“Future research needs to focus not only on the biological markers of autism but also include data about functioning, participation, and environmental barriers and facilitators.”
Dr. Olaf Kraus de Camargo// Developmental Pediatrician
MacART is laying the foundation for creating a systematic way of linking scientific research on autism at McMaster University to clinical practice at McMaster Children’s Hospital.
The physical proximity of McMaster Children’s Hospital, Hamilton Health Sciences, and McMaster University has a number of characteristics that provides the rare opportunity for collaborative research. Taking advantage of existing university and clinical infrastructure and cross-appointments for clinicians at the university, autism experts from these organizations are coming together to integrate autism research into clinical practice.
The focus of MacART members’ research is in the areas of basic science, clinical practice, clinical research, epidemiology and statistical modelling, knowledge translation and exchange, and social science research. By promoting the collaboration of stakeholders across disciplines, MacART is reducing barriers to implementing research in clinical practice, with the goal of advancing autism care through meaningful research.
MacART members are now supervising more than 50 research trainees at the undergraduate, graduate, and postgraduate levels, and are engaged in the mentoring of junior and intermediate faculty members.
In the future, we intend to establish research and clinical training programs for students in McMaster’s undergraduate medical, health sciences, and psychology programs, and for residents and fellows in Pediatrics and Psychiatry.
By training and mentoring emerging researchers and practitioners, we will help to solidify their understanding of and commitment to using basic science to inform their clinical practice, and to use their clinical experience to help formulate research questions. It is our belief that involving these learners in MacART educational activities will promote their use of practices that advance autism care through meaningful research.
Community
“Our scientists are working collaboratively with local clinicians to generate the evidence needed to improve autism services. This symposium is a great example of McMaster’s community engagement efforts.”
Dr. Patrick Deane // President & Vice-Chancellor // McMaster University
The community engagement component of MacART strives to work with stakeholders and involve them as partners in every step of the research process. By doing so, the questions that drive research begin to change. They become more meaningful because they address the real day-to-day challenges faced by children and their families, and the clinicians supporting them.
MacART aims to increase participation and involvement of members of the McMaster and Hamilton communities in the research process. With community members driving the research, new and relevant knowledge can be produced to bridge the research-to-practice gap in autism and advance autism care through meaningful research.
Policy
“People whose lives are connected to the challenge of autism can share knowledge – from clinicians to educators to parents – and what an amazing opportunity that is. We have a real opportunity to translate challenges into research, and research into practice that will help families living with Autism.”
Rob MacIsaac // President & CEO // Hamilton Health Sciences
Policies should be created using the best available evidence that make positive impacts on the lives of Autistic individuals, along with their families.
MacART’s founder, Dr. Stelios Georgiades, serves on both federal and provincial advisory committees about Autism supports/service funding. Along with the wide-ranging expertise of its many autism experts, MacART is set to act as a highly credible source of evidence-based information to influence and inform public policy about the provision and funding of autism diagnosis, services, and family supports.
MacART will continue to find ways to collaborate with policymakers to both learn more about the policymaking process, and to contribute our expertise and knowledge to inform policymaking, in order to advance Autism care through meaningful research.
“Future research needs to focus not only on the biological markers of autism but also include data about functioning, participation, and environmental barriers and facilitators.”
Dr. Olaf Kraus de Camargo// Developmental Pediatrician
MacART is laying the foundation for creating a systematic way of linking scientific research on autism at McMaster University to clinical practice at McMaster Children’s Hospital.
The physical proximity of McMaster Children’s Hospital, Hamilton Health Sciences, and McMaster University has a number of characteristics that provides the rare opportunity for collaborative research. Taking advantage of existing university and clinical infrastructure and cross-appointments for clinicians at the university, autism experts from these organizations are coming together to integrate autism research into clinical practice.
The focus of MacART members’ research is in the areas of basic science, clinical practice, clinical research, epidemiology and statistical modelling, knowledge translation and exchange, and social science research. By promoting the collaboration of stakeholders across disciplines, MacART is reducing barriers to implementing research in clinical practice, with the goal of advancing autism care through meaningful research.
MacART members are now supervising more than 50 research trainees at the undergraduate, graduate, and postgraduate levels, and are engaged in the mentoring of junior and intermediate faculty members.
In the future, we intend to establish research and clinical training programs for students in McMaster’s undergraduate medical, health sciences, and psychology programs, and for residents and fellows in Pediatrics and Psychiatry.
By training and mentoring emerging researchers and practitioners, we will help to solidify their understanding of and commitment to using basic science to inform their clinical practice, and to use their clinical experience to help formulate research questions. It is our belief that involving these learners in MacART educational activities will promote their use of practices that advance autism care through meaningful research.
