Research Director
Norman Nien Distinguished Chair in Autism, Assistant Professor, Emory University School of Medicine, Department of Pediatrics
Warren Jones, PhD, is the Director of Research at Marcus Autism Center. Dr. Jones is also the Norman Nien Distinguished Chair in Autism and an Assistant Professor in the Department of Pediatrics at Emory University School of Medicine. In addition, he is a core faculty member at the Emory Center for Translational Social Neuroscience.
Dr. Jones completed his doctorate in neuroscience at Yale University. He currently directs the Social Neuroscience Laboratory at Marcus Autism Center.
Research in the lab focuses on mapping and quantifying the developmental course of social disability in autism spectrum disorder (ASD) from birth through young adulthood. The goal of this research is to understand the origins and development of ASD and to inform better treatment practices by developing tools for objective early diagnosis and prediction of outcome for individuals with autism.
Publications
- Klin, A., & Jones, W. (2018). An agenda for 21st century neurodevelopmental medicine: lessons from autism. Revista de Neurologia, 66 (S01), S3-S15.
- Sifre, R., Olson, L., Gillespie, S., Klin, A., Jones, W., & Shultz, S. (2018). A longitudinal investigation of preferential attention to biological motion in 2- to 24-Month-Old Infants. Scientific Reports, 8 (1), 2527. PMCID: PMC5802706
- Shultz, S., Klin, A., & Jones, W. (2018). Neonatal transitions in social behavior and their implications for autism. Trends in Cognitive Sciences, 22 (5), 452-469.
- Li, L., Bachevalier, J., Hu, X., Klin, A., Preuss, T.M., Shultz, S., & Jones, W. (2018). Topology of the structural social brain network in typical adults. Brain Connectivity, 8 (9), 537-548. PMCID: PMC6249672
- Moriuchi, J.M., Klin, A., & Jones, W. (2017). Mechanisms of diminished attention to eyes in autism. The American Journal of Psychiatry, 174 (1), 26-35. PMCID: PMC5842709
- Klin, A., Wetherby, A.M., Woods, J., Saulnier, C., Stapel-Wax, J., Klaiman, C., Jones, W., Rubin, E., Scahill, L., Call, N., Bearss, K., Gunter, C., Courtemanche, C.J., Lemieux, A., Cox, J.C., Mandell, D.S., Van Decar, J.P., Miller, R.A., & Shireman, C.L. (2015). Toward innovative, cost-effective, and systemic solutions to improve outcomes and well-being of military families affected by autism spectrum disorder. The Yale Journal of Biology and Medicine, 88 (1), 73-79. PMCID: PMC4345541
- Klin, A., Shultz, S., & Jones, W. (2015). Social visual engagement in infants and toddlers with autism: early developmental transitions and a model of pathogenesis. Neuroscience and Biobehavioral Reviews, 50, 189-203.
- Klin, A., Klaiman, C., & Jones, W. (2015). Reducing age of autism diagnosis: developmental social neuroscience meets public health challenge. Revista de Neurologia, 60, S3-11. PMCID: PMC4399764
- Marrus, N., Glowinski, A.L., Jacob, T., Klin, A., Jones, W., Drain, C.E., Holzhauer, K.E., Hariprasad, V., Fitzgerald, R. T., Mortenson, E.L., Sant, S.M., Cole, L., Siegel, S.A., Zhang, Y., Agrawal, A., Heath, A.C., & Constantino, J.N. (2015). Rapid video-referenced ratings of reciprocal social behavior in toddlers: A twin study. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, and Allied Disciplines, 56 (12), 1338-1346. PMCID: PMC4775094
- Shultz, S., Klin, A., & Jones, W. (2015). Early departures from normative processes of social engagement in infants with autism spectrum disorder. 157-177.
Speaking Engagements
- Jones, W. (2019, May). Performance of eye-tracking-based assays for early identification and prediction of developmental functioning in ASD. Presented at the International Society for Autism Research, Montreal, Canada.
- Jones, W. (2017, May 12). Developmental endophenotypes to quantify the emergence of autism in infancy. Presented as the keynote address at the International Meeting for Autism Research, San Francisco, CA.
- Jones, W. (2016, September 16). Developmental social neuroscience meets public health challenge. Presented at Global Health Innovations, Belizean Grove Conference, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA.
- Jones, W. (2014, June 18). Eye-tracking measures of social disability as Treatment Endpoints in Children with ASD. New Approaches to Drug Studies for Treating Social Deficits in Autism Spectrum Disorder, American Society of Clinical Neuropsychopharmacology, Miami, FL.
Media Placements
- The New York Times, front page, November 7, 2013: “Baby’s Gaze May Signal Autism, Study Finds”
- Los Angeles Times, November 6, 2013: “Tracking Babies’ Eyes, Scientists Find Signs of Autism in 2-Month-Olds”
- ABC World News with Diane Sawyer, “Taking Cues From the Eyes of Autistic Babies”
- CNN, “Autism and a Baby’s Gaze: Study Detects Signs of Condition in Infancy”
- PBS Newshour, “Study Shows Possibility of Detecting Autism Earlier Through Eye Contact”
- Wired magazine
- Medscape, ”Puzzle of reduced attention to eyes in autism solved?” 17 Jan 2017
- Scientific American, “Why Toddlers with Autism Avoid Eye Contact”
- NPR, New Autism Study Changes the Game for Treatment in Toddlers