on international autism guidelines.

Since Dr. Penner’s initial research appointment in 2015, she has led 18 grants as principal investigator with over $3 million in funding including five large tri-council grants. One such notable grant is the CIHR Transforming Health through Integrated Care Team $2-million grant– a grant that is also providing institutional support for ECHO Autism programs at five Canadian sites. She also set up two lived experience councils to govern the work – one with representation from equity-deserving groups, and the other from autistic advocates. In doing so, she is committed to growing system capacity while addressing historical inequities and championing the dignity of autistic people.

“We are thrilled to see Dr. Penner recognized for her excellent work. Through her grants, partnerships and leadership, she continues to generate critical evidence and influence policy to address capacity for community ASD diagnostic assessments, enabling children and their families to get the right assessment at the right time, close to home,” says Dr. Evdokia Anagnostou, vice president of research and director of the Bloorview Research Institute.

The Emerging Research Leadership award recognizes the outstanding achievements and progress in research by a physician during the first 10 years after their initial appointment to the faculty of an academic health sciences centre.

“On behalf of the Department of Paediatrics and the Hospital for Sick Children, I would like to congratulate you on your successful nomination for the Department of Paediatrics Emerging Research Leadership Award,” said Dr. Annie Huang, associate chair of research, Department of Paediatrics, Temerty Faculty of Medicine. “This award recognizes your remarkable trajectory in your research program for which the Department of Paediatrics at SickKids and the Temerty Faculty of Medicine are very proud. Thank you for your stellar work, your citizenship and contributions to the Department of Paediatrics.”

The award was presented to Dr. Penner at University of Toronto’s Department of Paediatrics Award Day on June 19th.

Learn more about Dr. Penner’s transformative research in autism.