UCLA Center for Autism Research and Treatment

UCLA researchers of the Baby Brain Imaging & Behavior Study (Baby BIBS) are recruiting infants less than six weeks of age (pregnant mothers are also encouraged to contact us) who have either: a sibling diagnosed with autism, a sibling with typical development and no family history of autism, a clinically confirmed diagnosis of Tuberous Sclerosis Complex, or a clinically confirmed diagnosis of 22q11.2 deletion or duplication syndrome. The purpose of the study is to study early... brain development in infants at higher risk for developmental delay or autism, in order to identify children who will benefit from early intervention. This study involves remote participation via Zoom and in-person visits to UCLA and will include: developmental assessments, non-Invasive awake EEG, and MRI (during natural sleep, no sedation or radiation involved). There is no cost to participate and medical insurance is not required. Families will receive detailed feedback on their infant’s developmental progress at 12, 24, and 36 months and a picture of their child’s brain from the MRI scan. Children showing early signs of developmental delay or autism will be referred for possible participation in an early intervention study. Families will receive complementary parking at UCLA and $50 dollars per visit. COVID-19 MODIFICATIONS Study procedures have been modified to reduce COVID-19 risk. Modifications include: Most data collection done remotely via Zoom or by phone, only core measures carried out in person at UCLA (EEG, MRI, Clinical Assessments), intensive sanitizing and screening procedures, social distancing, and staff required to wear PPE and receive weekly COVID-19 tests. For more information, please contact Gabi MacNaughton: [email protected] or (310) 825-3478

Join us on February 22nd, from 11:30 - 12:30 PM, PST for this month's Tarjan Center Lecture Series! This month, Emily T. Wood, M.d., Ph.D. presents, "Adverse Childhood Experiences and Post-Traumatic Stress in Youth with ASD: Data from the ABCD Study". All are welcome, but registration is required. See you there! To register: https://uclahs.zoom.us/w/register/WN_dE4HpnwjTZ6HMuY8GRrvKg For more information, please contact:... [email protected] https://www.semel.ucla.edu/tarjan/lecture-series See more

Join us on March 5, 2021, from 9-10:30 AM, PST for our UCLA CART Distinguished Lecture Series! We welcome Brian Boyd, PhD, as he discusses "Examining Population-Level Influences of Implicit Bias on Autism Spectrum Disorder". See you all there! To register: tinyurl.com/2b6yzcz8 Contact: [email protected]

As the end-of-year approaches, UCLA CART is raising money to support schorlships for more ASD care and education. Donate today and help us reach our goal. spark.ucla.edu/CART

The UCLA CAN REACH Training Program will be hosting a free ONLINE BCBA workshop next month! The workshop is titled "Beyond Picky Eating: Feeding Concerns in Children with Autism", and it will be held on Thursday, February 11th, 2021 from 9:00 AM to 11:00 AM. The workshop will feature Valerie Volkert, PhD, BCBA-D, Assistant Professor at Emory University School of Medicine, Department of Pediatrics and Program Manager for the Feeding Program at Marcus Autism Center. BCBA Learni...ng CEUs will be offered! To register: https://us02web.zoom.us//register/WN_exxuxKA7TWCMAhxU3EqSvg For more information, contact: 310-825-4734 [email protected] www.uclacanreach.com

Join us on Zoom on Monday, January 25th, from 11:30 AM to 12:30 PM, PST for a new Tarjan Center Lecture Series! We welcome Dr. Christine Moody as she discusses "Mental Health and Social Support During the Transition to Adulthood for Individuals with Neurodevelopmental Disorders". All are welcome! To register: https://uclahs.zoom.us/w/register/WN_JyI8bkccQ8CQzZ-ViuqBaA For more information, please contact [email protected] or visit https://www.semel.ucla.edu/tarjan/lecture-series

One of our goals is to develop the ASD researchers and clinicians of the future! Donate today to increase scholarships to underrepresented students who are interested in pursuing a career in the field of ASD. Help us increase diversity for outstanding students to become the physicians, psychologists, and researchers who will propel this field into a future of improved understanding of and treatment for individuals with ASD. spark.ucla.edu/CART #UCLACart #ASD #autism #giving #science #scholarships #ScientistInTraining

