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METHOD:PUBLISH
X-WR-CALNAME:SFARI
X-ORIGINAL-URL:https://www.sfari.org
X-WR-CALDESC:Events for SFARI
REFRESH-INTERVAL;VALUE=DURATION:PT1H
X-Robots-Tag:noindex
X-PUBLISHED-TTL:PT1H
BEGIN:VTIMEZONE
TZID:UTC
BEGIN:STANDARD
TZOFFSETFROM:+0000
TZOFFSETTO:+0000
TZNAME:UTC
DTSTART:20130101T000000
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=UTC:20180410T083500
DTEND;TZID=UTC:20180410T085000
DTSTAMP:20260403T211633
CREATED:20180709T160155Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20180711T203358Z
UID:13538-1523349300-1523350200@www.sfari.org
SUMMARY:Autism genetics: Where have we been and where are we going?
DESCRIPTION:
URL:https://www.sfari.org/event/autism-genetics-where-have-we-been-and-where-are-we-going/
LOCATION:Gerald D. Fischbach Auditorium\, 160 5th Avenue\, New York\, NY\, 10010\, United States
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://sf-web-assets-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2018/07/11203254/Screen-Shot-2018-07-11-at-4.31.54-PM-e1531341229842.png
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=UTC:20180207T170000
DTEND;TZID=UTC:20180207T181500
DTSTAMP:20260403T211633
CREATED:20180104T162448Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20180828T145113Z
UID:11600-1518022800-1518027300@www.sfari.org
SUMMARY:On the road to precision health: Brain-based biomarkers in autism spectrum disorder
DESCRIPTION:
URL:https://www.sfari.org/event/on-the-road-to-precision-health-brain-based-biomarkers-in-autism-spectrum-disorder/
LOCATION:Gerald D. Fischbach Auditorium\, 160 5th Avenue\, New York\, NY\, 10010\, United States
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://sf-web-assets-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2018/01/04153249/Shafali_Jeste_Portraits-2h.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=UTC:20180124T170000
DTEND;TZID=UTC:20180124T181500
DTSTAMP:20260403T211633
CREATED:20180103T191913Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20180213T152024Z
UID:11570-1516813200-1516817700@www.sfari.org
SUMMARY:Arousal\, emotion regulation and challenging behaviors: Insights from the Autism Inpatient Collection
DESCRIPTION:
URL:https://www.sfari.org/event/arousal-emotion-regulation-and-challenging-behaviors-insights-from-the-autism-inpatient-collection/
LOCATION:Gerald D. Fischbach Auditorium\, 160 5th Avenue\, New York\, NY\, 10010\, United States
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://sf-web-assets-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2018/01/03145156/matthewsiegel.png
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=UTC:20171128T170000
DTEND;TZID=UTC:20171128T180000
DTSTAMP:20260403T211633
CREATED:20171027T205726Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20180216T145936Z
UID:10599-1511888400-1511892000@www.sfari.org
SUMMARY:Autism genetics: Searching for coherence
DESCRIPTION:
URL:https://www.sfari.org/event/autism-genetics-searching-for-coherence/
LOCATION:Gerald D. Fischbach Auditorium\, 160 5th Avenue\, New York\, NY\, 10010\, United States
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://sf-web-assets-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2017/07/21183802/dgeschwind.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=UTC:20171113T183000
DTEND;TZID=UTC:20171113T203000
DTSTAMP:20260403T211633
CREATED:20171024T143634Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20181018T142326Z
UID:10429-1510597800-1510605000@www.sfari.org
SUMMARY:SFARI Society for Neuroscience 2017 Social
DESCRIPTION:  \n\nAll Society for Neuroscience (SfN) attendees are welcome to join SFARI Investigators and scientific staff for an evening of socializing and networking\, including a brief information session on SFARI funding opportunities and scientific resources for the autism research community. \nWe welcome newcomers to autism research as well as those already working to uncover the science of autism spectrum disorders. \nSimons Foundation staff will be available to answer questions about the work SFARI currently funds\, future opportunities for funding and SFARI resources. \n\n\n\n \nA number of SFARI Investigators will be presenting their research at Neuroscience 2016.To find out more\, click here.\n\n\n\nSFARI + SfN Social\nDate: Monday\, 13 November 2017\nTime: 6:30 p.m. – 8:30 p.m.\nMarriott Marquis Washington\, D.C.\nLiberty Salons I\, J\, K \nQuestions? Contact communications@simonsfoundation.org. \nWe look forward to seeing you there. \n\n\n 
URL:https://www.sfari.org/event/sfari-society-for-neuroscience-2017-social/
LOCATION:Marriott Marquis Washington\, D.C. Liberty Salons I\, J\, K\, 901 Massachusetts Ave NW\, Washington\, D.C.\, 20001\, United States
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://sf-web-assets-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2017/10/08200947/sfn2017social-1100.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=UTC:20171101T170000
DTEND;TZID=UTC:20171101T181500
DTSTAMP:20260403T211633
CREATED:20171013T145814Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20171129T145650Z
UID:10044-1509555600-1509560100@www.sfari.org
SUMMARY:Understanding autism and other neurodevelopmental disorders: From the embryo to brain organoids
DESCRIPTION:
URL:https://www.sfari.org/event/understanding-autism-and-other-neurodevelopmental-disorders-from-the-embryo-to-brain-organoids/
LOCATION:Gerald D. Fischbach Auditorium\, 160 5th Avenue\, New York\, NY\, 10010\, United States
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://sf-web-assets-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2017/07/21184833/paolaarlotta.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=UTC:20171011T170000
DTEND;TZID=UTC:20171011T181500
DTSTAMP:20260403T211633
CREATED:20170906T132823Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20180706T160059Z
UID:8943-1507741200-1507745700@www.sfari.org
SUMMARY:Leveraging long-term health data and exome sequencing for autism-related gene discovery
DESCRIPTION:
URL:https://www.sfari.org/event/leveraging-long-term-health-data-and-exome-sequencing-for-autism-related-gene-discovery/
LOCATION:Gerald D. Fischbach Auditorium\, 160 5th Avenue\, New York\, NY\, 10010\, United States
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://sf-web-assets-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2017/07/18162559/DavidLedbetter250.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=UTC:20170322T170000
DTEND;TZID=UTC:20170322T181500
DTSTAMP:20260403T211633
CREATED:20170322T040000Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20180216T145520Z
UID:2008-1490202000-1490206500@www.sfari.org
SUMMARY:What can genetics tell us about autism spectrum disorder?
