The Center for Excellence in Autism Research (CeFAR) at the University of Pittsburgh is one of six centers to receive funds for "The Autism Center of Excellence" (ACE), from the National Institutes of Health (NIH).

The center is dedicated to understanding the underlying nature of autism. This research program is under the direction of Nancy J. Minshew, MD, an internationally recognized expert in autism.

Dr. Minshew is working with a team of scientists from the University of Pittsburgh, Drs. Mark Strauss, Jana Iverson and Bernie Devlin; Carnegie Mellon University Drs. Marcel Just, Kevin Pelphrey, Marlene Behrmann and Tom Mitchell; and Duquesne University, Dr. Diane Williams, to search for the cognitive, neurological, and genetic basis of autism.