Since its establishment in 1989, the Civitan International Research Center (CIRC) has grown into a vibrant community of over 100 faculty members, each dedicated to advancing our understanding of neurodevelopment and neurodevelopmental disorders.

With the support of Civitan International, our faculty's achievements have been recognized with numerous national and international awards, reflecting our collective commitment to excellence in research and training.

I am deeply honored to serve as director of the UAB Civitan International Research Center. As both a clinician and scientist focused on autism, intellectual disability, and cognitive dysfunction, I am committed to pursuing new discoveries and treatments in this field.

Our center’s goal is to leverage the exceptional clinical research strengths at UAB and Children’s of Alabama to translate neurobiology discoveries from the laboratory into real-world treatments that can make a meaningful difference in the lives of patients and their families. We do this by supporting groundbreaking research through infrastructure, clinical trials, collaboration, and funding.

I am excited to work alongside an incredible team each day as we pursue discoveries and develop future treatments that address the pressing needs of individuals impacted by neurodevelopmental disorders.

We will continue to build on Civitan’s strong foundation and strive to make a lasting impact on both our local community and the broader field of neurobiology.

Sincerely,

Craig Powell, M.D., Ph.D.
Director, UAB Civitan International Research Center
Chair, UAB Department of Neurobiology