DESCRIPTION:  \n\nOn 22 March 2017\, Stephan Sanders presented an update on the current state of genetics research in autism\, highlighting some of the key findings that remain to be discovered\, and discussing how these findings could ultimately benefit individuals with autism and their families. \nHis talk was part of the Simons Foundation Autism Research lecture series. \nAbout the Lecture\nIt has been known that autism spectrum disorder is primarily caused by genetic factors for several decades. The past 10 years have seen great progress in finding some of the genes responsible and in building a map of what other types of genetic variants may contribute. These findings have been used both to provide insight into the biology of autism and\, in the clinic\, to identify individuals with specific genetic variants. \nIn this lecture\, Stephan Sanders presented an update on the current state of genetics research in autism\, highlight some of the key findings that remain to be discovered\, and discussing how these findings could ultimately benefit individuals with autism and their families. \nAbout the speaker:\nStephan Sanders trained as a pediatric physician in the United Kingdom before pursuing a research career in genomics and bioinformatics. His work has helped characterize the role of de novo mutations in the etiology of autism and identified multiple autism risk loci\, including duplications of the 7q11.23 Williams syndrome region (Sanders et al.\, Neuron\, 2011) and mutations in the sodium channel gene SCN2A (Sanders et al.\, Nature\, 2012). His work on the integration of copy number variation and exome data across multiple autism cohorts recently identified 71 autism risk loci (Sanders et al.\, Neuron\, 2015). In addition\, he worked as part of a group that integrated spatiotemporal gene expression data from the human brain with these autism-associated genes (Willsey et al.\, Cell\, 2013). This approach has implicated deep-layer glutamatergic neurons in the frontal cortex during mid-fetal development in the causation of autism. \nHis lab has three main research aims: 1) Understanding the genetic basis of childhood neurodevelopmental conditions\, in particular autism; 2) Understanding how these genetic factors lead to the conditions; and 3) Understanding the mechanism that leads to the male bias in autism diagnosis\, in particular through identifying the biological basis of the female protective effect. \n 
URL:https://www.sfari.org/event/what-can-genetics-tell-us-about-autism-spectrum-disorder/
LOCATION:Gerald D. Fischbach Auditorium\, 160 5th Avenue\, New York\, NY\, 10010\, United States
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://sf-web-assets-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2017/07/27205941/stephansanders.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=UTC:20170222T170000
DTEND;TZID=UTC:20170222T181500
DTSTAMP:20260403T211633
CREATED:20170222T050000Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20180216T151522Z
UID:1993-1487782800-1487787300@www.sfari.org
SUMMARY:Exploiting genetics to identify environmental risks for autism
DESCRIPTION:  \n\nOn 22 February 2017\, Mark Zylka described how candidate environmental risk factors for autism can be identified rationally\, by pinpointing chemicals that interfere with the same molecular pathways that are affected in individuals with autism. \nHis talk was part of the Simons Foundation Autism Research lecture series. \nAbout the Lecture\nOur inability to identify environmental threats to the brain early — before they cause disease — represents one of the major challenges of our time. This challenge is particularly relevant to autism\, which affects 1 in 68 individuals. Heritability studies indicate that environmental factors contribute to autism risk. \nIn this lecture\, Mark Zylka described how candidate environmental risk factors for autism can be identified rationally\, by pinpointing chemicals that interfere with the same molecular pathways that are affected in individuals with autism. His research focuses on identifying environmental-use chemicals that target autism-linked molecular pathways\, using environmental sampling data to assess the exposure threat to people\, and validating risk potential in animal models. \nAbout the speaker:\nMark Zylka is Director of the Neuroscience Center at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. He received his B.S. in biochemistry from Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University\, and his Ph.D. in neurobiology from Harvard University. While at Harvard\, he identified several of the core circadian-clock genes and determined how these genes contribute to circadian rhythms in mammals. As a postdoctoral fellow at the California Institute of Technology\, he identified a large family of receptors that regulate pain and itch. Zylka’s lab focuses on pain research and studying genetic and environmental risks for autism. \n  \n 
URL:https://www.sfari.org/event/exploiting-genetics-to-identify-environmental-risks-for-autism/
LOCATION:Gerald D. Fischbach Auditorium\, 160 5th Avenue\, New York\, NY\, 10010\, United States
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://sf-web-assets-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2017/07/04163647/MarkZylka250.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=UTC:20170201T170000
DTEND;TZID=UTC:20170201T180000
DTSTAMP:20260403T211633
CREATED:20170828T200109Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20190617T154916Z
UID:8290-1485968400-1485972000@www.sfari.org
SUMMARY:Genomic insights into human cortical development and neurodevelopmental disease
DESCRIPTION:
URL:https://www.sfari.org/event/genomic-insights-into-human-cortical-development-and-neurodevelopmental-disease/
LOCATION:Gerald D. Fischbach Auditorium\, 160 5th Avenue\, New York\, NY\, 10010\, United States
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://sf-web-assets-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2017/07/28213716/ArnoldKriegstein250.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=UTC:20170125T170000
DTEND;TZID=UTC:20170125T181500
DTSTAMP:20260403T211633
CREATED:20170125T050000Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20180216T151620Z
UID:1994-1485363600-1485368100@www.sfari.org
SUMMARY:Potholes and progress on the road to translational treatments in autism spectrum disorder
DESCRIPTION:  \n\nOn 25 January 2017\, Jeremy Veenstra-VanderWeele outlined critical challenges to translating genomic\, cellular\, and animal model research into new treatments for autism spectrum disorder. \nHis talk was part of the Simons Foundation Autism Research lecture series. \nAbout the Lecture\nEmerging genomic and neuroscience findings have delivered hypotheses that are now being tested in autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and related genetic syndromes. Unfortunately\, these clinical trials have not yet yielded positive results\, suggesting a need to step back and evaluate the science of testing new treatments for neurodevelopmental disorders. \nIn this lecture\, Jeremy Veenstra-VanderWeele outlined critical challenges\, both conceptual and practical\, to translating genomic\, cellular\, and animal model research into new treatments for ASD. He discussed the limitations to conclusions drawn from work in the laboratory as they are extrapolated to the clinic. He also described common pitfalls in clinical trials\, including mismatches between hypotheses and study populations\, substantial “placebo” effects\, and subjective outcome measures. Framing these challenges in the context of past successes in ASD treatment research\, he suggested guideposts as we work toward neurobiologically based treatments for ASD. \nAbout the speaker:\nJeremy Veenstra-VanderWeele is the Mortimer D. Sackler\, M.D.\, Associate Professor in Psychiatry at Columbia University Medical Center and the New York State Psychiatric Institute. He completed his M.D. and residency training at the University of Chicago\, postdoctoral training in neuroscience at Vanderbilt University\, and moved to Columbia in 2014. As a child psychiatrist and developmental neuroscientist\, his primary motivation is to deliver new treatments to children with autism spectrum disorder and related neurodevelopmental disorders. \n 
