# Neurobiology of avoidant/restrictive eating in youth

> **NIH NIH K24** · MASSACHUSETTS GENERAL HOSPITAL · 2020 · $192,218

## Abstract

Project Summary/Abstract
The applicant, Elizabeth A. Lawson, M.D., M.M.Sc., is a practicing neuroendocrinologist at Massachusetts
General Hospital and Associate Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School. Over the last decade Dr.
Lawson’s research has focused on the link between hormone signaling, brain functioning, psychology and
eating behavior in humans across a spectrum of weights and eating disorders. Her successful mentoring
experience, publication and funding record demonstrate her commitment and passion for patient-oriented
research and provide an excellent foundation to accomplish the goals and objectives of the K24 Award. The
specific aims are: 1) To enable Dr. Lawson to dedicate time to mentor junior clinical investigators based on her
already NIH funded R01 grant on neurobiological underpinnings of avoidant/restrictive eating; 2) To mentor
residents, fellows, and junior faculty from Psychiatry, Endocrinology, and other fields at MGH and across
institutions with the goal of developing them into clinical investigators who can successfully compete for peer-
reviewed grants related to the NIMH mission; and 3) To enable Dr. Lawson to further establish a patient-
oriented research program that uses innovative multidisciplinary techniques to investigate the neurobiology
underlying eating behaviors, and that provides an ideal environment to develop future leaders in clinical
research. The training environment is outstanding in terms of didactic resources and availability of techniques
to assess cross-disciplinary endpoints. Importantly, Dr. Lawson has the strong commitment from leadership of
both Endocrinology and Psychiatry who have enthusiastically endorsed her research program, mentoring, and
K24 proposal. The specific research aims of the application are based on a recently funded R01 investigating
the link between hormones, brain function and clinical features in youth with avoidant/restrictive eating.
Important new directions will include multimodal neuroimaging, including assessment of brain structure (gray
matter volume and white matter connectivity) and relationship with functional brain abnormalities and clinical
features.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 9982437
- **Project number:** 5K24MH120568-02
- **Recipient organization:** MASSACHUSETTS GENERAL HOSPITAL
- **Principal Investigator:** Elizabeth Austen Lawson
- **Activity code:** K24 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2020
- **Award amount:** $192,218
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2019-08-01 → 2024-07-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/9982437

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 9982437, Neurobiology of avoidant/restrictive eating in youth (5K24MH120568-02). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-22 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/9982437. Licensed CC0.

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