Associate Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences

Lawrence Fung, MD, PhD

Associate Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences (Major Laboratories & Clinical Translational Neurosciences Incubator)

Bio

Dr. Lawrence Fung is an Associate Professor in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at Stanford University. He is the director of the Stanford Neurodiversity Project, director of the Neurodiversity Clinic, and principal investigator at the Fung Lab. His work, which focuses on autism and neurodiversity, traverses from multi-modal neuroimaging studies to a new conceptualization of neurodiversity and its application to clinical, educational, and employment settings. His lab advances the understanding of neural bases of human socio-communicative and cognitive functions by using novel neuroimaging and bioanalytical technologies. Using a community-based participatory research approach, his team devises and implements novel interventions to improve the lives of neurodiverse individuals by maximizing their potential and productivity. His work has been supported by various agencies, including the National Institutes of Health, Autism Speaks, California Department of Developmental Services, California Department of Rehabilitation, and philanthropy. He received his PhD in chemical engineering from Cornell University and his MD from George Washington University. He completed his general psychiatry residency, child and adolescent psychiatry fellowship, and postdoctoral research fellowship at Stanford.

Clinical Focus

  • Autism
  • Neurodiversity
  • Neuropsychopharmacology
  • Neurogenetic conditions
  • Psychiatric conditions with co-occurring neurologic symptoms
  • Child, Adolescent and Adult Psychiatry
  • Child and Adolescent Psychiatry

Academic Appointments

Administrative Appointments

  • Director, Stanford Neurodiversity Project (2018 - Present)
  • Director, Neurodiversity Clinic (2018 - Present)
  • Director of Dissemination and Outreach Core, Center for Sleep in Autism, Stanford University (2022 - 2027)
  • Attending physician, Pediatric Neuropsychopharmacology Clinic (2015 - 2018)
  • Attending physician, Autism & Developmental Disabilities Clinic (2015 - Present)

Honors & Awards

  • Chairman’s Award on Community Commitment and Engagement, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University (2020)
  • Faculty Professional & Leadership Development Award, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University (2020)
  • SOBP Travel Fellowship Award, Society of Biological Psychiatry (2017)
  • Clinical Investigator Award / Mentored Clinical Scientist Research Career Development Award (K08), National Institute of Mental Health (2016-2020)
  • Young Investigator Award, International Symposium on Functional NeuroReceptor Mapping of the Living Brain (2016)
  • ACNP Travel Award, American College of Neuropsychopharmacology (2015)
  • AACAP Pilot Research Award, American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry (2013-2014)
  • Ruth L. Kirschstein Individual Postdoctoral National Research Service Award, National Institute of Mental Health (2013-2014)
  • Finalist, National Institutes of Health Director’s Early Independence Award (DP5), National Institutes of Health (2013)
  • Nominee, Career Awards for Medical Scientists (selected from Stanford Univ-wide search), Burroughs Wellcome Fund (2013)
  • Runner-up in Resident Poster Competition, Session 2, APA Annual Meeting, American Psychiatric Association (2013)
  • Scholar, Career Development Institute for Psychiatry (2013)
  • Miller Award, Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University (2012)
  • Nominee, NIH Director’s Early Independence Award (DP5) (selected from Stanford Univ-wide search), National Institutes of Health (2012)
  • Brain Camp III participant, National Institute of Mental Health (2011)
  • NIMH Outstanding Resident Award, National Institute of Mental Health (2011)
  • Trainee Travel Award, Academy of Psychosomatic Medicine (2011)
  • Janssen Resident Psychiatric Research Scholar, American Psychiatric Institute on Research and Education (2010)
  • Outstanding General Psychiatry Resident Award, American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry (2010)

Boards, Advisory Committees, Professional Organizations

  • Distinguished Fellow, American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry (2024 - Present)
  • Member, American College of Neuropsychopharmacology (2024 - Present)
  • Associate Editor, Research in Autism (previously Research in Autism Spectrum Disorders) (2023 - Present)
  • Associate Editor, Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders (2022 - Present)
  • Associate Editor, Frontiers in Psychiatry (2022 - Present)
  • Member, Board of Directors, Helping Adults with Autism Perform & Excel (2021 - Present)
  • President, Bay Area Autism Consortium (2021 - Present)
  • Fellow, American Psychiatric Association (2019 - Present)
  • Member, Board of Directors, Autism Asperger’s Spectrum Coalition for Education, Networking and Development (2019 - Present)
  • Member, Board of Directors, Bay Area Autism Consortium (2019 - Present)
  • Associate Member, American College of Neuropsychopharmacology (2018 - 2024)
  • Member, Society of Biological Psychiatry (2012 - Present)
  • Member, International Society for Autism Research (2009 - Present)
  • Member, American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry (2008 - Present)
  • Member, American Psychiatric Association (2008 - 2019)

Projects

Professional Education

  • Fellowship: Stanford University Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Fellowship (2014) CA
  • Residency: Stanford University Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences (2012) CA
  • Internship: Stanford University Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences (2010) CA
  • Board Certification, American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology, Child and Adolescent Psychiatry (2015)
  • Fellowship, Stanford University Medical Center, Child and Adolescent Psychiatry (2014)
  • Board Certification, American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology, Psychiatry (2013)
  • Residency, Stanford University Medical Center, General Psychiatry (2013)
  • Internship, Stanford University, Psychiatry (2010)
  • MD, George Washington University, Medicine (2009)
  • PhD, Cornell University, Chemical Engineering (1998)
  • MSE, Johns Hopkins University, Chemical Engineering (1996)
  • B.S. (Honors), University of California at Berkeley, Chemical Engineering (1993)