URL:https://www.sfari.org/event/potholes-and-progress-on-the-road-to-translational-treatments-in-autism-spectrum-disorder/
LOCATION:Gerald D. Fischbach Auditorium\, 160 5th Avenue\, New York\, NY\, 10010\, United States
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://sf-web-assets-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2017/07/04165902/JeremyVeenstra250.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=UTC:20161114T183000
DTEND;TZID=UTC:20161114T203000
DTSTAMP:20260403T211633
CREATED:20170723T195712Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20181019T182223Z
UID:2013-1479148200-1479155400@www.sfari.org
SUMMARY:SFARI Society for Neuroscience 2016 Social
DESCRIPTION:  \n\nAll Society for Neuroscience (SfN) attendees are welcome to join SFARI Investigators and scientific staff for an evening of socializing and networking\, including a brief information session on SFARI funding opportunities and scientific resources for the autism research community. \nWe welcome newcomers to autism research as well as those already working to uncover the science of autism spectrum disorders. \nSimons Foundation staff will be available to answer questions about the work SFARI currently funds\, future opportunities for funding and SFARI resources. \n\n\n\n \nA number of SFARI Investigators will be presenting their research at Neuroscience 2016. \nTo find out more\, click here.\n\n\n\nSFARI + SfN Social\nDate: Monday\, 14 November 2016\nTime: 6:30 p.m. – 8:30 p.m.\nHilton San Diego Bayfront\nIndigo 204 \nQuestions? Contact communications@simonsfoundation.org. \nWe look forward to seeing you there. \n\n\n 
URL:https://www.sfari.org/event/sfari-society-for-neuroscience-2016-social/
LOCATION:Hilton San Diego Bayfront Indigo 204\, One Park Blvd\, San Diego\, CA\, 92101\, United States
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://sf-web-assets-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2017/07/04182158/SfN2016-250.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=UTC:20161102T170000
DTEND;TZID=UTC:20161102T181500
DTSTAMP:20260403T211633
CREATED:20161102T040000Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20180216T151644Z
UID:2010-1478106000-1478110500@www.sfari.org
SUMMARY:How immune cells help wire the brain: Implications for autism and psychiatric illness
DESCRIPTION:  \nOn 2 November 2016\, Beth Stevens discussed recent work that implicates brain immune cells\, called microglia\, in sculpting of synaptic connections during development and their relevance to autism\, schizophrenia and other brain disorders. \nHer talk was part of the Simons Foundation Autism Research lecture series. \nAbout the Lecture\nRecent research has revealed a key role for microglia and a group of immune-related molecules\, called complement\, in normal developmental synaptic pruning\, a process required to establish precise brain wiring. Emerging evidence from Beth Stevens’ lab and others suggest aberrant regulation of this pruning pathway may contribute to synaptic and cognitive dysfunction in a host of brain disorders\, including schizophrenia. Studies also suggest that a person’s risk of schizophrenia is increased if he or she inherits specific variants in complement C4\, which plays a well-known role in the immune system but also helps sculpt developing synapses in the mouse visual system. \nTogether these findings may help explain known features of schizophrenia\, including reduced numbers of synapses in key cortical regions and an adolescent age of onset that corresponds with developmentally timed waves of synaptic pruning in these regions. Stevens discussed this and ongoing work to understand the mechanisms by which complement and microglia prune specific synapses in the brain. A deeper understanding of how these immune mechanisms mediate synaptic pruning may provide novel insight into how to protect synapses in autism and other brain disorders. \nAbout the speaker\nBeth Stevens is an assistant professor of neurology at Harvard Medical School and the F.M. Kirby Neurobiology Center at Boston Children’s Hospital and a member of the Broad Institute. Her laboratory seeks to understand how neuron-glia communication facilitates the formation\, elimination and plasticity of synapses during both healthy development and disease states. Stevens is a recipient of several young investigator awards\, including the Ellison Medical Foundation New Scholar in Aging; John Merck Scholar Program; Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers; and a MacArthur Fellowship. \n  \n 
URL:https://www.sfari.org/event/how-immune-cells-help-wire-the-brain-implications-for-autism-and-psychiatric-illness/
LOCATION:Gerald D. Fischbach Auditorium\, 160 5th Avenue\, New York\, NY\, 10010\, United States
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://sf-web-assets-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2017/07/04170132/BethStevens250.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=UTC:20161005T170000
DTEND;TZID=UTC:20161005T181500
DTSTAMP:20260403T211633
CREATED:20161005T040000Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20180216T151810Z
UID:1998-1475686800-1475691300@www.sfari.org
SUMMARY:Tuberous Sclerosis: Shedding light on the neural circuitry of autism
DESCRIPTION:  \nOn 5 October 2016\, Mustafa Sahin presented an update on translational research in Tuberous Sclerosis Complex. His talk was part of the Simons Foundation Autism Research lecture series. \nAbout the Lecture\nIn this lecture\, Mustafa Sahin presented the rationale for investigating Tuberous Sclerosis Complex (TSC) as a way to understand the cellular and circuitry alterations underlying autism spectrum disorder. Using a combination of cell culture\, mouse behavior and human electroencephalography (EEG) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) experiments\, Sahin and colleagues have demonstrated abnormalities in neuronal connectivity and neuron-glia interactions in TSC. Inhibitors of mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) proteins are effective in mouse models of TSC and are being tested in clinical trials now. A better understanding of TSC can also provide insights for related neurodevelopmental disorders in which similar cellular and circuit abnormalities can be detected. \nAbout the Speaker\nMustafa Sahin is a developmental neurobiologist and a pediatric neurologist. He received his B.S. degree from Brown University\, his M.D. and Ph.D. from Yale School of Medicine. He completed a pediatrics residency at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia and a child neurology residency at Boston Children’s Hospital. He is currently the director of the Translational Neuroscience Center at Boston Children’s Hospital and a professor of neurology at Harvard Medical School. He directs two national consortia to study biomarkers and comparative pathobiology of TSC and related neurodevelopmental disorders. \n  \n  \n  \n 
URL:https://www.sfari.org/event/tuberous-sclerosis-shedding-light-on-the-neural-circuitry-of-autism/
LOCATION:Gerald D. Fischbach Auditorium\, 160 5th Avenue\, New York\, NY\, 10010\, United States
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://sf-web-assets-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2017/07/04170403/MustafaSahin250.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=UTC:20160907T170000
DTEND;TZID=UTC:20160907T181500
DTSTAMP:20260403T211633
CREATED:20160907T040000Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20180216T151922Z
UID:2002-1473267600-1473272100@www.sfari.org
SUMMARY:Sleep in autism spectrum disorders: A window to etiology\, diagnosis and treatment
