POND Network advances care for over 300,000 Ontario children and youth with neurodevelopmental disorders, taking cross-condition approach that studies shared biology across diagnoses and prioritizes questions identified by families

  • 15 years of POND research translates into provincial policy impact, with members leading Ontario Health's genetic testing guidelines and securing Ministry approval for accessible genome-wide sequencing across the province
  • Canada's first clinical trials network for neurodevelopmental disorders accelerates treatment development, including CALM Study examining sertraline for anxiety across eight sites while revealing that mental health, not original diagnosis, predicts quality of life

The Province of Ontario Neurodevelopmental Disorders (POND) Network is making significant strides to understanding neurodevelopmental disorders – or NDDs – and improving care for the more than 300,000 children and youth in Ontario living with autism, ADHD and other conditions.

In a field where the underlying biology of these disorders remains largely unclear, the POND Network, one of the Ontario Brain Institute's Integrated Discovery Programs, looks to children, youth and families to identify and prioritize important questions and then co-develops the research projects that will generate the evidence to impact care.

Unlike traditional approaches that focus narrowly on specific diagnoses, POND takes a cross-condition view of neurodevelopmental disorders, studying both shared and unique biology across multiple diagnoses and genetic syndromes. By collecting diverse types of data (genetic, molecular, imaging, behavioural) using standardized assessments, and integrating them on OBI's Brain-CODE platform, POND enables province-wide data sharing and collaboration between scientists, clinicians, and families, accelerating discovery and translating research into real-world impact.