PHILADELPHIA , PA – Dr. Felicia T. Bonner-Reid, MD, a physician and research author, is contributing to new literature on the gut-brain axis of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), and how the patterns of microbiome could impact neurological development and clinical outcomes.
Her recent studies focus on combining evidence on a global scale to better characterize the biological mechanisms underlying relationship between gut health and neurodevelopment. Due to the constantly growing number of ASD diagnoses worldwide, there is necessity to find measurable biological indicators to diagnose earlier and provide specific intervention. One of her studies focuses on interaction between microbial activity in gut and immune signaling, metabolic processes, and neurochemical pathways, which are currently being actively studied as potential contributors to ASD’s development. The study is a result of her dedication to clinical care and passion to improve patient outcomes and address healthcare disparities.
She is actively engaged in research projects which are based on accepted evidence-based models, such as Cochrane methods, which has rigor in the assessment of existing clinical and experimental evidence. This is especially applicable because the field is shifting towards translation of microbiome studies into clinical implementable knowledge.
Dr. Bonner-Reid has over eight years of clinical work experience in frontline. She was once a Medical Officer in Primary Care, with the South East Regional Health Authority (SERHA) in Kingston, Jamaica where she undertook various groups of patients with HIV, tuberculosis, and other complicated illnesses. She also worked in clinical situations in which she evaluated developmental delays and made referrals to autism assessments.
She also helped manage COVID-19 pandemic in Emergency Operations Center (EOC) and assisted in managing the outbreak, contact tracing, and vaccination efforts in one of the largest workplace clusters in the country. This experience in communal health reaction further enhances her knowledge of massive health issues and information-founded decision-making.
Alongside her clinical and research work, she is a qualified peer reviewer, guest editor, GBD collaborator and is partnering with other international research groups to champion quality publications in science.
Her continuing research into gut-brain connection in ASD is indicative of an increasing trend in medical research towards complex, system-level interactions in pathogenesis of disease. With this field in its ongoing development, this type of research can help to develop more accurate diagnostic models and tailored treatment plans to accommodate people with autism.
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