DESCRIPTION:  \nOn 7 September 2016\, Ruth O’Hara discussed the field’s current understanding of sleep in autism spectrum disorder. \nHer talk was part of the Simons Foundation Autism: Emerging Concepts lecture series. \nAbout the Lecture\nUnderstanding sleep physiology in autism spectrum disorder (ASD) not only provides a window to the underlying etiology\, it can also help characterize sub-phenotypes and offer a potent treatment approach for improving neuropsychiatric and neurocognitive function in ASD through improved sleep. \nRuth O’Hara discussed the field’s current understanding of sleep in ASD\, including: a) describing how sleep physiology in ASD differs from sleep physiology in typically developing children; b) discussing the different potential ASD phenotypes suggested by her work; and c) describing the different sleep architecture\, sleep disturbances\, and sleep disorders that are more prevalent in ASD than in typically developing children and which can serve as treatment targets that may in turn improve the core symptoms of ASD. \nAbout the speaker:\nRuth O’Hara is associate professor and associate chair of the Department of Psychiatry at Stanford University. Her research integrates measures of sleep physiology\, the brain and behavior across the lifespan. Over the years she has obtained substantial National Institutes of Health (NIH) funding to support her work. O’Hara received a SFARI grant to examine sleep physiology and neurodevelopmental processes in autism spectrum disorder. She was a member of the most recent Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) sleep-wake disorders work group. \n  \n  \n 
URL:https://www.sfari.org/event/sleep-in-autism-spectrum-disorders-a-window-to-etiology-diagnosis-and-treatment/
LOCATION:Gerald D. Fischbach Auditorium\, 160 5th Avenue\, New York\, NY\, 10010\, United States
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://sf-web-assets-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2017/07/04170635/RuthOHara250.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=UTC:20160427T170000
DTEND;TZID=UTC:20160427T181500
DTSTAMP:20260403T211633
CREATED:20160427T040000Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20180216T145622Z
UID:1996-1461776400-1461780900@www.sfari.org
SUMMARY:One brain\, many genomes: Somatic mutation and genomic variability in human cerebral cortex
DESCRIPTION:  \nOn 27 April 2016\, Christopher Walsh reviewed recent work on ‘somatic mutations’ — de novo mutations that are present in some brain cells but not in all cells of the body — in several neurological conditions associated with intellectual disability and seizures. \nHis talk was part of the Simons Foundation Autism Research lecture series. \nAbout the Lecture\nChristopher Walsh and his team are interested in genetic mechanisms of cerebral cortical development and abnormalities of cortical development resulting in intellectual disability\, autism and epilepsy. The lab pioneered the analysis of recessive causes of autism by studying children with autism whose parents share ancestry. \nIn this lecture\, Walsh reviewed recent work on ‘somatic mutations’ — de novo mutations that are present in some brain cells but not in all cells of the body — in several neurological conditions associated with intellectual disability and seizures. His talk also covered the extent to which somatic mutations are an inevitable part of normal brain development\, such that the neurons in the human brain are a tapestry of cells with distinct genomes. The relevance of somatic mutations to autism was also discussed. \nAbout the Speaker\nChristopher A. Walsh is Chief of the Division of Genetics and Genomics at Boston Children’s Hospital\, Bullard Professor of Pediatrics and Neurology at Harvard Medical School\, and an investigator of the Howard Hughes Medical Institute. He completed the M.D. and Ph.D. degrees at the University of Chicago\, trained in neurology at Massachusetts General Hospital\, and has been at Children’s Hospital since 2006. \n  \n  \n  \n 
URL:https://www.sfari.org/event/one-brain-many-genomes-somatic-mutation-and-genomic-variability-in-human-cerebral-cortex/
LOCATION:Gerald D. Fischbach Auditorium\, 160 5th Avenue\, New York\, NY\, 10010\, United States
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://sf-web-assets-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2017/07/04171435/ChristopherWalsh250.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=UTC:20160330T170000
DTEND;TZID=UTC:20160330T181500
DTSTAMP:20260403T211633
CREATED:20160330T040000Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20180216T151954Z
UID:1997-1459357200-1459361700@www.sfari.org
SUMMARY:Development begins before birth: Prenatal research relevant to autism
DESCRIPTION:  \nOn 30 March 2016\, Catherine Monk described her lab’s fetal origins of adult disease (FOAD) studies that focus on women in the perinatal period and fetal and infant neurobehavioral development\, including direct studies of the fetus\, newborn brain imaging and placental methylation. Her talk was part of the Simons Foundation Autism Research lecture series. \nAbout the Lecture\nThe burgeoning research field known as the fetal origins of adult disease (FOAD) or the developmental origins of health and disease (DOHAD) demonstrates that maternal distress during pregnancy affects fetal and infant brain–behavior development. This is a ‘third pathway’ for the familial inheritance of psychiatric illness beyond shared genes and the quality of parental care\, and one that\, if fully understood\, could lead to early prevention of developmental risk. \nIn this lecture\, Catherine Monk described her lab’s FOAD studies that focus on women in the perinatal period and fetal and infant neurobehavioral development\, including direct studies of the fetus\, newborn brain imaging and placental methylation. \nApplying the FOAD model to autism research introduces the possibility of identifying perinatal markers for the disorder and may help advance the animal and epidemiological findings showing that prenatal maternal immune activation — often a correlate of distress — is associated with risk for the illness. \nAbout the Speaker\nCatherine Monk\, Ph.D.\, holds a joint appointment as an associate professor in the Departments of Psychiatry\, and Obstetrics & Gynecology at Columbia University Medical Center. Reflecting the interdisciplinary nature of her research\, she is affiliated with two divisions in psychiatry: behavioral medicine and developmental neuroscience. She is director for research at the Women’s Program\, as well as co–director of the Sackler Parent–Infant Project and of the Domestic Violence Initiative. After completing her National Institutes of Health postdoctoral fellowship in the psychobiological sciences at Columbia in 2000\, Dr. Monk joined the faculty and established the Perinatal Pathways Laboratory. \n  \n  \n  \n 
URL:https://www.sfari.org/event/development-begins-before-birth-prenatal-research-relevant-to-autism/
LOCATION:Gerald D. Fischbach Auditorium\, 160 5th Avenue\, New York\, NY\, 10010\, United States
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://sf-web-assets-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2017/08/04212510/CatherineMonk250.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=UTC:20160127T170000
DTEND;TZID=UTC:20160127T181500
DTSTAMP:20260403T211633
CREATED:20160127T050000Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20190617T151309Z
UID:2005-1453914000-1453918500@www.sfari.org
SUMMARY:Making up your mind: Interneurons in development and disease
