Genetic studies have identified about 100 candidate genes for autism, yet most cases are unexplained. The rising rates of autism suggest that gene environment interactions may be implicated in paternal factors associated with autism in children. In support of this possibility older father’s, overweight men, and men exposed to toxicants such as endocrine disruptors are all at a greater risk of having children with autism.  The risk of paternal age and having a child with ASD has been well studied with the chance of having a child with ASD being 28% higher among Father’s over the age of 40, and 66% higher for men > 50 yrs.  For almost 20 years we have been studying the connections between paternal exposures and the impact on the heritable information in the sperm known as the epigenome, and its relation to development and disease in children.  The epigenome sits on top of the DNA and is responsive to factors such as toxicants, age, diet, being overweight and other lifestyle factors.  The sperm epigenome is transmitted at fertilization and can influence development and disease risk in children. Unlike DNA the epigenome can be altered by interventions such as diet, exercise, and lifestyle changes.  These interventions coupled with pre-conception screening have the potential to reduce the risk of having a child with autism.

We are planning to study the connections between environmental exposures and the sperm epigenome in relation to autism risk for children.  To do so we would like to work with families who have children with autism in a partnered research program.  The commitment requested is to help us develop an outreach program where we can reach the autism community and public with relevant messaging aimed at increasing awareness about environmental influences on Dad’s health that can impact the health of his children.  This would involve virtual meetings held several times a year for no more than 90 min. We also ask that participants provide a semen sample that can be shipped from home to the University of Montreal Hospital Research Center (CRCHUM) for analysis, and respond to our health and lifestyle questionnaire. All data will be securely stored and anonymized. If participants wish we will keep them informed of our research progress and findings.

The long-term goals of our study are to develop effective public health messaging and pre-conception screening approaches to assess and modify risk of transmission via intervention.

The Brain, Attention, and Reality Lab studies different aspects of attention during natural, everyday activities.

Our current study investigates mind wandering (day dreaming) in individuals high in autistic traits. This study involves sitting for 5 minutes of rest with your eyes closed in a quiet room. Immediately following the resting period, you will complete a short survey that asks about those 5 minutes of rest. Once you have completed the survey, you will take part in an interview during which the researcher will ask you to expand on some of your answers on the short survey. The interview will be recorded and footage might be used in a documentary about mind wandering. Time commitment for participation is typically between 30 and 60 minutes. You will be compensated for your time ($25.00 / 30 minutes).

You may be eligible if you…

• Have been diagnosed with autism or Asperger’s
• Are at least 19 years of age
• Are comfortable with an in-person meeting at our lab at UBC-Vancouver

If you are interested in participating, please contact Leilani Forby at [email protected].

Full proposal available at: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1R-Ah41SqDmMJ7eV26PS0hVAevi2pU73O?usp=sharing

A neurodiverse research team working with the Autism and Developmental Disabilities Lab and the Personality and Emotion Research Lab at Simon Fraser University are interested in evaluating DBT skills training delivered over a telehealth medium to support self-harming and/or suicidal autistic people.

DBT is a mindfulness and cognitive-behavioural based intervention. The aim is to teach life skills in 4 areas: mindfulness, emotion regulation, distress tolerance, and interpersonal effectiveness. Classes take place over 6 months, for 2 hours per week.

To participate, you must:

• Be an Autistic Adult (ages 19-50 years)
• Have a history of engaging in deliberate self-injury or suicidal behavior
• Be living in British Columbia, Canada
• Have access to a computer with a camera, internet, and Zoom.

If you do not have a formal autism diagnosis but suspect you are autistic or are self-diagnosed, then you may still be eligible.

If you are interested in more information, feel free to visit our web-based screening survey and information at:
https://sfufas.ca1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_5grvIaWk8PrHCzs

If you have any questions, please contact the Research Coordinator at [email protected]

Researchers at the University of British Columbia are looking for children with autism spectrum disorder/ autistic children (diagnosed or suspected) between the ages of 3-7 years to participate in a new study to better understand how to best integrate therapy dogs into education sessions.

The purpose of this study is to understand how different handling styles of therapy dogs influence children’s social behavior and interactions with the dogs. The researchers want to know if changing how therapy dogs are presented will impact the outcomes (social and affiliative behavior as well as stress behavior) for children during animal-assisted education sessions.

The participants will take part in educational (social skills games) sessions at the University of British Columbia for 2 sessions, 60 min each (for a total of 2 hours of participation).
No compensation will be provided and the participation in the sessions is free. The child can quit at any moment with no consequences.

For more information or to participate, please contact Dr. Camila Cavalli at [email protected] or by phone at 604-827-2803.

If you are a mother to a child ages 2-10 years old with an Autism diagnosis who had difficulty feeding at 0-12 months of age, you may be able to take part in this research study!

Contact principal investigator: Amy Campbell at [email protected]