Monthly News |October 2025 | | |
Hello ,
On October 3rd, in partnership with the Nancy Lurie Marks Family Foundation, the Autism Research Institute was honored to sponsor the United Nations Think Tank on Aging and Autism. Moderators invited key experts to give a brief overview of topics related to aging and autism, followed by a focused exploratory roundtable discussion. Panelists and audience members included autistic individuals, clinicians, researchers, and representatives of UN member states. The UN has posted the playback online for free.
We are preparing for ARI’s 2025 Scientific Research Grant Awards, which will fund innovative investigations with realistic potential to positively impact the lives of autistic people. We will announce the funded projects in an upcoming edition of this e-newsletter, and describe them in detail on our website, Autism.org.
Taking action through research and education to establish a multi-disciplinary standard of care for appropriately supporting the medical needs of individuals with autism remains the core of our mission at ARI. We continue to pursue ambitious research objectives, and look forward to learning about and sharing emerging scientific discoveries in the days to come.
Stephen M. Edelson, Ph.D.
Autism Research Institute
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Aging and Autism: Exploring the Challenges of Autistic Seniors
A United Nations Think Tank
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In partnership with the Nancy Lurie Marks Family Foundation, the Autism Research Institute was honored to sponsor the United Nations Think Tank on Aging and Autism.
The think tank meeting was streamed live online. Catch the playback at: webtv.un.org
Moderators invited key experts to give a brief overview of topics related to aging and autism, followed by a focused exploratory roundtable discussion.
Panelists and audience members included autistic individuals, clinicians, researchers, and representatives of UN member states.
| ARI Statement on Prenatal Acetaminophen Use, Leucovorin, and Autism | |
ARI’s Commitment to Evidence-Based Research
ARI is committed to monitoring ongoing research and sharing accurate, evidence-based information with autistic people, families, researchers, and policymakers. This includes addressing questions about environmental influences and potential medical factors, such as the use of over-the-counter medications.
“We know there are subtypes of autism, with no single cause explaining the condition and no single intervention benefiting everyone on the spectrum. Research should focus on understanding these differences rather than generalizing findings to every autistic individual.” said ARI Chief Science Officer, Dr. Steve Edelson.
| | Webinar summary: Understanding and Supporting Puberty in Autistic Girls and Boys | | | | Blythe A. Corbett, Ph.D., discusses her lab’s research on puberty, adolescence, and mental health in autistic individuals. She emphasizes that puberty is a period of significant biological maturation involving physical, biological, hormonal, and social factors. Dr. Corbett details her lab’s latest research on pubertal onset, mental health, hormonal changes, and gender identity in autistic young people compared to allistic (non-autistic) groups. | |
Webinar summary: The Intersection of Race and Disability
| | | | Dr. Amber Davis discusses the intersection of race, disability, and autism as it pertains to diagnosis, care, and oppression. She notes autism-related disparities in access to care within the Black or African-American population and highlights the importance and potential impact of adopting an intersectional lens to autism understanding and care. | | ARRI: Research Updates at Your Fingertips | | |
Expanding access to reliable autism research has been a key priority for ARI. Under the leadership of Dr. Stephen Edelson and ARI’s Board of Directors, we have worked to expand the reach of our award-winning quarterly journal, The Autism Research Review International. In 2024, this vision became a reality. 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 on the latest developments in autism research.
| | From ARRI: Large-scale “person-centered” study identifies four autism subtypes based on traits, genetics | | | | A large-scale study by researchers in the United States and Israel has identified four distinct subgroups of children with autism, a finding that could lead to better targeting of interventions and research. The researchers used a computational model to group the children based on more than 230 factors, including developmental milestones, cognitive and behavioral traits, family history, and co-occurring conditions. | | From ARRI: Parents’ workplace exposure to chemicals may affect ASD severity in their children | | | | |
Parental exposure to certain substances in the workplace is associated with greater symptom severity in children with autism, according to a study by US researchers.
Study coauthor Irva Hertz-Picciotto says that “workplace safety isn’t just about protecting the worker—it’s also about protecting their future children. We must consider how workplace chemicals might affect the next generation.”
| | | 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 10/27:
Language and Communication Issues in Autism: Let’s Talk About Talking
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This webinar will investigate language peculiarities and development in autism from the perspective of different sensory perceptual processes and cognitive styles.
Presented by
Prof. Olga Bogdashina, Ph.D.
International Autism Institute
SPECIAL DAY & TIME
4:00 p.m. Eastern Time (U.S.)
10/27/25
This is a joint presentation with the World Autism Organisation
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ARI Webinar 10/29:
Animal Models of Autism Spectrum Disorder: Foundations for Translational Therapeutic Research
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Tune in to hear Adrien Eshraghi, MD, MSc, FACS, a 2022 ARI grant recipient, discuss the ongoing translational research in his lab.
Presented by
Dr. Adrien Eshraghi
University of Miami
SPECIAL TIME
11:30 a.m. Eastern Time (U.S.)
10/29/25
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ARI Webinar 11/5:
All StakeholderS Engaged in Research Together—the ASSERT learning community
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Learn about ASSERT, where the goal is to build an online learning community where these stakeholders learn about research together in a way that is collaborative and multidirectional
Presented by
Dr. Beth Malow &
Susan Brasher, PhD, RN, CPNP, FAAN
1 p.m. Eastern Time (U.S.)
11/5/25
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| | Making a Difference in 2025 | | 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. | |
Advancing Autism Research with Integrity and Impact
At ARI, our commitment to funding innovative and meaningful autism research and education remains unwavering.
We maintain our independence by operating without government grants or direct funding from pharmaceutical companies.
Instead, we rely on the generosity of donors to sustain our mission. As our founder, Dr. Bernard Rimland, often said, “Research that makes a difference!”— a reminder to always prioritize research that most benefits autistic individuals.
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