Make Leap Day Count for Autism Science

How often have you wished for an extra hour or extra day to get everything you need done? In 2012, we get a WHOLE DAY! At ASF, we want to make the most of this special leap day by using it to help autism science leap forward. Thanks to your support, for the last two [...]

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ASF Grantee Rhonda Charles uses mouse models to examine social behaviors in autism

Rhonda Charles is a 2010 ASF Grant Winner and a PhD Student in the Department of Genetics and Genomic Sciences at the Mt. Sinai School of Medicine. Ms. Charles’ work focuses on the AVPR1A gene, which affects social behavior and anxiety in autism spectrum disorder. Her ASF- funded study puts the human AVPR1A gene into [...]

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Autism researcher Joseph Buxbaum describes the SHANK3 gene and the promise of IGF1

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G5GTVg7-GiI

Dr. Joseph Buxbaum is the Director of the Seaver Autism Center. Dr. Buxbaum discusses the SHANK3 gene, which helps synapses to properly function. Around 1% of children with ASD have SHANK3 mutations, making it one of the most common single-gene causes of autism. Dr. Buxbaum also discusses Insulin-like Growth Factor (IGF1), is the second drug aimed at treating core symptoms of autism, and is currently being tested on humans.

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