Autism is a complex developmental disability.
 
 


SYMPOSIA
Gut Microflora and Autism Systems Biology of Autism: Metabolomics
Cancer Biology and Autism Systems Biology of Autism
Housing Options for Adults with Developmental Disabilities Rewiring the Brain
The Olfactory System and Autism Autism as a Movement Disorder
Gamma Oscillations Communication Opportunities for Adults with Autism
Autism Communication Enhancement Language, Thought, and Communication
White Matter Imaging Communication and Autism
Communication Aspects in Autism Examining the Potential of MRI for Autism Research
Language and Autism Workshop on Autism Susceptibility Genes
Towards a Better Autism Phenotype


In 1998, the NLM Family Foundation began hosting a series of symposia in which invited professionals from various backgrounds and areas of expertise would convene to present their current work or research and discuss novel ideas for the advancement of autism research and treatment. Participating professionals have varied from neuroimaging researchers, neurologists, and pediatricians to special educators, psychiatrists, and speech and language pathologists.

The purpose of these symposia is to develop networks of people who can contribute to achieving the aims of the Foundation. NLM Family Foundation symposia are meant to stimulate the creative exchange of ideas that will enrich the field of autism research, education and service delivery. Importantly, they introduce influential thinkers in a format conducive to the development of productive relationships that will lead to positive changes in the lives of individuals with autism and their families.

The following list details the presentation topics, researchers, and primary focus of past NLM Family Foundation symposia.



Gut Microflora and Autism-December 2007
The Nancy Lurie Marks Family Foundation, Wellesley, MA


Matthew Anderson, MD, Ph.D., Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center

Susan Birren, Ph.D., Brandeis University

Timothy Buie, MD, Massachusetts General Hospital

Karolinska Institute Microflora Consortium. Novel Molecular Approach to Screen Human Microflora Comparing Individuals and Groups
Ingemar Ernberg, Karolinska Institute

Albert Galaburda, MD, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center

Recent Studies and Perspectives on Gut Microbiology, Probiotics and Autism
Glenn Gibson, Ph.D., The University of Reading

Perinatal Factors Influencing Brain Development: Implications for Autism
Rochellys Diaz Heijtz, Ph.D., Karolinska Institute

Martha Herbert, M.D., Ph.D., Massachusetts General Hospital

Tal Kenet, Ph.D., Massachusetts General Hospital

Microflora interactions with mammalian host metabolism
Jeremy Nicholson, Ph.D., Imperial College London

Possible Role of Neuropeptides and Neuroimmune Interactions in Intestinal Symptoms in Children with Autism
Harry Pothoulakis, MD, University of California Los Angeles

Harland Winter, MD, Harvard Medical School


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Cancer Biology and Autism-December 2007
The Nancy Lurie Marks Family Foundation, Wellesley, MA


Matthew Anderson, MD, Ph.D., Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center

Molecular Windows into Brain Size and Language Development
Ma tthias Groszer, Ph.D., University of Oxford

Dirk Iglehart, MD, Brigham and Women's Hospital

Tal Kenet, Ph.D., Massachusetts General Hospital

A Possible Role for the p53-IGF-1-mTOR Pathways in the Origins of Autism
Arnold Levine, Ph.D., Institute for Advanced Study

The Microfilament System in Health and Disease
Uno Lindberg, Ph.D., Karolinska Institute

Damon Page, Ph.D., Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Richard Sidman, MD, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center

Role of IGF1 Signaling in Brain Development, Plasticity and Autism
Mriganka Sur, Ph.D., Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Marc Vidal, Ph.D., Dana Farber Cancer Institute

Noncoding RNAs: Possible Involvement in Fragile X Syndrome and Autism
Claes Wahlstedt, MD, Ph.D., Scripps Research Institute


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Systems Biology of Autism: Metabolomics-March 2007
The Nancy Lurie Marks Family Foundation, Wellesley, MA


The Autism Phenome Project
David Amaral, Ph.D., University of California Davis and The M.I.N.D. Institute

Matthew Anderson, MD, Ph.D., Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center

A Combined Multi-Omics and Exploratory Bioinformatics Approach to Investigate Disease Mechanisms in Complex Neuropsychiatric Disorders.
Sabine Bahn, MD, Ph.D., University of Cambridge

Susan Birren, Ph.D., Brandeis University

Challenges of Heterogeneity, Co-Morbidity and Non-Specificity in Autism Research and Treatment
Martha Herbert, M.D., Ph.D., Massachusetts General Hospital

Tal Kenet, Ph.D., Massachusetts General Hospital

Putting Genes in their Place
Stuart Newman, Ph.D., New York Medical College

Metabolomics and Top-Down Systems Biology: Practical 21st Century Approaches Attacking Real Human Disease Problems
Jeremy Nicholson, Ph.D., Imperial College London

