Health - Autism Research Institute https://autism.org/category/health/ Advancing Autism Research and Education Wed, 25 Mar 2026 22:39:26 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.9.4 COMPASS: A Caregiver–Teacher Partnership Model for Improving Outcomes in Autistic Children and Youth https://autism.org/compass-webinar/ Tue, 24 Mar 2026 21:20:39 +0000 https://autism.org/?p=24287 The Collaborative Model for Promoting Competence and Success (COMPASS) is an evidence-based consultation framework designed to enhance outcomes for autistic children and youth by strengthening caregiver–teacher partnerships. Developed by Ruble and colleagues, COMPASS emphasizes individualized education planning, shared decision-making, and implementation support across home and school contexts. The model

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The Collaborative Model for Promoting Competence and Success (COMPASS) is an evidence-based consultation framework designed to enhance outcomes for autistic children and youth by strengthening caregiver–teacher partnerships. Developed by Ruble and colleagues, COMPASS emphasizes individualized education planning, shared decision-making, and implementation support across home and school contexts. The model guides teams through structured goal setting, coaching, and progress monitoring aligned with the child’s strengths and needs and Individual Education Program. Empirical studies have shown that COMPASS improves intervention fidelity, child goal attainment, and collaborative engagement, making it a promising approach for bridging gaps between families and educators in autism support services.

Handouts of the slides are online HERE
Manuscript references (mentioned during the talk) are online HERE

About the speaker:

Dr. Lisa Ruble is the Earl F. Smith Distinguished Professor of Special Education and Autism at the Teachers College at Ball State University. Dr. Ruble teaches classes in autism and intervention. She is a past recipient of the New Investigator Award from NIMH. In 2002, Dr. Ruble established the STAR Program at the University of Louisville and, in 1998, helped establish TRIAD at Vanderbilt University. Her research program is based on these past experiences as a licensed psychologist, where she developed and provided social skills and behavioral interventions, school consultation and training, and parent training. These experiences influenced her interest in services research and the study of issues involved in the provision of evidence-based practices in community-based settings.

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Evidence That Speaks: Prioritizing Proven Communication Supports for Non-Speaking Autistic Children

January 6th, 2026|Back to School, Educational Therapies, Meltdowns, Neurological, Research, Research, School Issues, Sensory, Uncategorized, Webinar|

Connie Kasari, PhD, details what contemporary research reveals about supporting non-speaking or minimally verbal autistic children. She highlights how far the field has come in the past two decades and emphasizes the

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Gene Therapy for Mutations in the IQSEC2 Gene https://autism.org/gene-therapy-for-mutations-in-the-iqsec2-gene/ Tue, 17 Mar 2026 17:26:30 +0000 https://autism.org/?p=26949 The IQSEC2 protein is a guanine nucleotide exchange factor for Arf6.  Pathogenic variants in the X-linked IQSEC2 gene are associated with drug-resistant epilepsy, severe intellectual disability, and autism.  The vast majority of disease-causing variants introduce premature termination codons in the IQSEC2 gene, resulting in little or no IQSEC2 protein being

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The IQSEC2 protein is a guanine nucleotide exchange factor for Arf6.  Pathogenic variants in the X-linked IQSEC2 gene are associated with drug-resistant epilepsy, severe intellectual disability, and autism.  The vast majority of disease-causing variants introduce premature termination codons in the IQSEC2 gene, resulting in little or no IQSEC2 protein being produced.   We sought to determine if an adeno-associated virus (AAV) containing the IQSEC2 gene could rescue abnormal phenotypes in mice in two different Iqsec2 mouse models with premature Iqsec2 termination codons resulting in a knockout of Iqsec2 gene expression and in mice with a A350V Iqsec2 missense mutation.  In Iqsec2 knockout mice, the AAV significantly improved growth, corrected behavioral abnormalities, and normalized the seizure threshold.  We propose that success in the Iqsec2 knockout mice warrants a proof-of-concept study for gene replacement therapy in boys with IQSEC2 premature termination variants.

This is a joint presentation with the World Autism Organisation.