As the end-of-year approaches, UCLA CART is raising money to support schorlships for more ASD care and education. Donate today and help us reach our goal. spark.ucla.edu/CART

We invite you to our Coffee Cart Event on January 20, 2021, from 12-1 PM, PST for a virtual cup of coffee and conversation! Join experts Dr. Daniel Geschwind and Dr. Connie Kasari as they explain "How Genetics Informs our Understanding of Autism". To register: https://forms.gle/uX9nmTWRuNMBGVQq5 If you have any questions, please contact [email protected]

Apply today to become an EMI Volunteer! Expressive Movement Initiative (EMI) aims to introduce the art of creative movement and therapeutic dance to children with disabilities. Volunteer dance teachers are paired one-on-one with an EMI student, modifying movements to accommodate each disability at weekly dance classes! The new deadline to apply is February 15! Apply at emiucla.org/volunteer Info session: February 8th, 7-8 PM, PST

Dr. Marian Sigman was a developmental and child clinical psychologist at the Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior at UCLA and an internationally acclaimed scholar, generous teacher and colleague, and a pioneer in the fields of autism and developmental risk. With Dr. Daniel Geschwind, she co-founded and directed UCLA CART. The Sigman Scholars Research Program was created to bring more students into the field of autism research and spark unlimited possibilities. Donate today to support scholarships for underrepresented students in the Sigman Scholars Research Program. Everyone can have an impact! spark.ucla.edu/CART #UCLACart #ASD #autism #giving #Science

Join us on January 8th, 2021 from 9-10:30 AM for our Distinguished Lecture Series! This month, we welcome Dr. Gabriel Dichter, as he discusses Reward Processing in Autism. See you there! To register: https://tinyurl.com/y5d9kulm For more questions, please contact Katherine Tsai at [email protected]

Happy New Years from UCLA CART! We wish you and your families a healthy and happy 2021! Thank you so much for your support of our End of Year Campaign. With your help, we were able to raise money to increase access to autism resources and treatments.

County of Los Angeles is hosting fun and safe Halloween events. For more information visit parks.lacounty.gov/halloween2020

Free Opportunity for Families of Children with Disabilities! Expressive Movement Initiative (EMI) is a program that has been founded at UCLA to teach dance to children with disabilities! The FREE program offers a one-on-one mentorship aspect to each student by pairing them up with a teacher that will personally guide them through the class. It is a great way for children to make new friends and stay active each week! RECRUITMENT IS NOW OPEN for the Winter Session that will be...gin in early January and last 10 weeks. All dance activities will be coordinated through ZOOM to maintain social distancing and adhere to CDC guidelines. Please visit emiucla.org to register! See more

CART believes that every patient should have access to the full range of care available at the clinics, and should not have to forgo potentially helpful tests, therapies, or treatments because of cost or other barriers. #UCLACart #ASD #autism #giving #accessibility

ICYMI: In this recorded webinar, Dr. John Constantino talks about his research into the disparities in the timing of autism diagnoses. You can watch the full webinar here: https://bit.ly/2FdHJOu #SPARKstrong #SPARKforAutism

Be sure to tune in for this month's webinar Understanding Aggression in Autism on October 28th at 12pm ET! In this webinar, Micah Mazurek, Ph.D., will discu...ss what is known about the prevalence, risk factors, and treatment of aggression in individuals with autism. Save the date & register here: https://bit.ly/316x9Au #SPARKstrong #SPARKforAutism

Support CART today! UCLA CART aims to change the world of families impacted by autism by understanding its causes, improving diagnosis, and developing transformative therapies. spark.ucla.edu/CART #UCLACart #giving #autism #ASD #accessibility

With many COVID-19 restrictions still in place, how are families of would-be ghouls and goblins supposed to celebrate Halloween? Our experts share tips for a safe and memorable Halloween night. https://ucla.in/31eqWm5

We are recruiting participants ages 3-17 years old who are currently taking Risperidone or Aripiprazole. This 26 month study is to examine the long-term effects on weight, while taking Risperidone or Aripiprazole. The study includes in-person visits with questionnaires about overall health, physical exam, and vital signs. There will be brief monthly contacts for medication and health status updates. You will be reimbursed up to $250! For more information, please contact Jenny Cowen at [email protected]