DESCRIPTION:  \nOn 27 January 2016\, Gordon Fishell described his investigations of the developmental and genetic origins of interneuron development. His talk was part of the Simons Foundation Autism Research lecture series. \nAbout the Lecture\nInterneurons within the brain\, in the cortex and hippocampus in particular\, are central for normal brain function\, and conversely\, dysfunction of these cell types is thought to result in developmental neurological disorders. The Fishell laboratory combines genetic and physiological approaches to examine the origins of these populations and their integration into brain circuitry. \nIn this lecture\, Gordon Fishell described his investigations of the developmental and genetic origins of interneuron development. This process begins with their specification\, during which genetic programs initiated within progenitors relegate interneurons into specific cardinal classes. Subsequent to this\, neuronal activity is fundamental for both the laminar positioning as well as the dendritic and axonal arborization in at least some interneuron subtypes. Fishell’s findings suggest that sensory information complements earlier established genetic programs to shape the way interneuronal subtypes integrate into nascent cortical circuits. Importantly\, many of the genes involved in the maturation of interneurons appear to also be implicated in neuropsychiatric diseases\, including autism and schizophrenia. \nAbout the Speaker\nGordon J. Fishell\, Ph.D.\, is associate director of the NYU Neuroscience Institute\, Julius Raines Professor of Neuroscience and Physiology\, and director of the Graduate Program in Neuroscience and Physiology at New York University (NYU) School of Medicine. Fishell is a long-standing member of the NYU School of Medicine community\, having joined the developmental genetics program in the Skirball Institute of Biomolecular Medicine in 1994. In 2006\, he launched the Smilow Neuroscience Program\, and in 2011 he became associate director of the then-newly-formed NYU Neuroscience Institute. \n  \n  \n 
URL:https://www.sfari.org/event/making-up-your-mind-interneurons-in-development-and-disease/
LOCATION:Gerald D. Fischbach Auditorium\, 160 5th Avenue\, New York\, NY\, 10010\, United States
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://sf-web-assets-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2017/07/04171933/GordanFishell250.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=UTC:20151111T170000
DTEND;TZID=UTC:20151111T181500
DTSTAMP:20260403T211633
CREATED:20151111T050000Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20180216T152100Z
UID:2003-1447261200-1447265700@www.sfari.org
SUMMARY:Storming the ivory tower: How to make autism interventions work in schools
DESCRIPTION:  \nOn 11 November 2015\, David S. Mandell talked about why autism interventions rarely are implemented in community practice and why they fail to achieve the same outcomes as those observed in clinical trials.  \nHis talk was part of the Simons Foundation Autism Research lecture series. \nAbout the Lecture\nA growing body of research shows the efficacy of interventions for children with autism. These interventions rarely make their way into community practice\, however. When they do\, they usually do not produce the same results as those observed in clinical trials. \nIn this lecture\, David S. Mandell will talk about why autism interventions rarely are implemented in community practice and why they fail to achieve the same outcomes as those observed in clinical trials. He will review the policy environment for improving quality of care and evidence suggesting that recently enacted policies may be necessary but are not sufficient to improve practice. He also will present research that more directly attempts to improve quality of care and associated outcomes for children with autism. \nAbout the Speaker\nDavid S. Mandell\, Sc.D.\, is associate professor of psychiatry and pediatrics at the University of Pennsylvania’s Perelman School of Medicine. The goal of his research is to improve the quality of care that individuals with autism receive in their communities. He examines the effects that different state and federal strategies to organize\, finance and deliver services have on service use patterns and outcomes. He also conducts experimental studies to determine the best ways to successfully implement proven-efficacious practices in community settings. \n  \n  \n  \n 
URL:https://www.sfari.org/event/storming-the-ivory-tower-how-to-make-autism-interventions-work-in-schools/
LOCATION:Gerald D. Fischbach Auditorium\, 160 5th Avenue\, New York\, NY\, 10010\, United States
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://sf-web-assets-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2017/08/04211710/DavidMandell250.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=UTC:20151028T170000
DTEND;TZID=UTC:20151028T181500
DTSTAMP:20260403T211633
CREATED:20151028T040000Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20180216T152152Z
UID:2004-1446051600-1446056100@www.sfari.org
SUMMARY:Molecular and neural architecture of circuits underlying social behavior in the mouse
DESCRIPTION:  \nOn 28 October 2015\, Catherine Dulac discussed the cellular and molecular architecture of neural circuits underlying instinctive social behaviors in mice. Her talk was part of the Simons Foundation Autism Research lecture series. \nAbout the Lecture\nSevere mental disorders such autism spectrum disorders\, schizophrenia and major depressive disorder are characterized by profound social impairments. There is little understanding of the neural mechanisms underlying these social deficits\, and efficient diagnosis and therapeutic options are lacking. Advanced molecular and genetic techniques have made the discovery of specific behavior circuits possible.\nIn this lecture\, Catherine Dulac will discuss the cellular and molecular architecture of neural circuits underlying instinctive social behaviors of mice. She will describe her group’s recent advances in uncovering the identity of sensory neurons that detect social cues and the identity of command circuits associated with specific social responses in male and female mice. \nAbout the Speaker\nCatherine Dulac received her B.Sc. from the Ecole Normale Superieure in Paris\, France\, her Ph.D. from the University of Paris and was a postdoctoral fellow at Columbia University. She has been a Howard Hughes Medical Institute Investigator since 1997 and a Harvard faculty in the Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology since 1996 (Chair 2007-2013). She is a recipient of the Lounsbery\, Perl-UNC Neuroscience\, and Pradel Research Awards. Memberships include the National Academy of Sciences and the French Academy of Sciences\, and she is a Chevalier de la Legion d’Honneur. \n  \n  \n 
URL:https://www.sfari.org/event/molecular-and-neural-architecture-of-circuits-underlying-social-behavior-in-the-mouse/
LOCATION:Gerald D. Fischbach Auditorium\, 160 5th Avenue\, New York\, NY\, 10010\, United States
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://sf-web-assets-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2017/07/21183821/catherinedulac.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=UTC:20151019T183000
DTEND;TZID=UTC:20151019T203000
DTSTAMP:20260403T211633
CREATED:20170723T195712Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20170830T205755Z
UID:2014-1445279400-1445286600@www.sfari.org
SUMMARY:SFARI Society for Neuroscience 2015 Social
DESCRIPTION:  \n\nAll Society for Neuroscience (SfN) attendees are welcome to join SFARI Investigators and scientific staff for an evening of socializing and networking\, including a brief information session on SFARI funding programs and scientific resources for the autism research community. \nWe welcome newcomers to autism research as well as those already working to uncover the science of autism spectrum disorders. \nSimons Foundation staff will be available to answer questions about the work SFARI currently funds\, future opportunities for funding and SFARI resources. \n\n\n\n \nA number of SFARI Investigators will be presenting their research at Neuroscience 2015. \nTo find out more\, click here.\n\n\n\nSFARI + SfN Social\nDate: Monday\, 19 October 2015\nTime: 6:30 p.m. – 8:30 p.m.\nHyatt Regency Chicago Downtown\nRegency Ballroom A \nQuestions? Contact communications@simonsfoundation.org. \nWe look forward to seeing you there. \n\n\n 
URL:https://www.sfari.org/event/sfari-society-for-neuroscience-2015-social/
LOCATION:Hyatt Regency Chicago Downtown Regency Ballroom A\, 151 E Upper Wacker Dr\, Chicago\, IL\, 60601\, United States
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://sf-web-assets-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2014/12/24060004/20141208autismresearchsocial.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=UTC:20150930T170000