Originally published March 18, 2026

About the speaker:

Prof. Andrew Levy received his BA Summa Cum Laude from Yale University in Molecular Biophysics and Biochemistry in 1982. He received a MSTP scholarship for his MD PHD training (1982-1990) at Johns Hopkins Medical School performing his PHD under Nobel Laureate Daniel Nathans working on the identification of a growth factor now known as Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor. He completed internal medicine residency at Johns Hopkins Hospital (1990-1992) and a cardiovascular fellowship at Brigham and Women’s Hospital at Harvard Medical School (1992-1996).  He is a tenured professor at Technion Faculty of Medicine, Technion Israel Institute of Technology in Haifa, Israel. His current focus of research is on developing treatments for IQSEC2 disease – a neurodevelopmental disorder associated with drug-resistant epilepsy, autism, and severe intellectual disability. Founder of IQSEC2 Research and Advocacy Foundation, a volunteer group of parents working towards providing support for parents, increasing awareness of IQSEC2.

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Evidence That Speaks: Prioritizing Proven Communication Supports for Non-Speaking Autistic Children

January 6th, 2026|Back to School, Educational Therapies, Meltdowns, Neurological, Research, Research, School Issues, Sensory, Uncategorized, Webinar|

Connie Kasari, PhD, details what contemporary research reveals about supporting non-speaking or minimally verbal autistic children. She highlights how far the field has come in the past two decades and emphasizes the

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Understanding Autism through the Lens of Sensorimotor Features and Early-Developing Brain Regions https://autism.org/sensorimotor-features-and-early-developing-brain-regions/ Tue, 10 Mar 2026 18:37:28 +0000 https://autism.org/?p=23643 Sensorimotor differences are commonly reported in autistic individuals. However, the daily-life impact and neurobiological basis of motor differences are not clear. This talk will discuss sensorimotor differences commonly reported in autistic individuals, links to daily living skills, and links to early-developing brain structures like the brainstem. This talk will also

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Sensorimotor differences are commonly reported in autistic individuals. However, the daily-life impact and neurobiological basis of motor differences are not clear. This talk will discuss sensorimotor differences commonly reported in autistic individuals, links to daily living skills, and links to early-developing brain structures like the brainstem. This talk will also discuss the results of a motor intervention aimed to capitalize on neuroplasticity in autistic youth.

About the speaker:

Dr. Brittany G. Travers joined the faculty of University of Wisconsin-Madison in August of 2014 as an assistant professor in the Occupational Therapy Program in the Department of Kinesiology. In her first years as faculty, she has established a strong track record of independent funding and publication, and she was bestowed the Young Investigator Award by the International Society for Autism Research in May of 2016. Dr. Travers’s research program, housed at the Waisman Center on the University of Wisconsin-Madison campus (http://www.waisman.wisc.edu/motor), combines neuroimaging measures with quantitative measures of motor function, cognition, and daily living skills in individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorders. Her work is inherently interdisciplinary, as Dr. Travers is a trained cognitive psychologist who received interdisciplinary postdoctoral training in developmental disorders and biomedical physics.

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Evidence That Speaks: Prioritizing Proven Communication Supports for Non-Speaking Autistic Children

January 6th, 2026|Back to School, Educational Therapies, Meltdowns, Neurological, Research, Research, School Issues, Sensory, Uncategorized, Webinar|

Connie Kasari, PhD, details what contemporary research reveals about supporting non-speaking or minimally verbal autistic children. She highlights how far the field has come in the past two decades and emphasizes the

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EMDR Therapy and Autism https://autism.org/emdr-therapy-and-autism/ Tue, 17 Feb 2026 18:21:56 +0000 https://autism.org/?p=25478 Presentation Handout available HERE Amanda Tami, LPC, BCBA, talks about Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) therapy and its use for autistic individuals. She discusses how traumatic memories can get "stuck" in the body and relived when we are exposed to similar stimuli. Tami explains how EMDR works as

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Presentation Handout available HERE

Amanda Tami, LPC, BCBA, talks about Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) therapy and its use for autistic individuals. She discusses how traumatic memories can get “stuck” in the body and relived when we are exposed to similar stimuli. Tami explains how EMDR works as a form of adaptive information processing that allows the brain and body to let go of these traumatic memories and make room for feelings of safety and calm. The speaker emphasizes the need for more research around trauma and autism, underscoring that living in a world that wasn’t built for you is innately traumatic. She outlines barriers to EMDR therapy and details modifications for autism. Tami gives a clinical example of using modified-EMDR treatment for an autistic patient before the Q&A.

