The Hilibrand Foundation will join with the Autism Science Foundation as a partner in the Autism Sisters Project, a new research initiative that will give unaffected sisters of individuals with autism the opportunity to take an active role in accelerating research into the "Female Protective Effect." The Hilibrand Foundation will provide major financial support for this project which has a goal of building a large genetic database that researchers can use to explore this phenomenon and discover how the protective factor can be harnessed to help people with autism of both sexes.
"The Hilibrand Foundation is proud to be a collaborative partner of the Autism Science Foundation," said Debbie Hilibrand, Co-Founder of the Hilibrand Foundation. "The Autism Sisters Project is a very promising research initiative that should provide significant insight into the causes and potential treatments for autism by conducting a thorough investigation into the reasons behind the gender discrepancy of diagnoses."
The Autism Science Foundation is accepting applications for undergraduate summer research fellowships. Applications are due February 12.
Research must be conducted by currently enrolled undergraduates, in a university-based laboratory or in the field, under the supervision of a highly-qualified mentor for a period of no less than 8 weeks between May and September.
"This mechanism is a great way for motivated undergrads to get paid lab experience, while helping build our autism knowledge base " said ASF President Alison Singer. "I'm thrilled that we are able to offer this opportunity for the third year in a row."
For the sixth year in a row, ASF is
offering a limited number of grants to parents of children with autism, individuals with autism, siblings, special & gene
ral education teachers, students and other stakeholders to support attendance at the International Meeting for Autism Research (IMFAR). Awards of
up to $1000 can be used to support reimbursement for registration fees, travel, accommodations, meals and other directly related expenses, including childcare or special accommodations to enable individuals with autism to participate. Applications are due on February 29.
IMFAR is an annual scientific meeting, convened each spring, to promote, exchange and disseminate the latest scientific findings in autism research and to stimulate research progress in understanding the nature, causes, and treatments for autism spectrum disorders.
The Simons Foundation Autism Research Initiative (SFARI) has launched a landmark project to speed up the pace of autism research and has asked the Autism Science Foundation to help this winter during a pilot phase. The ultimate goal is to recruit 50,000 individuals with autism and, when possible, their biological parents. Participants will provide basic medical information about themselves and a DNA sample and asked to agree to be contacted for additional research studies. Participation in the SFARI project can be done entirely at home; registration can be completed online, and the DNA sample can be provided using a saliva collection kit mailed to the home. Upon completion of registration, the individual with autism will receive a $50 gift card. Click here for more information
The Autism Science Foundation is accepting applications for undergraduate summer research fellowships. Applications are due February 12.