DTEND;TZID=UTC:20150930T181500
DTSTAMP:20260403T211633
CREATED:20150930T040000Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20180216T152215Z
UID:2000-1443632400-1443636900@www.sfari.org
SUMMARY:Timing mechanisms of critical periods in brain development
DESCRIPTION:  \nOn 30 September 2015\, Takao Hensch discussed the biological bases of critical periods in brain development. Mechanisms that open and close windows of plasticity (E/I balance and molecular brakes\, respectively) have been implicated in autism\, suggesting mistimed maturational processes that can be strategically rescued at the circuit level. His talk was part of the Simons Foundation Autism Research lecture series. \nAbout the Lecture\nMaturing neural circuits are dramatically shaped by the environment during windows of increased plasticity\, but the timing of these ‘critical periods’ varies across brain regions\, and plasticity declines with age. \nFocusing on cellular/molecular mechanisms underlying these developmental trajectories\, Dr. Hensch discussed specific events that control the onset and closure of critical periods. Maturation of excitatory-inhibitory (E/I) circuit balance triggers plasticity\, which ends when molecular brake-like factors emerge to stabilize adult networks. Targeting specific GABA circuits using pharmacological or genetic manipulations can either accelerate or delay the onset of plasticity\, and lifting the molecular brakes can reopen windows of circuit rewiring. Implications for autism spectrum disorder etiology and potential therapeutic strategies were also discussed. \nAbout the Speaker\nTakao K. Hensch is a professor of neurology and of molecular and cellular biology at Harvard University\, and directs the National Institute of Mental Health’s Conte Center for Basic Mental Health Research. After studying at Harvard University\, the University of Tokyo (M.P.H.)\, the Max Planck Institute for Brain Research (Fulbright Fellowship) and the University of California\, San Francisco (Ph.D.)\, he helped to launch the RIKEN Brain Science Institute\, serving as lab head and group director for 14 years. Honors include two Young Investigator awards from the Society for Neuroscience and a National Institutes of Health Director’s Pioneer Award. He is a member of several editorial boards\, including Neuron and Frontiers in Neural Circuits\, where he is chief editor. \n  \n  \n 
URL:https://www.sfari.org/event/timing-mechanisms-of-critical-periods-in-brain-development/
LOCATION:Gerald D. Fischbach Auditorium\, 160 5th Avenue\, New York\, NY\, 10010\, United States
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://sf-web-assets-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2017/07/04172310/TakaoHensch250.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=UTC:20150325T170000
DTEND;TZID=UTC:20150325T181500
DTSTAMP:20260403T211633
CREATED:20150325T040000Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20180216T152237Z
UID:2001-1427302800-1427307300@www.sfari.org
SUMMARY:Prevalence and trends in epidemiology of autism
DESCRIPTION:  \nOn 25 March 2015\, Maureen Durkin discussed trends in the prevalence of autism and explored some of the reasons underlying the recent rise in autism cases. Her talk was part of the Simons Foundation Autism Research lecture series. \nAbout the Lecture\nOnce considered an extremely rare childhood mental disorder\, autism is now recognized as a common neurodevelopmental disability\, affecting more than 1 percent of the population in the U.S. Reasons for the rise in prevalence are not fully understood\, but they are likely associated with societal and cultural influences\, and the expansion of the concept of autism to a spectrum disorder: autism spectrum disorder. \nIn this lecture\, Maureen Durkin discussed trends in the prevalence of autism\, focusing on the role of intellectual disability — both as a co-occurring condition with autism and in terms of using autism as a diagnostic substitute for intellectual disability. She also explored evidence of socioeconomic disparities in access to diagnostic and therapeutic services for autism\, the cultural and financial barriers underlying these disparities\, and the need to incorporate modern concepts of disability into the epidemiology of autism\, placing emphasis not only on primary prevention of impairments but also on enhancement of functioning and social inclusion of people with the disorder. \nAbout the Speaker\nMaureen Durkin is an epidemiologist\, professor of population health sciences and pediatrics\, and Waisman Center investigator at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. She received her Ph.D. in anthropology from the University of Wisconsin-Madison\, and her M.P.H. and Dr.P.H. degrees in epidemiology from Columbia University. She conducts studies on the epidemiology of neurodevelopmental disabilities and is currently principal investigator of the Wisconsin site of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Autism and Developmental Disabilities Monitoring Network. \n  \n  \n  \n 
URL:https://www.sfari.org/event/prevalence-and-trends-in-epidemiology-of-autism/
LOCATION:Gerald D. Fischbach Auditorium\, 160 5th Avenue\, New York\, NY\, 10010\, United States
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://sf-web-assets-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2017/08/04214303/MaureenDurkin250.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=UTC:20141203T170000
DTEND;TZID=UTC:20141203T181500
DTSTAMP:20260403T211633
CREATED:20141203T050000Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20180216T152300Z
UID:1990-1417626000-1417630500@www.sfari.org
SUMMARY:Learning to move
DESCRIPTION:  \n\nOn 3 December 2014\, Karen E. Adolph discussed how infants learn to generate and control their movements by adapting to environmental and social factors.Her talk\, which covered ways in which a variety of external factors affect how infants learn to move\, was part of SFARI’s Autism: Emerging Concepts lecture series. Adolph explained how infants adaptively learn to move rather than acquiring fixed solutions. \nMore about the lecture:\nBasic motor skills such as looking\, reaching and walking do not simply appear as the result of maturation. Rather\, infants must learn to move. Learning entails discovering new forms of movements to suit the task at hand and using perceptual information to select and modify movements adaptively. \nIn this lecture\, Karen E. Adolph discussed how infants learn to generate and control their movements by adapting to environmental and social factors. Learning to move involves more than merely lifting the limbs against gravity. Adaptive action requires that movements be constructed\, selected and modified in accordance with the constraints and opportunities provided by the physical and social environment. The learning process is geared toward flexibility rather than rote performance: Infants are learning to move rather than acquiring fixed solutions. \nCommentator Cole Galloway provided post-lecture commentary that highlighted how mobility and socialization affect the lives of infants with special needs and their families. Galloway is director of the Pediatric Mobility Lab and Design Studio\, and professor of physical therapy at the University of Delaware. Galloway began focusing on young children following a postdoctoral fellowship with Esther Thelen. His research focuses on how multiple biological\, psychological and environmental factors contribute to the emergence of exploratory behaviors. Current projects focus on advancing the technology and training to assist children in maximizing their daily exploration. \nAbout the speaker:\nKaren E. Adolph is professor of psychology at the Center for Neural Science at New York University\, as well as a fellow of the American Psychological Association and the Association for Psychological Science. She is incoming president of the International Society on Infant Studies and is leading the Databrary.org project to enable open sharing of video data among developmental scientists. \nAdolph has pioneered research on motor skill acquisition in infants\, in particular on how infants learn to use perceptual and social information to guide actions adaptively. Her research also examines the effects of body growth\, exploratory activity\, environmental and social supports and culture on perceptual motor learning and development. \n  \n  \n  \n 