More information on EMDR and providers near you – EMDR International Association

About the speaker:

Professional headshot of a person

Amanda Tami, LPC, BCBA, is a Licensed Professional Counselor and Board Certified Behavior Analyst at the Johnson Center for Child Health and Development. She provides behavior analytic services and psychotherapy to neurodivergent individuals and their families. She has experience treating co-occurring conditions such as anxiety, depression, and trauma. Amanda is certified in EMDR therapy and its applications to children. Amanda has provided training and consultation locally, nationally, and internationally to parents and providers on various topics including building emotion regulation, support across the lifespan, sexuality, and trauma-informed ABA. Amanda lives in Austin with her husband and son and loves cats, crosswords, and Below Deck marathons.

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Evidence That Speaks: Prioritizing Proven Communication Supports for Non-Speaking Autistic Children

January 6th, 2026|Back to School, Educational Therapies, Meltdowns, Neurological, Research, Research, School Issues, Sensory, Uncategorized, Webinar|

Connie Kasari, PhD, details what contemporary research reveals about supporting non-speaking or minimally verbal autistic children. She highlights how far the field has come in the past two decades and emphasizes the

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Towards the Development of a Diagnostic Test for Autism Spectrum Disorder: Data Science Meets Metabolomics https://autism.org/using-machine-learning-for-biomarker-discovery/ Tue, 10 Feb 2026 16:37:12 +0000 https://autism.org/?p=25368 Hear Juergen Hahn, Ph.D., ARI Scientific Advisory Board member, discuss how using machine learning can lead to biomarker discoveries in autism research. Handouts are online HERE About the speaker: Juergen Hahn, M.S., Ph.D. Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute Dr. Hahn's research focuses on the development of

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Hear Juergen Hahn, Ph.D., ARI Scientific Advisory Board member, discuss how using machine learning can lead to biomarker discoveries in autism research.

Handouts are online HERE

About the speaker:

Juergen Hahn, M.S., Ph.D. Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute

Dr. Hahn’s research focuses on the development of new systems analysis techniques and their application in systems biology as well as for traditional chemical engineering processes. Special emphasis is placed on methods for nonlinear systems that can take into account significant levels of uncertainty in the model. Applications of these techniques include sensitivity analysis of signal transduction pathways, biomarker identification for autism spectrum disorder, model reduction for controller design, and experimental and sensor network design.

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Evidence That Speaks: Prioritizing Proven Communication Supports for Non-Speaking Autistic Children

January 6th, 2026|Back to School, Educational Therapies, Meltdowns, Neurological, Research, Research, School Issues, Sensory, Uncategorized, Webinar|

Connie Kasari, PhD, details what contemporary research reveals about supporting non-speaking or minimally verbal autistic children. She highlights how far the field has come in the past two decades and emphasizes the

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How Genetics is Shaping the Field of Autism Research https://autism.org/how-genetics-is-shaping-the-field-of-autism-research/ Tue, 27 Jan 2026 14:52:02 +0000 https://autism.org/?p=25068 Learn about how research on genetic influences is shaping our understanding of autism. About the speaker: M. Pilar Trelles, MD, is a licensed and certified child and adolescent psychiatrist. Dr. Trelles has expertise in autism spectrum disorders (ASD) and related neurodevelopmental disabilities (NDDs) and

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Learn about how research on genetic influences is shaping our understanding of autism.

About the speaker:

Professional headshot of a person

M. Pilar Trelles, MD, is a licensed and certified child and adolescent psychiatrist. Dr. Trelles has expertise in autism spectrum disorders (ASD) and related neurodevelopmental disabilities (NDDs) and has received specialized training in the utility of genomic medicine to better understand these conditions.

Dr. Trelles’ clinical and research work has been dedicated to improving access to care for under-resourced communities with NDDs. By establishing strong community partnerships with national and international stakeholders, she has developed initiatives that improve healthcare disparities and build capacities in the community to improve research participation of ethnic and racial minorities in ASD research. She has obtained significant grant support and has been the recipient of multiple awards for junior investigators. Dr. Trelles has published extensively in professional journals and has been invited frequently to present nationally and internationally.

