# Missouri Autism Centers of Excellence Collaborative (MACEC): SEED Early Development Study

> **NIH ALLCDC U01** · WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY · 2020 · $770,377

## Abstract

Abstract
 This project is a focused on the continuation of the epidemiological research
capability of the Centers for Autism and Developmental Disabilities Epidemiology
(CADDRE) network with implementation of Phase 3 of the Study to Explore Early
Development. The ongoing objectives of the SEED study are to characterize the autism
behavioral phenotype and associated developmental, medical and behavioral conditions
of autism. and to understand the genetic and environmental risk factors of Autism. The
aims of this application are as follows: 1. Implement a third Phase of the SEED study
preserving the core study design with enhancements to improve recruitment and a
reduction in the data collection protocol in a new Midwestern SEED site. The following
aspects of the core study design will be preserved in Phase 3: a) a case-control study
design with multiple- source ascertainment of an ASD case group, a non- ASD
developmental disability (DD) comparison group and a population-based (POP)
comparison group, b) clinical confirmation of developmental status of all participants
using a standardized assessment protocol, and c) collection of clinical, genetic and
environmental data. Recruitment enhancements will include active follow-up
procedures for invited participants. Data collection will be streamlined, compared to
Phase 2, primarily by eliminating pediatric and neonatal medical record abstraction for
all three participant groups and curtailing data collected for the DD comparison group.
2. Further increase the total SEED pooled sample size to enhance SEED's analytic
potential to investigate rare exposures and ASD subtypes by achieving complete data
collection on 125 ASD children, 125 DD children and 125 POP children within our site.
Reaching these targets at all anticipated Phase 3 sites will increase the total SEED ASD
sample to approximately 2000 children which will enhance the examination of rare
exposures and modest associations potentially relevant to the etiology of ASD.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 9953928
- **Project number:** 5U01DD001216-05
- **Recipient organization:** WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY
- **Principal Investigator:** JOHN N. CONSTANTINO
- **Activity code:** U01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** ALLCDC
- **Fiscal year:** 2020
- **Award amount:** $770,377
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2016-07-01 → 2021-06-30

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/9953928

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 9953928, Missouri Autism Centers of Excellence Collaborative (MACEC): SEED Early Development Study (5U01DD001216-05). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-23 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/9953928. Licensed CC0.

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