Lawrence Fung, M.D., Ph.D.

Lawrence Fung, M.D., Ph.D. is an Associate Professor in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at Stanford University School of Medicine. Here are some key details about Dr. Fung:

Professional Roles

• Director of the Stanford Neurodiversity Project
• Director of the Neurodiversity Clinic at Stanford
• Principal Investigator at the Fung Lab

Research Focus

Dr. Fung's work centers on autism and neurodiversity. His research spans:

• Multi-modal neuroimaging studies
• Conceptualizing neurodiversity and its applications in clinical, educational, and employment settings
• Advancing understanding of neural bases of human socio-communicative and cognitive functions
• Developing novel interventions to improve the lives of neurodiverse individuals

Education and Training

• Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering from Cornell University
• M.D. from George Washington University
• Completed general psychiatry residency, child and adolescent psychiatry fellowship, and postdoctoral research fellowship at Stanford

Clinical Focus

• Autism
• Neurodiversity
• Neuropsychopharmacology
• Neurogenetic conditions
• Child, adolescent, and adult psychiatry

Personal Connection

Dr. Fung is not only a researcher and clinician specializing in autism, but he is also the father of a neurodiverse teenager on the autism spectrum.

Approach and Philosophy

Dr. Fung advocates for a strengths-based model of neurodiversity, focusing on uncovering the strengths of neurodiverse individuals and utilizing their talents to increase innovation and productivity in society. He emphasizes the importance of changing environments to be more neurodiversity-friendly rather than solely focusing on changing individuals.123