URL:https://www.sfari.org/event/learning-to-move/
LOCATION:Gerald D. Fischbach Auditorium\, 160 5th Avenue\, New York\, NY\, 10010\, United States
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://sf-web-assets-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2017/08/04213713/KarenAdolph250.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=UTC:20141029T170000
DTEND;TZID=UTC:20141029T181500
DTSTAMP:20260403T211633
CREATED:20141029T040000Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20180216T152333Z
UID:1995-1414602000-1414606500@www.sfari.org
SUMMARY:Microbiota and the host immune system in autism
DESCRIPTION:  \n\nOn 29 October 2014\, Dan Littman described how intestinal bacteria affect immune system cell functioning\, potentially contributing to systemic inflammation and autism. \nHis talk was part of SFARI’s Autism: Emerging Concepts lecture series. \nAbout the lecture:\nOur immune system is heavily influenced by microbiota — the microbes that reside within us. In the intestine\, specific microbes induce pro- or anti-inflammatory white blood cells called lymphocytes that maintain a healthy homeostasis. An imbalance of microbiota can result in dysregulated immune cells that contribute to autoimmunity and autism. \nIn this lecture\, Dan Littman described how intestinal bacteria shape the part of the immune system that prevents invasion by harmful microbes\, but they can also contribute to systemic inflammation. The bacteria regulate Th17 cells\, which participate in multiple autoimmune diseases. These cells play a key role in the maternal immune activation model of autism. Activation of the pregnant mother’s innate immune response may result in lifelong behavioral defects in the child. Through this lens\, Littman discussed implications for preventing or treating autism. \nAbout the speaker:\nDan Littman earned his M.D. and Ph.D. from Washington University in St. Louis\, completing a postdoctoral fellowship with Richard Axel at Columbia University. From Columbia\, he moved to the University of California\, San Francisco\, where he  was professor of microbiology and immunology. Littman is now the Helen L. and Martin S. Kimmel Professor of Molecular Immunology at the Skirball Institute of Biomolecular Medicine at New York University and an investigator at the Howard Hughes Medical Institute. \n  \n 
URL:https://www.sfari.org/event/microbiota-and-the-host-immune-system-in-autism/
LOCATION:Gerald D. Fischbach Auditorium\, 160 5th Avenue\, New York\, NY\, 10010\, United States
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://sf-web-assets-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2017/07/04172630/DanLittman250.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=UTC:20140923T170000
DTEND;TZID=UTC:20140923T181500
DTSTAMP:20260403T211633
CREATED:20140923T040000Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20190617T150931Z
UID:2012-1411491600-1411496100@www.sfari.org
SUMMARY:The social brain: Understanding autism
DESCRIPTION:  \nOn 23 September\, Nancy Kanwisher discussed the functional architecture of the social brain as an avenue for considering which functions are affected and which are preserved in autism.Her talk was part of SFARI’s Autism: Emerging Concepts lecture series. \nAbout the lecture:\nHumans are a highly social species\, allocating numerous brain regions to distinct aspects of social cognition. These regions and corresponding mental abilities serve as tools for understanding which functions are lost and which are preserved in autism. \nAutism is characterized by a highly uneven cognitive profile in which some mental functions are preserved or enhanced\, and others are disrupted. An important asset in the search to understand this complex disorder comes from the study of the typical human mind and brain. \nIn this talk\, Nancy Kanwisher considered the functional architecture of the social brain as an avenue for considering which functions are affected and which are preserved in autism. \nAbout the Speaker\nNancy Kanwisher is professor of cognitive neuroscience at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and an investigator at MIT’s McGovern Institute for Brain Research. After receiving her B.S. and Ph.D. from MIT\, Kanwisher served on the faculty at the University of California\, Los Angeles and Harvard University before returning to MIT in 1997. Kanwisher has received the Troland Research Award\, MacVicar Faculty Fellow teaching award and Golden Brain Award. She is a member of the National Academy of Sciences and the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. \n  \n  \n 
URL:https://www.sfari.org/event/the-social-brain-understanding-autism/
LOCATION:Gerald D. Fischbach Auditorium\, 160 5th Avenue\, New York\, NY\, 10010\, United States
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://sf-web-assets-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2017/07/04173037/NancyKanwisher250.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=UTC:20140423T170000
DTEND;TZID=UTC:20140423T181500
DTSTAMP:20260403T211633
CREATED:20140423T040000Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20180216T152659Z
UID:2006-1398272400-1398276900@www.sfari.org
SUMMARY:New approaches to treating Rett syndrome
DESCRIPTION:  \n\n\n\nOn 23 April\, Gail Mandel presented the complex pathology of Rett syndrome and discussed whether this autism-related disorder would be amenable to gene replacement strategies. Her talk was part of the Simons Foundation Autism Research lecture series. You can watch a complete video recording of the event above. \nAbout the Lecture\nA central goal in neuroscience is determining the genetic basis of neurological disorders — from autism to brain tumors. Many of these pathological states result from defects in gene regulatory programs that are fundamental to all cell types but lead to dysfunction specifically within the nervous system. Mandel investigates the basis of this phenomenon and has identified cell-cell interactions between neurons and glia — brain cells that support neurons and help process information — involved in brain development. \nMandel has been able to treat the brain pathology of one autism-related disorder\, Rett syndrome\, by genetically replacing the defective MeCP2 gene with a good copy of the gene in astrocytes — a type of glia. She is exploring the underlying mechanisms crucial for neuronal signaling. \nAbout the speaker:\nGail Mandel holds a Ph.D. in immunology from the University of California\, Los Angeles\, and did postdoctoral work in biochemistry and molecular biology there and at the University of California\, San Diego\, and Harvard Medical School. She began her career at Tufts Medical School\, where she was one of the first investigators to clone and express mammalian voltage-dependent ion channels. In the department of neurobiology and behavior at Stony Brook University\, she identified the protein REST\, which is responsible for regulation of sodium channel expression and the acquisition of cellular excitability. These discoveries have helped unlock the mechanisms through which embryonic cell types differentiate specifically into neurons. Mandel is a senior scientist in the Vollum Institute at Oregon Health & Science University. She is an Investigator of the Howard Hughes Medical Institute and a member of the American Academy of Sciences and the National Academy of Sciences. \n  \n  \n 
URL:https://www.sfari.org/event/new-approaches-to-treating-rett-syndrome/
LOCATION:Gerald D. Fischbach Auditorium\, 160 5th Avenue\, New York\, NY\, 10010\, United States
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://sf-web-assets-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2017/08/04213119/GailMandel250.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=UTC:20140326T170000
