Novel Biophysical Genomic Approaches to Diagnostics and Therapeutics in Autism

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) affects 2% of children, and is characterized by impaired social and communication skills together with repetitive, stereotypic behavior. It is a complex heterogeneous disorder with a poorly defined etiology and diagnosis criteria that are strictly clinical because there are as yet no objective biomarkers of the disorder. This lecture will examine the work of UCI CART and compelling functional evidence, obtained with breakthrough technology, that organelle function is fundamentally altered at the molecular level in diverse genetic and typical sporadic forms of ASD.

John Jay Gargus, Director of Center for Autism Research and Treatment, University of California, Irvine School of Medicine