From Genes to Biology in Autism Spectrum Disorders

The last several years have ushered in a new era in the genetics of autism spectrum disorder (ASD). The combination of new genomic technologies, shared resources across laboratories, and the participation of an increasingly large number of families in research have led to a series of seminal discoveries. Dozens of areas of the human genome and specific genes have so far been identified as strong risk factors in ASD, the role of new (or de novo) mutation has been confirmed in multiple studies, and a surprising relationship between genetic risk factors for autism and a range of other neurodevelopment disorders has been uncovered. This lecture will review this recent progress and address the next steps in moving from the systematic discovery of ASD genes to a fuller understanding of the neurodevelopment processes that underlie social disability. Series: "MIND Institute Lecture Series on Neurodevelopmental Disorders" [Health and Medicine] [Professional Medical Education] [Show ID: 28484]