Community
“Our scientists are working collaboratively with local clinicians to generate the evidence needed to improve autism services. This symposium is a great example of McMaster’s community engagement efforts.”
Dr. Patrick Deane // President & Vice-Chancellor // McMaster University
The community engagement component of MacART strives to work with stakeholders and involve them as partners in every step of the research process. By doing so, the questions that drive research begin to change. They become more meaningful because they address the real day-to-day challenges faced by children and their families, and the clinicians supporting them.
MacART aims to increase participation and involvement of members of the McMaster and Hamilton communities in the research process. With community members driving the research, new and relevant knowledge can be produced to bridge the research-to-practice gap in autism and advance autism care through meaningful research.
Policy
“People whose lives are connected to the challenge of autism can share knowledge – from clinicians to educators to parents – and what an amazing opportunity that is. We have a real opportunity to translate challenges into research, and research into practice that will help families living with Autism.”
Rob MacIsaac // President & CEO // Hamilton Health Sciences
Policies should be created using the best available evidence that make positive impacts on the lives of Autistic individuals, along with their families.
MacART’s founder, Dr. Stelios Georgiades, serves on both federal and provincial advisory committees about Autism supports/service funding. Along with the wide-ranging expertise of its many autism experts, MacART is set to act as a highly credible source of evidence-based information to influence and inform public policy about the provision and funding of autism diagnosis, services, and family supports.
MacART will continue to find ways to collaborate with policymakers to both learn more about the policymaking process, and to contribute our expertise and knowledge to inform policymaking, in order to advance Autism care through meaningful research.
Following the launch of the new Ontario Autism Program, MacART has begun the Pediatric Autism Research Collaborative (PARC) Project. The aim of the Ontario Autism Program is to ensure child and youth ASD services are delivered consistently across the province, while the PARC Project is working to develop a research protocol that can be embedded […]
Today, June 26th, is the start date for the new Ontario Autism Program. The province has worked closely with families, caregivers, advocates, clinicians and providers to build the new OAP. Some key features of the OAP include: More information on the OAP can be found here: http://www.children.gov.on.ca/htdocs/English/specialneeds/autism/ontario-autism-program.aspx As this new program rolls out, this also
Today the province of Ontario announced its new autism program, set to begin on June 26th 2017. The announcement was made by Michael Coteau, Minister of Children and Youth Services – more information can be found here: https://news.ontario.ca/mcys/en/2017/06/ontario-transforming-autism-services-for-children-and-their-families.html MacART is encouraged to see that input from the autism community has been taken into account to
The McMaster Autism Research Team (MacART) is pleased to announce a Request for Applications for trainee travel awards! The MacART Trainee Travel Awards are meant to help trainees working in Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) research to travel to events that will enhance their research training experience. This may include traveling to a conference or workshop,
Last week (May 10-13, 2017), the International Society for Autism Research (INSAR) held its annual scientific meeting – the International Meeting for Autism Research (IMFAR). Now in its 16th year, IMFAR is the oldest and largest autism research meeting in the world and only grows larger every year. More than 2,200 researchers, clinicians, and other participants
On April 22nd 2017, York University held a 2nd TEDxYorkUSalon, this time focusing on innovations for people with autism within their community and in research. These TEDxYorkUSalons provide a forum for ideas within the Canadian autism community of stakeholders. This Salon showcased 4 speakers followed by a series of lightning talks – 3 minute talks by a dozen
April 2nd is World Autism Awareness Day – a day to recognize all those individuals around the globe who live on the autism spectrum. These are our family members, friends, classmates, and colleagues. In Canada, 1 in 68 children are currently diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). The McMaster Autism Research Team (MacART; www.macautism.ca) is
MacART co-director Stelios Georgiades has written a Viewpoint for Spectrum News, a news site that provides comprehensive analysis of advances in autism research. The opinion piece discusses the concept of ‘chronogeneity’ – the idea of studying the heterogeneity of autism features over time in order to better understand common patterns of change across children with autism,
Congratulations to Dr. Vickie Galea, who is part of a successful application to McMaster’s Interdisciplinary Research Fund (IRF). The IRF supports research projects involving two or more Faculties and is intended to build and strengthen academic, industry and community networks. This interdisciplinary collaboration is at the core of MacART. The objective of the proposal to the IRF
On April 4th and 5th, 2017, the Canadian Autism Spectrum Disorders Alliance (CASDA) will be holding its annual ASD Leadership Summit. MacART is proud to say that not only will we be attending the Summit and presenting a poster during the poster session, but we are also providing a ‘Friends of CASDA’ sponsorship. This will