Dr. Gulsrud and ABA agency Autism Spectrum Therapies will be hosting a webinar on autism, genetic research, and the SPARK study- an online autism research study..., what we have learned from it so far, and how you can participate while social distancing. Date: November 7, 2020 Time: 2:00 3:00 PM PST RSVP here: https://forms.gle/JiTPH3j8Y4CTAQ7L6 If you have any questions, please contact [email protected]

Are you a parent of a child with ASD who is between the ages of 2 and 5 years? Below is a link to a study that is designed to reduce stress in parents of children with ASD! All classes are virtual and FREE! See the flyer or contact us at: http://www.stepsproject.org/

Two superstar women! @sandratsingloh, author of The Madwoman and the Roomba now adapted as The Madwoman and the Pandemicand Dr. Susan Bookheimer, Prof of #n...euroscience @dgsomucla will share some funny stories and some practical advice about #brain and the #quarantine. Join us for a fabulous break from the routine! We promise you will have some good laughs and get some great tips on coping too. 10/20. 5pm PT. Free virtual event. Link in bio to register @uclahealth See more

Thank you for joining us for October's Tarjan Center Lecture Series! Thank you to Reina Factor, PhD for a wonderful presentation of, "Examining Caregiver-Child ...Relationships and Family Functioning in Evidence-Based Social Skills Training for Young Children with Autism: The UCLA PEERS for Preschoolers Program". A recording of Reina's presentation will be available later this week at: https://www.semel.ucla.edu/tarjan/2020-2021-presentations

TODAY: Reina Factor, PhD, Postdoctoral Fellow at the UCLA PEERS Clinic, will present: "Examining Caregiver-Child Relationships and Family Functioning in Evidenc...e-Based Social Skills Training for Young Children with Autism: The UCLA PEERS for Preschoolers Program". This lecture will be from 11:30AM-12:30PM (PST) via Zoom. This lecture is free, although registration is required. To register, go to this link: https://uclahs.zoom.us/w/register/WN_7RiRlyBoQ_Si5Z82dE37jw See more

Join us for the Tarjan Center Lecture Series! Monday October 19th, 11:30AM-12:30PM, PST, via Zoom Register Now: https://uclahs.zoom.us/w/register/WN_7RiRlyBoQ_...Si5Z82dE37jw Reina Factor, PhD presents, "Examining Caregiver-Child Relationships and Family Functioning in Evidence-Based Social Skills Training for Young Children with Autism: The UCLA PEERS for Preschoolers Program" Learning Objectives: 1. To understand the feasibility of applying the PEERS curriculum for younger children 2. To gain an understanding of how the PEERS for Preschoolers Program impacts the caregiver-child relationship 3. To understand the need to explore child, caregiver, and family-based outcomes in intervention studies

AIR-B Network's webinar, "Transition Back to School During COVID-19: Resources for Parents and Teachers" is now available to watch online! These talks explain how to use the COVID-19 Resource Handbook for Parents/Teachers/Students that are available to download on AIR-B's website. For more information, please visit http://airbnetwork.org/. The webinars are available in English, Spanish, and Korean! English webinar: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uI_OxEmgZP8&feature=youtu.be Spanish webinar: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OTNdRv8Fas4&feature=youtu.be Korean webinar: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eFr1ovQ09xE&feature=youtu.be

You're invited to the Research Panel for Undocu Bruins at 4 pm on Thursday, October 15! Find out how to navigate research opportunities for undocumented stude...nts, learn about the pathway to grad school, and hear from undocumented Bruins involved in research and grad school! Click here to register: https://tinyurl.com/researchpanel20 Click here for more information: https://www.facebook.com/events/1073632559757614

Healthy African American Families Community Leadership Institute, @healthyafricanamericanfamilies supported by @UCLA, invites you to their Community Leadership ...Conference for Community Partnered Participatory Research. We are proud that Felica Jones, Executive Director of @HAAF serves on the board of @UCLASemelFriend. Registration links in graphic See more

Halloween isn’t canceled, but it will look a little different this year. UCLA Health epidemiologist Dr. Anne Rimoin reminds us that viruses don't rest on vacation, and shares tips for safely celebrating during the pandemic. https://lat.ms/3d55Qv0