About Us

Annual Reports

Lifeline Online Life Span Newsletter

The Schiefelbusch Institute for Life Span Studies (LSI) was created in 1990 out of the 67-year-old Kansas Bureau of Child Research. Today it is one of the largest and most highly regarded human development and disabilities research centers in the country. The LSI brings together scientists of diverse disciplines including psychology, psychiatry, speech pathology, sociology, education, biology, pharmacology, physiology and medicine to study human development from its genetic origins through the final stages of life. The LSI supports basic and applied research, treatment and assessment clinics, service coordination and delivery, consultation, and training—notably, training of the next generation of scientists. The Life Span Institute’s 12 centers have more than 130 programs and projects active at any one time in Kansas as well as other states. Many projects directly serve individuals, families, and communities and are located in underserved Kansas City neighborhoods and rural Kansas counties.

Mission

The mission of the Life Span Institute is to find research-based solutions for the challenges of human and community development, disabilities and aging.

Research

The LSI fosters a highly collaborative, enterprising environment for scientists, students and practitioners to conduct research on human and community development, disabilities, and aging.

Training

Besides offering graduate and post-graduate training, the LSI trains direct care providers, professionals, families, and individuals on issues ranging from classroom instruction and behavior management to health promotion and self-advocacy.

Direct services, consultation and technical assistance

LSI investigators provide assessment and treatment services to individuals and families and develop strategies for school systems, longterm care residences and other community groups and agencies.

Leadership

As leaders in the fields of human development, disabilities, and aging, LSI investigators participate in shaping public policy decisions and research priorities through community partnerships, public and private leadership forums and interdisciplinary research and publication.

Location

The LSI central office is in the Robert Dole Human Development Center at the University of Kansas in Lawrence. Components of the LSI in Lawrence are at the John T. Stewart Children’s Center and Malott Hall; in Kansas City at the University of Kansas Medical Center’s Kansas GE Sciences Innovation Center and the Center for CHild Health and Development; in Kansas City at the Juniper Gardens Children's Project; and at the Life Span Institute in Parsons, Kansas.

Several projects are collaborators with universities and organizations from across the state, region and nation. LSI affiliate Centro Ann Sullivan del Perú is located in Limon Perú.

John Colombo
Interim Director

John Colombo became interim director of the Life Span Institute on March 1, 2008, assuming the post when Steve Warren advanced to the position of vice provost for research and graduate studies at KU. Prior to becoming interim director of Life Span, Colombo served as associate director for cognitive neuroscience at LSI, a position he continues to hold. He also is a professor of Psychology in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences. Under Colombo’s leadership, Life Span will continue to expand its research and training activities in human development and developmental disabilities, with heightened attention to the treatment of autism through a new multidisciplinary bi-campus Work Group on Autism Research and Training.

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