Brigitta Gundersen, Ph.D.
Senior Scientific Officer
Brigitta Gundersen, Ph.D., is senior scientific officer of the Simons Foundation Autism Research Initiative (SFARI). SFARI supports work advancing the basic science of autism and related neurodevelopmental disorders through grantmaking, convening scientists, and supporting shared data and resources. In her role, Gundersen helps shape and manage SFARI’s grant portfolio and organize scientific meetings relevant to SFARI’s mission. In particular, she focuses on grants involving work in animal models and is responsible for overseeing the SFARI Autism Rat Consortium.
Prior to joining the Simons Foundation, Gundersen served as a scientific editor at Nature Neuroscience, where she coordinated peer review of papers across the entire field of neuroscience, as well as writing for the journal and organizing special focus issues and international meetings. Gundersen earned a bachelor’s degree from Stanford University and a Ph.D. in neuroscience from the University of Pennsylvania.