Amy Esler, PhD Named Clinic-Research Faculty Lead

Two unique aspects of the Masonic Institute for the Developing Brain (MIDB) are the opportunities to provide high quality mental health care and to conduct stellar clinical research to translate any new learning into better clinical care. In support of strengthening these traits, Amy Esler, PhD, associate professor in the Department of Pediatrics, has been named MIDB’s clinic-research faculty lead. In this role, Esler will provide strategic vision for MIDB’s clinical activities and clinical research collaborations, working with the MIDB Clinic-Research Advisory Group, MIDB clinic directors, and the MIDB Co-Directors. 

"MIDB facilitates the clinic-research integration by putting clinic and research at one site, under one roof, with a director who has experience and credibility as both a clinician and a researcher. Dr. Esler is the ideal person for this role because of her outstanding clinical care and research in autism,” said MIDB Co-Director Michael Georgieff, MD.

Esler brings extensive clinical experience to MIDB as a licensed psychologist caring for pediatric patients in need of psychology and autism care. She completed her PhD in school psychology from the University of Minnesota. Her clinical interests include early diagnosis of autism and care and support of individuals with profound autism as well as fragile X and other rare genetic conditions. Her research focuses on effective interventions for aggression and self-injury, improving equitable access to care, and measurement of behaviors and characteristics for tracking growth and change in development.

“We hope that the clinic-research integration initiative will create streamlined structures and processes to facilitate clinical research and clinic-research collaboration at MIDB,” said Esler. “Our goal is to make things easier for all involved.”