Istvan Pelczer, Ph.D., Princeton University

Cellular Metabolomics
Josh Rabinowitz, MD, Ph.D., Princeton University


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Systems Biology of Autism-November 2006
The Nancy Lurie Marks Family Foundation, Wellesley, MA


Matthew Anderson, MD, Ph.D., Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center

Albert Galaburda, M.D., Harvard Medical School

Information-Weighted LOD Scores in Autism Genomics (with Andrey Rzhetsky)
T. Conrad Gilliam, Ph.D., University of Chicago

Tal Kenet, Ph.D., Massachusetts General Hospital

Framing Autism in the Context of Systems Biology
Stanley Nelson, MD, University of California, Los Angeles

Damon Page, Ph.D., Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Information-Weighted LOD Scores in Autism Genomics (with T. Conrad Gilliam)
Andrey Rzhetsky, Ph.D., Columbia University

Understanding the Progression of Complex Developmental Diseases
Marc Vidal, Ph.D., Dana Farber Cancer Institute

Integrating Digital Medical Records into Autism Research
Peter White, Ph.D., The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia

The Heterogeneity of Autism: Lessons from Low Copy Number Repeat Frequencies
Michael Wigler, Ph.D., Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory


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Housing Options for Adults with Developmental Disabilities-June 2006
The Nancy Lurie Marks Family Foundation, Wellesley, MA


Ruth Aronson, Brandeis University

Edward Bruckner, Combined Jewish Philanthropies

Keith Duclos, Side By Side Supported Living, Inc.

Steven Eidelman, University of Delaware

Marty Krauss, Ph.D., Brandeis University

Julia Landau, JD, Massachusetts Advocates for Children

Darline Lewis, JD, Goulston & Storrs

Mary Lewis James, University of Michigan

Elizabeth Sternberg, Combined Jewish Philanthropies

Cathy Ficker Terrill, Ray Graham Association for People with Disabilities

Nancy Thaler, Northwestern Management Services, Inc.

David Wyzanski, Specialized Housing, Inc.


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The Olfactory System and Autism - June 2006
The Nancy Lurie Marks Family Foundation, Wellesley, MA


Susan Birren, Ph.D., Brandeis University

Odors and social perception
Richard Doty, Ph.D., University of Pennsylvania

Olfaction and social behavior: a comparative approach
Heather Eisthen, Ph.D., Michigan State University

Ventral Midline Brain Contributions to Human Social Cognition
John Gabrieli, Ph.D., Massachusetts Institute of Technology

The Olfactory System and Autism: Nidor, ergo sum?
Albert Galaburda, MD, Harvard Medical School

Tal Kenet, Ph.D., Massachusetts General Hospital

Early Olfactory/Tactile Experience
Michael Leon, Ph.D., University of California Irvine

Damon Page, Ph.D., Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Susan Santangelo, Sc.D., Massachusetts General Hospital

Luca Turin, Ph.D., Flexitral, Inc.

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Gamma Oscillations: Integrative Concepts for Autism Research - December 2005
The Smith Family Foundation, Chestnut Hill , MA


Matt Anderson, M.D., Ph.D., Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center

Neural Rhythmicity, Serotonin, and Autism

Joshua Fost, Ph.D., Hampshire College

Albert Galaburda, M.D., Harvard Medical School

Connectivity in Context: Physical and Systems Considerations in the Development of Gating, Timing, Asymmetry and Connectivity Challenges in Autism
Martha Herbert, M.D., Ph.D., Massachusetts General Hospital

Language & Communication Issues in Autism Research
Michael Merzenich, Ph.D., University of California , San Francisco School of Medicine

Brain Music Therapy
Galina Mindlin, M.D., Ph.D., Columbia University

Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation in Autism: Exploring Brain Connectivity and Modulating Plasticity
Alvaro Pascual-Leone, M.D., Ph.D., Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center

Gamma Abnormalities in Autism: Implications for Communication and Sensory Integration
Georgina Rippon, Ph.D., Aston University

Through Singing to Speech: Music-Facilitated Language Recovery
Gottfried Schlaug, M.D., Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center

Barbara Scolnick, M.D., Boston University

Boosting Concept Formation as a Possible Therapy for Autism
Allan Snyder, DSc, Ph.D., University of Sydney


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Workshop on Autism Susceptibility Genes – September 2005
Hotel Commonwealth, Boston, MA


A Genetic Study of Mathematical Talent and Asperger’s Syndrome
Simon Baron-Cohen, Ph.D., Cambridge University

