As an extension of the Philadelphia Eagles' trip to London this week, Owner Jeffrey Lurie brought together leading voices from the medical and science community for a symposium around emerging developments in autism research and the future of autism care.

The program – presented by Bentley Systems – was highlighted by Lurie's announcement to support London-based autism research with a $500,000 pilot grant and a $170,000 postdoctoral fellowship. The $670,000 investment will support basic and clinical research, studies concentrating on affected individuals and families, and diverse model systems. The two-year, postdoctoral fellowship will fund the selected fellow's research at the Lurie Autism Institute in Philadelphia.

"We are grateful to the London community for embracing our organization and making this trip so meaningful," Lurie said. "While we look forward to celebrating with our fans – both at home and abroad – this Sunday at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, we take this moment to reflect on the productive and thoughtful conversations that were shared with some of the world's foremost leaders in autism research and care. The goal was to mobilize our mission and help bring the autism community together through our authentic connection with the City of London. This program, along with the financial investment to fund groundbreaking research, validates our belief that the work being done in London will have a global impact."

The symposium began with conversations led by the Eagles Autism Foundation, featuring panel discussions around co-produced research and shared governance, innovation, artificial intelligence, machine learning, and more. The panel included two researchers on the autism spectrum. The afternoon session was driven by the Lurie Autism Institute, with its new founding director, Eric Morrow, MD, PhD, sharing the potential vision for the Institute, including research across the lifespan and neurogenetics. In addition, researchers and families with autism shared their experiences with navigating life.

Researchers interested in learning more about the pilot grant and postdoctoral fellowship are encouraged to visit PhiladelphiaEagles.com/EaglesAutismFoundation. The application process will begin in Spring 2027, with approved proposals moving on to the scientific review phase in December 2027. Approved projects will be announced in February 2028.

"Investing in the next generation of autism researchers is an investment in the children and families who are counting on us to advance our understanding of autism and improve care," said Eric Morrow, MD, PhD, physician–scientist and the founding director of the Lurie Autism Institute. "The Lurie Autism Institute was built around the idea of a collaborative initiative, and this grant is an example of how we are expanding that collaboration across the globe by tapping into the expertise and innovation within the UK's research community. By bringing researchers together across institutions and borders, we can accelerate meaningful research that has the potential to translate into better and greater support for autistic people across the lifespan."

Established by Lurie in 2019, the Eagles Autism Foundation is committed to supporting the global neurodiverse community through innovative research and care programs. As part of the Foundation's year-round efforts, more than 223 research projects and community grants have been funded thanks to the more than $57 million raised.

In June 2025, Lurie and his family contributed an unprecedented $50 million gift to launch the Lurie Autism Institute in partnership with Children's Hospital of Philadelphia and Penn Medicine. It stands as the largest single donation to U.S. academic medical centers focused on autism research across the lifespan. Based in Philadelphia, this first-of-its-kind Institute serves as a global hub for autism research.

Through this gift, along with the $57 million raised and counting by the Eagles Autism Foundation, Lurie's philanthropic impact has contributed more than $100 million to the global autism research and care community.

The Eagles Autism Foundation's international growth builds upon the groundwork laid in September 2024 when the team opened the NFL season against the Green Bay Packers in São Paulo, Brazil. While hosting a similar program for area-based researchers and medical experts in the field, Lurie announced a $400,000 pilot grant for Brazilian-based autism research and care.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the prevalence rate of autism is now at one in 31 individuals. While it has become one of the fastest-growing developmental disorders in the country, it continues to be underfunded, misunderstood, and under-researched.