Take the knowledge quiz

You may take the quiz up to three times.

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Upon successful completion, you can print your certificate at the end of the quiz.

Can’t see the quiz below? Take it online HERE

Evidence That Speaks: Prioritizing Proven Communication Supports for Non-Speaking Autistic Children

January 6th, 2026|Back to School, Educational Therapies, Meltdowns, Neurological, Research, Research, School Issues, Sensory, Uncategorized, Webinar|

Connie Kasari, PhD, details what contemporary research reveals about supporting non-speaking or minimally verbal autistic children. She highlights how far the field has come in the past two decades and emphasizes the

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Disparities in Autism Ascertainment in Black Children https://autism.org/disparities-in-autism-ascertainment-in-black-children/ Wed, 21 Jan 2026 19:53:23 +0000 https://autism.org/?p=23348 Handouts are available HERE You can access the ongoing study Dr. Dickerson discusses during the Q&A HERE Learn about disparities in autism ascertainment in Black children and accessible treatment models that can help reach underserved populations. About the speaker: Aisha S. Dickerson, PhD, MSPH, is

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Handouts are available HERE

You can access the ongoing study Dr. Dickerson discusses during the Q&A HERE

Learn about disparities in autism ascertainment in Black children and accessible treatment models that can help reach underserved populations.

About the speaker:

Aisha S. Dickerson, PhD, MSPH, is an associate professor at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. She is an environmental neuroepidemiologist with primary research interests in environmental risk factors for neurodevelopmental and neurodegenerative disorders. Specifically, she studies combined environmental and occupational exposures across the life course and subsequent individual and transgenerational neurological outcomes, including autism spectrum disorder, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, and dementia. Between earning her BS and MSPH, Dr. Dickerson worked for the Jefferson County Department of Health where she served on emergency response teams after Hurricane Katrina and during the H1N1 (Swine Flu) pandemic. Prior to joining BSPH, she also completed postdoctoral training at the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. Currently, her research investigates joint environmental and psychosocial stressors in under resourced communities. She is the PI of an NIEHS-funded study of gene-environment interaction with parental occupation exposures and autism in offspring. She also has several ongoing studies of joint exposures utilizing data from the National Health and Aging Trends Study (NHATS), the Health and Retirement Study (HRS), and the Environmental influences of Child Health Outcomes (ECHO) project.

About the Quiz:
  • You may take the quiz up to three times. 
  • You will be asked to enter a password – you can reuse from the past if you have taken tests previously or just enter a new one. You will be prompted to type it twice.
  • Upon successful completion, you can print your certificate at the end of the quiz.

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Evidence That Speaks: Prioritizing Proven Communication Supports for Non-Speaking Autistic Children

January 6th, 2026|Back to School, Educational Therapies, Meltdowns, Neurological, Research, Research, School Issues, Sensory, Uncategorized, Webinar|

Connie Kasari, PhD, details what contemporary research reveals about supporting non-speaking or minimally verbal autistic children. She highlights how far the field has come in the past two decades and emphasizes the

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Nutrition Research Updates: Five Underappreciated Nutrients that Neurodivergent Kids May Be Missing https://autism.org/five-underappreciated-nutrients/ Tue, 13 Jan 2026 21:14:45 +0000 https://autism.org/?p=23175 Vicki Kobliner, MS, RDN, reviews current nutrition research and shares practical strategies to support the health of neurodivergent children.Handouts are online HERE About the speaker: Vicki Kobliner, MS, RD, is a Registered Dietitian and owner of Holcare Nutrition (www.holcarenutrition.com). She practices a functional nutrition approach

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Vicki Kobliner, MS, RDN, reviews current nutrition research and shares practical strategies to support the health of neurodivergent children.

Handouts are online HERE

About the speaker:

Professional headshot of a person

Vicki Kobliner, MS, RD, is a Registered Dietitian and owner of Holcare Nutrition (www.holcarenutrition.com). She practices a functional nutrition approach to help the body heal itself and has extensive experience using various diet modalities to help children with autism and related disorders. Vicki works with infants, children, and adults with chronic illnesses, digestive disorders, food allergies, ADHD, and autism, and provides fertility and prenatal nutrition counseling. She is a contributing author to “A Compromised Generation: The Epidemic of Chronic Illness in America’s Children.”

