Multiple Risk Factors for ASD: Genetic Predisposition and Environmental Influences

Session Chairs: Heather Volk and Gayle Windham While increasingly accepted that ASD arises from complex interactions of genetic and environmental factors (GxE), investigations of joint effects and evaluation of underlying mechanisms are limited. The goal of this SIG is to bring together researchers from multiple disciplines to overcome barriers and brainstorm strategies to facilitate collaboration and research progress in this complex field. To identify and address challenges in this area, the 2015 session will use relevant materials from GxE workshops held to address other diseases and discuss how to apply them to ASD, establishing a common language for interdisciplinary collaboration. Further, we will briefly review existing evidence for GxE in autism etiology through short presentations from experts with experience in structural and functional genetic data, epigenetics, and environmental epidemiology to be followed by group discussion, feedback, and networking.