Alan Ezekowitz, MBCHB, D. Phil, Massachusetts General Hospital

Al Galaburda, MD, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center

Brian Gilman, Panther Informatics

Genes for Autism and Absolute Pitch
Peter K. Gregersen, M.D., Feinstein Institute for Medical Research, North Shore LIJ Health System

Ingrid Holm, MD, MPH, Children’s Hospital Boston

Investigation of Imprinted Chromosomal Regions and Mitochondrial Haplotypes in Autism
Lindsey Kent, MBChB., Ph.D., MRC Psych, Cambridge University

Genetics Studies of Autism Spectrum Disorders
Isaac Kohane, MD, Ph.D., Children’s Hospital Boston

A Family Study of Genetic Susceptibility to Autistic Traits
Katherine Lawrence, Ph.D., University College London

Identifying and Understanding the Actions of Autism Susceptibility Genes
Anthony Monaco, MD, Ph.D., Oxford University

Richard S. Nowakowski, Ph.D., UMDNJ-Robert Wood Johnson Medical School

Damon Page, Ph.D., Massachusetts Institute of Technology

The Establishment of a Well-Characterized Cohort for Autism Studies at the Massachusetts General Hospital
Susan Santangelo, Sc.D., Massachusetts General Hospital

Jim Simons, Ph.D., The Simons Foundation

Marilyn Simons, Ph.D., The Simons Foundation

Richard Smith, The Smith Family Foundation

Katherine Tsatsanis, Ph.D., Massachusetts General Hospital

Recessive Genes for Autism and Mental Retardation
Chris Walsh, MD, Ph.D., Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center


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Workshop on Autism Communication Enhancement - July 2005
The Smith Family Foundation, Chestnut Hill, MA


Cognitive Neural Prosthetics
Richard Andersen, Ph.D., California Institute of Technology

The Action of a Greeting Does Not Come Naturally: Autism and the Struggle for Performance
Douglas Biklen, Ph.D., Syracuse University

Shared and Specific Muscle Synergies in Natural Motor Behaviors
Emilio Bizzi, M.D., Ph.D., Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Jamie Burke

Sheree Burke

Facilitated Communication and Eye-Tracking
Andy Grayson, Ph.D., Nottingham Trent University

Al Galaburda, MD, Harvard Medical School

Dasher- Fast, Free, Fun Communication Through an Automated Facilitator
David MacKay, Ph.D., University of Cambridge


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Autism as a Movement Disorder - May 2005
Boston Park Plaza Hotel, Boston, MA


Motor Control and Motor Learning in Vertebrates
Emilio Bizzi , M.D. , Ph.D., Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Movement, Emotion, and Intention
Alan Fogel, Ph.D., University of Utah

Al Galaburda, M.D., Harvard Medical School

Why Can't "Nonverbal" Individuals with Autism Speak?
Morton Ann Gernsbacher, Ph.D., University of Wisconsin-Madison

The Ethological Organization of Motor Cortex
Michael Graziano, Ph.D., Princeton University

Martha Herbert M.D., Ph.D., Massachusetts General Hospital

Is the Tilting Test an indicator of subgroups in autism?
Philip Teitelbaum, Ph.D., and Osnat Teitelbaum, University of Florida

Neural Mechanisms of Voluntary Movement Control in Autism
Tom Zeffiro, M.D., PhD, Georgetown University


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White Matter Imaging – October 2004
Boston Copley Marriott, Boston, MA


White matter connectivity studies using MRI
Tom Conturo, M.D., Ph.D., Washington University School of Medicine

Localization of white matter enlargement in autism and its implications
Martha Herbert, M.D., Ph.D., Massachusetts General Hospital

In vivo visualization of neuronal connections in auditory cortex
Dae-Shik Kim, Ph.D., Boston University School of Medicine

Connectivity-based grey matter parcellation: a new approach to understanding normal and pathological brain development
Paul Matthews, M.D., University of Oxford

Functional underconnectivity in autism: Results of fMRI studies
Nancy Minshew, M.D., University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine

Methodological aspects of fMRI and DTI in autism
Wolfgang Richter, Ph.D., Princeton University

Neural connectivity in DS22q11.2: Implications for cognitive function and autism
Tony Simon, Ph.D., University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine

Brain and behavioral studies of language impairment in autism
Helen Tager-Flusberg, Ph.D., Boston University


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Communication Aspects in Autism - March 2004
Boston Copley Marriott, Boston, MA

Low-Level Auditory Processing in Autism
Jose Alcantara, Ph.D., University of Cambridge

Research into the Neurocognitive Aspects of Autism
Matthew Belmonte, Ph.D., University of Cambridge

Research on Motor Issues in Autism Using Feldenkrais Movement Lessons
Alan Fogel, Ph.D., University of Utah , and Sally Young

