Autism: Could Genetics Hold the Answers?
Tuesday, 6 November, 2018 5:30 pmPearl Stable 303 Pearl Pkwy, San Antonio, TX 78215, USA
Why does my child have autism? Geneticist Dr. Wendy Chung will share what we know about the autism spectrum disorder and how it isn’t a single condition with a single cause. If autism has multiple interlocking causes, could genetics hold the key to unlocking it? Dr. Chung’s team researches how as many as 400 different genes work together and how to best early detect and treat autism. Much of the work is focused on developing medications and educational strategies and technologies for children as they grow.
Wendy Chung, MD, PhD
Dr. Wendy Chung is the Kennedy Family Professor of Pediatrics in Medicine at Columbia University and the Director of Clinical Research at the Simons Foundation. Her research relates to the genetic basis of a variety of human diseases including autism, intellectual disabilities, seizures, inherited metabolic conditions, rare genetic disorders, congenital heart disease, congenital diaphragmatic hernias, and cancer susceptibility. She also works on the implementation of genomic and precision medicine. She is the PI of the Simons VIP study and SPARK (Simons Foundation Powering Autism Research for Knowledge), a partnership between individuals and families with autism and researchers.