Charles Grob, M.D., and Alicia Danforth, Ph.D., are investigating the efficacy of MDMA-assisted psychotherapy in treating social anxiety in adults on the autism spectrum at Los Angeles Biomedical Research Institute at Harbor UCLA. Dr. Grob is Professor of Psychiatry and Pediatrics at the UCLA School of Medicine. He received the first FDA approval for clinical research with MDMA, studied long-term ayahuasca use in Brazil, and examined the effects of psilocybin in advanced-stage cancer patients with severe anxiety. Dr. Danforth recently completed her Ph.D. research with a study of adults on the autism spectrum who found that self-medicating with "MDMA and/or Ecstasy" seemed to reduce their social anxiety.

Rick Doblin, Ph.D., founder and executive director of MAPS, is widely known as one of the leading experts on psychedelic research policy, funding and advocacy.

The Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies (MAPS), a non-profit research and educational organization, is working on novel approaches to some of the world's most challenging mental health issues, such as PTSD, and social anxiety related to autism and end-of-life. MAPS is sponsoring Dr. Grob and Dr. Danforth's study, and needs to raise just over $410,000 in support of this ground breaking research.