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2012-2-28
- 1. Genetics Dr. Dawson:I also wanted to mention that Autism Speaks established a formal collaboration with the Beijing Genome Institute in which we're seeking to conduct whole-genome sequencing on all of the 10,000 samples that are part of the Autism Genetic Resource Exchange. And we're well into that project and making really good progress. So we hope that within a period of two years, that we would be able to provide a really great resource to the community of investigators exploring genetics. Epigenetics Dr. Dawson: Hi, everyone. Just a few things, briefly. We sponsored a conference, I think it's the first conference on epigenetics and autism. And this brought together experts from other diseases and conditions that have examined epigenetics, and also autism researchers. Out of this conference, there's nowbeen established two networks of investigators who are working together to develop a research agenda and proposals that are focusing on epigenetics. In addition, we funded a major project on epigenetics and autism that builds on the CDC SEED study and utilizes those resources.
- 2. Brain and Sections of the Brain Dr. Lawler: Oh, yes. There was an international neurotoxicology meeting that was held in Research Triangle Park, as well. And one of the foci of the meeting this year was trying to understand how endocrine disruptors may have relevance for neurodevelopmental disorders. And that would include autism, ADHD and schizophrenia as well.So there were a couple sessions that were really trying to just set the stage. And, you know, with information that we know currently about mechanisms of action, of endocrine disruptors, trying to align that with how that might be relevant to the pathobiology and etiology of those disorders that I described. But it was very well attended. I know Susan and a few other folks from NIH were able to attend as well. And a nice thing about that meeting is, the meeting proceedings are published. And so the reports for that should be available in the next few months. It's published in the journal of NeuroToxicology. Environment r. Lawler: Yes, I have a meeting update I wanted to share with the committee. This is a meeting NIEHS worked with Autism Speaks to organize. It was late last year, entitled Bioinformatics and Computational Approaches toIntegrate Genes and Environment in Autism
- 3. Research. It was held November 29th and 30th in Research Triangle Park. We brought together experts in bioinformatics, computational and small molecule screening paradigms, with key researchers in genetics and neurobiology of autism. And the primary goal of the meeting was to discuss possibilities for how new bioinformatics and approaches could be used to advance research on the environmental contributors to autism. And we were very grateful that the Office of Autism Research Coordination at Mental Health provided webcasting for the event. Dr. Koroshetz: Hi, yes, from NINDS. A couple of brief things. So our budget as calculated by the NIH RCDC system is about 21.3 million for autism in 2011, which is up from 2010. Much of the research that we fund is looking at things like brain imaging, connectivity and as it relates to language processing. Looking at biomarkers in terms of pupillary light reflex as a marker of potential risk for autism. We are funding a large Norwegian cohort of mothers and their infants looking for clinical, environmental or genetic markers that predict autism coming on later in life in these children.
- 4. And also there's a major emphasis to look and see if there's biomarkers in the cord blood or the mother's blood that would predict autism coming on. And we also do quite a bit of research, as Tom mentioned, in a number of the rare disorders with autism that are on the autism spectrum like Fragile X, Rett Syndrome, tuberous sclerosis. And there's lots of advances in those areas now. Ms. Redwood: Hi, yes. I just wanted to mention that SafeMinds was a platinum level sponsor of the recent neurotoxicology conference that Cindy mentioned earlier. The focus of the conference was on environmentally triggered neurodevelopmental disorders with a focus on autism, ADD, ADHD and schizophrenia. We were instrumental in planning the plenary session which specifically addressed endocrine disruption in autism. We've also been working actively with the United Nations Environmental Program on the development of a global treaty to reduce mercury pollution. And we've attended several of the negotiating sessions that occurred in Chiba, Japan, and most recently in January in Nairobi. SafeMinds also created an educational campaign which was targeted at OB/GYN doctors in an effort to decrease
- 5. mercury exposure prenatally from environmental, dietary and medicinal sources of mercury from influenza vaccine which is recommended during pregnancy. More than half of all the influenza vaccine manufactured today still contains 25 micrograms of ethyl mercury. So we created DVD's, posters, educational brochures in an effort to reduce some of these exposures. There was also research just published by Harvard researchers that was funded by SafeMinds and the journal Cerebellum that reported that maternal thimerosal exposure resulted in aberrant cerebellar oxidative stress. Also thyroid hormone metabolism levels were aberrant along with motor behaviors, and this was in rat pops. And these abnormalities were both sex and strain dependent. This research was also presented at the neurotoxicology conference. And we're currently following up on research that just reported that an ancestry of pink's disease was a risk factor for ASD. And this research was out of Australia where they conducted a survey of 502 adult survivors of pink's disease.