Facilitated Communication: A Systematic Observational Research Project Using Fine-Grained Video Analysis and Eye Tracking
Andy Grayson, Ph.D., The Open University

Imaging Studies of Auditory Processing
Dae-Shik Kim, Ph.D., Boston University School of Medicine

Mirror Cells in Autism: Insights into Pathophysiology and Novel Therapeutic Approaches
Alvaro
Pascual-Leone , M.D. , Ph.D., Harvard University Medical School

Stimulating Social Communication Behaviors in Adolescents and Adults with Autism Spectrum Disorders
Stephen Porges, Ph.D., University of Illinois at Chicago


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Language and Autism - January 2003
The NLM Family Foundation, Chestnut Hill, MA


Terrence Deacon, Ph.D., University of California-Berkeley

Albert Galaburda, M.D., Harvard Medical School

Ralph Maurer, M.D., University of Florida College of Medicine

Richard Nowakowski, Ph.D., UM.D.NJ-Robert Wood Johnson Medical School

Hugo Theoret, Ph.D., Harvard Medical School

Arthur Wingfield, Ph.D., Brandeis University


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Towards a Better Autism Phenotype - December 2002
The NLM Family Foundation, Chestnut Hill, MA

Neuropathology of Autism
Margaret Bauman, M.D., Harvard Medical School

Genes and Behavior: Genes and Behavior in Congenic Mice
Lorraine Flaherty, Ph.D., Wadsworth Institute

Lateralization and Language Functions in the Brain

Albert Galaburda, M.D., Harvard Medical School

Modifying Genes and CNS Structure
Karl Herrup, Ph.D., Case Western Reserve School of Medicine

Neurophysiology of the Auditory Cortex in Autistic Children
Katherine Martien, M.D., Massachusetts General Hospital

Phenomic Analysis of the Dentate Gyrus: Exploiting Inbred Strains of Mice to Understand Individual Differences in the Human Brain
Richard Nowakowski, Ph.D., UMDNJ-Robert Wood Johnson Medical School


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Rewiring the Brain - May 31, 2000
The NLM Family Foundation, Chestnut Hill, MA


Margaret Bauman, M.D., The Autism Research Foundation, Boston Medical Center

Gene Blatt, PhD, Boston University School of Medicine

Guinevere Eden, PhD, Georgetown University

Lynn Effron, Weizmann Institute of Science

Susan Folstein, M.D. New England Medical Center

Henry Markram, M.D. Weizmann Institute of Science

Tom Zeffiro, M.D., PhD, Georgetown University


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Communication Opportunities for Adults with Autism - 1999
The Charles Hotel, Cambridge, MA


Douglas Biklen, Ph.D., Syracuse University

Janet Caputo, PT, The Institute for the Achievement of Intellectual Excellence

Marilyn Chadwick, MA CCC-SLP, Facilitated Communication Institute, Syracuse University

Shirley Cohen, Ph.D., Hunter College , C.U.N.Y

Rosemary Crossley, Ph.D., DEAL Communication Centre

Anne Donnellan, Ph.D., University of Wisconsin-Madison

Alan Fogel, Ph.D., University of Utah

Sheila Frick, OTR, Therapeutic Resources, Inc.

Debbie Gilmer, M.Ed., University of Maine Center for Community Inclusion

Susan Indressano, Speech Pathologist

Alan Kurtz, M.Ed., University of Maine Center for Community Inclusion

Laura Meyers, Ph.D., University of California- Los Angeles

Donna Ray-Reese, MA, MFT, Reese Movement Institute

Jane Remington-Gurney, MA, LCST, Options Communication Therapy Centre

Sally Young, Ph.D., University of Wisconsin


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Language, Thought, and Communication - December 21, 1998
The NLM Family Foundation, Chestnut Hill, MA

Douglas Biklen, Ph.D., Syracuse University

Alfonso Caramazza, Ph.D., Harvard University


Ray Jackendoff, Ph.D., Brandeis University

Francoise Zurif, Educator and Clinician


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Communication and Autism – 1998
The NLM Family Foundation, Chestnut Hill, MA


Inger Connery, Benhaven School

Barry Gordon, M.D., Ph.D., Johns Hopkins University

Larry Wood, Benhaven School


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Examining the Potential of MRI for Autism Research - 1997
Beth Israel Hospital, Boston, MA

Doug Biklen, Ph.D., Syracuse University

Jeffrey Lewine, Ph.D., University of Utah Medical School

Clifford Saper, M.D., Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center

Roberto Tuchman, M.D., Miami Children's Hospital

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Copyright © 2005 Nancy Lurie Marks Family Foundation