ASF Supported Findings

Funding autism research is at the core of our mission. Over the years, we have funded just under $3 million in grants, with an increase in about 20% each year.  Our focus is on clever young investigators with cutting-edge ideas who need seed money to get their research off the ground. We pair these researchers with established scientists who provide mentorship and training. The government and other funders have decreased funding for training grants, but we are committed to helping the best and brightest young scientists gather the initial data they need to attract major funding from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and encouraging these young scientists to dedicate their careers to autism research.

We are proud to share the research that has resulted from our funding.

View 2017 Research Results including:

  • Higher rates of disruptive de novo mutations in affected siblings than unaffected siblings
  • Speech pattern differences with boys create linguistic camouflage in girls with ASD
  • Improving the ADIS helps better distinguish between anxiety disorders and ASD
  • Children with ASD learn the name of novel objects better when they are presented close to the speaker’s mouth
  • Need for culturally appropriate outreach and tailoring of services to improve service utilization for varying ethnic and racial groups

View 2016 Research Results including:

  • Use of MEG to study auditory brain development in autism
  • Impacts of race, grade, and disability on social relationships in autism
  • Effects of maternal inflammation on fetal development
  • Neurobiology of social behavior in ASD and Williams syndrome

View 2015 Research Results including:

  • Use of different biological markers of the brain to understand variability in symptoms
  • Sex differences in the brains of males and females with autism
  • Validation of a tool to understand sensory reactivity in autism
  • Bringing parents and teachers together in the school system

View 2014 Research Results including:

  • Signs and symptoms from the earliest ages
  • Novel early intervention methods
  • Brain connectivity as a biomarker and response to treatment
  • Risk factors and sex differences in ASD

View 2013 Research Results including:

  • Use of stem cells to study autism
  • Examining autism interventions in real world settings
  • Studying autism over time

View 2012 Research Results including:

  • ASD DSM Criteria Study
  • AVPR1A Study
  • Motor & Learning Questionnaire
  • Prelinguistic Symptoms Study
  • Social Impairment Study
  • UBE3A Study
  • Visual Scanning Study

View 2011 Research Results including:

  • ASD Identification Disparities Study
  • Behavioral & GI Study
  • Frontal Asymmetry & Temperament Study
  • Shank3 Gene Study
  • Wandering Study