Monthly News |December 2025 | | |
Hello ,
It's been a very busy year for all of us at ARI. In 2025, we awarded nearly $600,000 in grants to fund innovative research that holds realistic promise for positively impacting the lives of autistic people. To learn more about our work this year, see our accomplishments for 2025 and a current list of ARI-funded research projects.
Connecting investigators, professionals, parents, and those on the spectrum worldwide is essential for effective advocacy. Whatever 2026 brings, you can count on us to continue to focus on education while supporting research on genetics, neurology, co-occurring medical conditions, nutrition, sensory processing, severe and challenging behaviors, and adult and senior issues.
As we embrace the coming year's opportunities, our commitment to innovative and impactful research and education remains steadfast. If you plan to give, we know you will hear from many worthy charities in the coming weeks. Thanks for considering supporting ARI.
On behalf of ARI's staff, Board of Directors, and Scientific Advisory Board, I wish you all a very peaceful holiday season.
Stephen M. Edelson, Ph.D.
Autism Research Institute
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ARI's 2025 Accomplishments
Advocating for Independent Research and Education
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For nearly six decades, ARI has funded groundbreaking research, expanded educational initiatives, and brought clinicians and scientists together worldwide. Yet researchers and clinicians continue to face unprecedented financial challenges, and much important work remains.
ARI remains dedicated to fostering innovative research, convening scientific meetings and think tanks, and delivering high-quality, free online education that empowers autistic individuals, their families, and the professionals who serve them. None of this would be possible without the generous partnership of donors.
| | 2025 ARI Research Grants Announced | | | | 2025 recipients selected thus far have been awarded nearly $600,000 in grants to fund innovative research that holds realistic promise for impacting the lives of autistic people. In order to provide the autism community with an independent, unbiased assessment of causal and treatment efficacy issues, ARI does not accept financial support from government agencies or drug manufacturers. | | Fall & Winter Holidays are Coming - Be Preparded | | Free webinar 12/10: Holidays: Merry, not Meltdown-y. Autism-Friendly Navigation of the Holiday Season. Amanda Tami, LPC, BCBA, will share tips, tricks, and suggestions to help you plan for a merry holiday season. | | |
The holiday season brings its joys – and potential challenges – to our community. Our list of resources can help you plan for the festivities.
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Webinar Summary: Autism Health and Nutrition
| | | | ARI Board Chair and Scientific Advisory Board Member Kelly Barnhill, MBA, CN, CCN, discusses nutrition in autism based on recent publications. She outlines research updates on amino acid patterns, probiotics, and dietary interventions, underscoring both what we know and what we don’t know. The speaker discusses the clinical interpretation and application of this research, touching on common nutrient deficiencies before the Q&A. | |
Dr. Edelson's Latest Editorial: Invisible threats – the role of environmental toxins in autism
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Today, while we know that genes play a significant role in autism, we are beginning to recognize the critical importance of another factor: the environment.
I believe it is time for the autism field to move beyond the vague use of the word “environment” and begin focusing on specific environmental toxins implicated in autism. Identifying and drawing attention to these toxins will help us to guide public policy, develop targeted interventions, and protect future generations of children.
| | ARRI: Research Updates at Your Fingertips | | |
Expanding access to evidence-based autism research is a key priority for ARI. Under the leadership of Dr. Stephen Edelson and ARI’s staff and boards, we have significantly expanded the reach of our award-winning quarterly journal, The Autism Research Review International (ARRI), over the past 18 months. To ensure maximum accessibility, ARRI is now available online at ARRIOnline.org, while the print edition remains available by subscription for those who prefer a hard copy.
We invite you to explore ARRI online and stay informed about the latest developments in autism research.
| | From ARRI: No association detected between triptan use in pregnancy and neurological disorders in children | | | | A large-scale study by researchers in Norway and Italy indicates that pregnant women who take triptans—drugs used to treat migraines and cluster headaches—do not have an increased likelihood of having a child with a neurodevelopmental disorder. | | | From ARRI: Improvements reported with nanoemulsion vitamin D | | | | |
A study by researchers in Egypt suggests that supplementation with a nanoemulsion form of vitamin D3 may improve the behavior, social skills, and language skills of children with autism.
Many children with ASD are deficient in vitamin D3, and research suggests that a deficiency of this vitamin—which is crucial for brain development and function—may worsen autism symptoms.
| | | Participants needed: Dr. Gregory Wallace, a past ARI webinar presenter on autism in adulthood, including executive functioning differences, eating behaviors, and aging well, is seeking autistic adult participants to complete an online study. For more info visit the study website or contact the investigators. | | |
University-based researchers often contact ARI for help finding research participants to add valuable data to our understanding of autism.
Research topics range from sibling differences to school experiences, trauma, adult issues, and more.
| | Register Now: Free Upcoming Webinars | | |
ARI Webinar 12/10:
Holidays: Merry, not Meltdown-y. Autism-Friendly Navigation of the Holiday Season.
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Holidays can be challenging for autistic individuals. Amanda Tami, LPC, BCBA, will share tips, tricks, and suggestions to help you plan for a merry holiday season.
Presented by
Amanda Tami, LPC, BCBA
The Johnson Center for Child Health and Development
1 p.m. Eastern Time (U.S.)
12/10/25
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ARI Webinar 1/7:
Communication Supports for Non-Speaking Autistic Children
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Learn about early interventions aimed at improving social communication and spoken language outcomes for autistic children.
Presented by
Connie Kasari, Ph.D.
UCLA
1 p.m. Eastern Time (U.S.)
1/7/26
| | Making a Difference in 2025 and onward | | Give with confidence: ARI continues to receive Charity Navigator's highest "4-star" rating, a "Platinum" rating for transparency from Guidestar and a "Top Rated" badge from Great NonProfits. | | |
With your help, we're moving research forward.
Researchers and families are counting on us now more than ever to support the health and well-being of people affected by autism through innovative, impactful research and education.
With the holidays just around the corner, we know you will hear from many worthy charities in the coming weeks. We appreciate your gift of any size to fund our research grant program, our researcher and support group networks, and our online resources.
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