Research > Overview
Our ultimate goal is to build disease models for autism that are based on statistical significance. Our research consists of three phases:
1. Database Development
We develop and maintain the various modules of our comprehensive autism database, AutDB. We gather data to create integrated modules from diverse areas of autism research, such as genetics, animal models, protein interactions, CNVs, brain imaging, and environmental factors.
2. Bioinformatics Analysis
We apply statistical tools, meta-analysis, and new bioinformatics techniques like network analysis to the data generated within AutDB. Our aim is to understand the statistical significance of these data sets. From there, we want to get a detailed understanding of the extent of interplay between the myriad factors that are involved in complex neurodevelopmental disorders, such as autism.
3. Experimental Collaboration
We are collaborating with researchers in basic science laboratories so they can test these statistically-significant disease models, an approach that differs from hypothesis-driven studies. Our approach is starting to bear fruit and we already have some publications due to come out in the near future in the peer-reviewed literature.