Take the knowledge quiz

Can’t see the quiz below? Take it online HERE

Evidence That Speaks: Prioritizing Proven Communication Supports for Non-Speaking Autistic Children

January 6th, 2026|Back to School, Educational Therapies, Meltdowns, Neurological, Research, Research, School Issues, Sensory, Uncategorized, Webinar|

Connie Kasari, PhD, details what contemporary research reveals about supporting non-speaking or minimally verbal autistic children. She highlights how far the field has come in the past two decades and emphasizes the

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Holidays: Merry, not Meltdown-y. Autism-Friendly Navigation of the Holiday Season. https://autism.org/holidays-and-autism-webinar/ Wed, 10 Dec 2025 23:45:05 +0000 https://autism.org/?p=25377 Holidays can be challenging for autistic individuals. Amanda Tami, LPC, BCBA, will share tips, tricks, and suggestions to help you plan for a merry holiday season. Handouts available HERE More information: Planning for the holiday season - Resource Page Choosing toys for a child with autism - Article Originally published

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Holidays can be challenging for autistic individuals. Amanda Tami, LPC, BCBA, will share tips, tricks, and suggestions to help you plan for a merry holiday season.

Handouts available HERE

More information:

Planning for the holiday season – Resource Page

Choosing toys for a child with autism – Article

Originally published on December 10, 2025

About the speaker:

Professional headshot of a person

Amanda Tami, LPC, BCBA, The Johnson Center for Child Health and Development.

Amanda Tami is a Licensed Professional Counselor and Board Certified Behavior Analyst at the Johnson Center for Child Health and Development. She provides behavior analytic services and psychotherapy to neurodivergent individuals and their families. She has experience treating co-occurring conditions such as anxiety, depression, and trauma. Amanda is certified in EMDR therapy and its applications to children. Amanda has provided training and consultation locally, nationally, and internationally to parents and providers on various topics including building emotion regulation, support across the lifespan, sexuality, and trauma-informed ABA. Amanda lives in Austin with her husband and son and loves cats, crosswords, and Below Deck marathons.

Evidence That Speaks: Prioritizing Proven Communication Supports for Non-Speaking Autistic Children

January 6th, 2026|Back to School, Educational Therapies, Meltdowns, Neurological, Research, Research, School Issues, Sensory, Uncategorized, Webinar|

Connie Kasari, PhD, details what contemporary research reveals about supporting non-speaking or minimally verbal autistic children. She highlights how far the field has come in the past two decades and emphasizes the

The post Holidays: Merry, not Meltdown-y. Autism-Friendly Navigation of the Holiday Season. appeared first on Autism Research Institute.

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Breakthroughs in Understanding roles of Genes and Environment in Autism https://autism.org/breakthroughs-in-understanding-roles-of-genes-and-environment-in-autism/ Tue, 02 Dec 2025 15:59:31 +0000 https://autism.org/?p=25365 About the speaker: Dr. Jonathan Sebat, Director, Beyster Center for Psychiatric Genomics Dr. Sebat leads an interdisciplinary team in the clinical and genomic analysis of patient cohorts at UCSD and Rady Children’s Hospital. He is a Professor at the University of California San Diego with

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About the speaker:

Dr. Jonathan Sebat, Director, Beyster Center for Psychiatric Genomics

Dr. Sebat leads an interdisciplinary team in the clinical and genomic analysis of patient cohorts at UCSD and Rady Children’s Hospital. He is a Professor at the University of California San Diego with appointments in the departments of Psychiatry and Cellular & Molecular Medicine.

Take the knowledge quiz

Can’t see the quiz below? Take it online HERE

Evidence That Speaks: Prioritizing Proven Communication Supports for Non-Speaking Autistic Children

January 6th, 2026|Back to School, Educational Therapies, Meltdowns, Neurological, Research, Research, School Issues, Sensory, Uncategorized, Webinar|

Connie Kasari, PhD, details what contemporary research reveals about supporting non-speaking or minimally verbal autistic children. She highlights how far the field has come in the past two decades and emphasizes the

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