Uncovering the etiology of autism spectrum disorders: Genomics, bioinformatics, environment, data collection and exploration, and future possibilities

Sarah Pendergrass, Santhosh Girirajan, Scott Selleck

Research output: Contribution to journalConference articlepeer-review

11 Scopus citations

Abstract

A clear and predictive understanding of the etiology of autism spectrum disorders (ASD), a group of neurodevelopmental disorders characterized by varying deficits in social interaction and communication as well as repetitive behaviors, has not yet been achieved. There remains active debate about the origins of autism, and the degree to which genetic and environmental factors, and their interplay, produce the range and heterogeneity of cognitive, developmental, and behavioral features seen in children carrying a diagnosis of ASD. Unlocking the causes of these complex developmental disorders will require a collaboration of experts in many disciplines, including clinicians, environmental exposure experts, bioinformaticists, geneticists, and computer scientists. For this workshop we invited prominent researchers in the field of autism, covering a range of topics from genetic and environmental research to ethical considerations. The goal of this workshop: provide an introduction to the current state of autism research, highlighting the potential for multi-disciplinary collaborations that rigorously evaluate the many potential contributors to ASD. It is further anticipated that approaches that successfully advance the understanding of ASD can be applied to the study of other common, complex disorders. Herein we provide a short review of ASD and the work of the invited speakers.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)422-426
Number of pages5
JournalPacific Symposium on Biocomputing
StatePublished - 2014
Event19th Pacific Symposium on Biocomputing, PSB 2014 - Kohala Coast, United States
Duration: Jan 3 2014Jan 7 2014

All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes

  • Biomedical Engineering
  • Computational Theory and Mathematics

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