DTEND;TZID=UTC:20140326T181500
DTSTAMP:20260403T211633
CREATED:20140326T040000Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20180216T153005Z
UID:2007-1395853200-1395857700@www.sfari.org
SUMMARY:An attempt at redefining autism
DESCRIPTION:  \n\n\n\nOn 26 March\, Ami Klin presented data from two studies measuring social adaptive behaviors — highly conserved and early-emerging mechanisms of socialization — in infants and toddlers.His talk is part of SFARI’s Autism: Emerging Concepts lecture series. You can watch a complete video recording of the event above. \nAbout the lecture:\nAdvances in molecular genetics have implicated a number of genetic variants in autism\, yet understanding of how these variants contribute to the disorder is limited. Autism is among the most reliably diagnosed neurodevelopmental disorders\, but symptoms used to define autism are likely to be outcomes of disruptions much earlier in development. Klin’s findings might allow researchers to detect underlying characteristics associated with autism before the current average age of diagnosis. \nAbout the speaker:\nAmi Klin is Georgia Research Alliance Eminent Scholar Professor and director of the division of autism and developmental disabilities at Emory University School of Medicine. He earned his Ph.D. from the University of London and completed clinical and research work at Yale University’s Child Study Center. Until 2010\, he directed the autism program at the Yale Child Study Center\, and was Harris Professor of Child Psychology and Psychiatry there. \nKlin’s primary research focuses on the social mind and brain and on the developmental aspects of autism from infancy through adulthood. He is the author of more than 180 publications in the field of autism and related conditions and the co-editor of Asperger Syndrome\, Autism Spectrum Disorders in Infants and Toddlers\, the third edition of the Handbook of Autism and Pervasive Developmental Disorders and several special issues of professional journals focused on autism. \n  \n  \n 
URL:https://www.sfari.org/event/an-attempt-at-redefining-autism/
LOCATION:Gerald D. Fischbach Auditorium\, 160 5th Avenue\, New York\, NY\, 10010\, United States
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://sf-web-assets-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2017/07/04173433/AmiKlin250.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=UTC:20140226T170000
DTEND;TZID=UTC:20140226T181500
DTSTAMP:20260403T211633
CREATED:20140226T050000Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20180216T152929Z
UID:1999-1393434000-1393438500@www.sfari.org
SUMMARY:Imaging early brain development in autism
DESCRIPTION:On 26 February\, David Amaral presented evidence supporting the concept that there are different types of altered brain development among children with autism.His talk is part of SFARI’s Autism: Emerging Concepts lecture series. You can watch a complete video recording of the event above. \nAbout the lecture:\nAutism clearly involves altered function of the central nervous system\, but the neuropathology of the disorder remains controversial. This is due in part to the enormous complexity of the disorder\, with many possible causes and biological trajectories. What’s more\, few neuroimaging studies involve young children or severely affected individuals. This lack of information is compounded by the fact that findings from magnetic resonance imaging cannot be confirmed and extended to the cellular level because of a lack of postmortem brains.\nAbout the speaker:\nDavid Amaral joined the University of California\, Davis\, in 1995 as a professor in the department of psychiatry and behavioral sciences and the Center for Neuroscience. He is a staff scientist in the Brain\, Mind and Behavior Unit at the California National Primate Research Center. Amaral was named the Beneto Foundation Chair and research director of the MIND Institute in 1998. He received a joint Ph.D. in psychology and neurobiology from the University of Rochester. \nAmaral’s research focuses on the neurobiology of social behavior and the development and neuroanatomical organization and plasticity of the primate and human amygdala and hippocampus. Increasingly\, his research has been dedicated to understanding the biological basis of autism. As research director of the MIND Institute\, Amaral coordinates a comprehensive and multidisciplinary analysis of children with autism\, called the Autism Phenome Project\, which aims to define biomedical characteristics of different types of autism. \nMost recently\, Amaral became director of Autism BrainNet\, a collaborative effort sponsored by the Simons Foundation Autism Research Initiative and Autism Speaks. The new project aims to solicit postmortem brain tissue to facilitate autism research.
URL:https://www.sfari.org/event/imaging-early-brain-development-in-autism/
LOCATION:Gerald D. Fischbach Auditorium\, 160 5th Avenue\, New York\, NY\, 10010\, United States
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://sf-web-assets-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2017/07/04173655/DavidAmaral250.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=UTC:20131106T170000
DTEND;TZID=UTC:20131106T181500
DTSTAMP:20260403T211633
CREATED:20131106T050000Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20180216T152909Z
UID:2011-1383757200-1383761700@www.sfari.org
SUMMARY:Infants' grasp of others' intentions
DESCRIPTION:  \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nOn 6 November 2013\, Amanda Woodward discussed the origins of children’s social understanding and how this fundamental aspect of cognition has profound implications for early childhood development. The talk is part of SFARI’s Autism: Emerging Concepts lecture series. \nKevin Pelphrey provided post-lecture commentary on how our growing understanding of the origins of children’s social cognition can inform the search for early diagnostic indicators of autism. \nYou can watch a complete video recording of the event above. Use the comments section below to discuss the lecture and pose follow-up questions. \nAbout the lecture:\nGrowing evidence shows that in typical development\, the ability to carry out actions according to intentions emerges during infancy. Studies over the past few years have shown that this ability develops and changes rapidly during infancy. An infant’s active engagement with the physical and social world is critical for acquiring social skills. \nAbout the speaker:\nAmanda Woodward is William S. Gray Professor of Psychology at the University of Chicago and director of the university’s Infant Learning and Development Laboratory. \nWoodward is a fellow of the American Psychological Association and of the Association for Psychological Science. She is incoming president of the Cognitive Development Society and serves on the executive board of the International Society on Infant Studies. Woodward has pioneered the study of infant social cognition\, particularly infants’ understanding of others’ actions and the relationship between infants’ own actions and their action perception. Her team also investigates infants’ learning from social partners\, and cross-cultural variations in early social learning. \nAbout the commentator:\nKevin Pelphrey is Harris Professor at the Yale Child Study Center and director of the Center for Translational Developmental Neuroscience and the Yale Center for Excellence in Autism Research and Treatment. As a SFARI Investigator\, his research focuses on the application of cognitive neuroscience and genetics techniques to understanding the systems biology of neurodevelopmental disorders. \n  \n  \n  \n  \n 
URL:https://www.sfari.org/event/infants-grasp-of-others-intentions/
LOCATION:Gerald D. Fischbach Auditorium\, 160 5th Avenue\, New York\, NY\, 10010\, United States
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://sf-web-assets-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2017/08/04214851/AmandaWoodward250.jpg
END:VEVENT
END:VCALENDAR