The International Meeting for Autism Research (IMFAR) was inaugurated in 2001 to foster scientific progress and collaboration among members of the international autism research community. Initiated by a collaboration of autism scientists at the M.I.N.D. Institute at the University of California, Davis, and two parent sponsored research organizations, Cure Autism Now, and the National Alliance for Autism research, IMFAR established the only annual scientific meeting dedicated to autism research in the world. The meeting provided strong representation of both behavioral and biological scientists working in basic and applied approaches to understanding and treating autism. The recent funding initiatives for autism research have created a network of programs and centers for autism research, and with that a need for an annual scientific meeting that brings together those scientific networks and the rest of the autism scientific world community. The strong representation of postdoctoral and predoctoral trainees attending with their mentors demonstrates the crucial training and career development role that IMFAR can have in developing the next generation of autism scientists. The program will feature 400-600 submitted papers presented in 4-6 invited symposia, 6 invited addresses on specific themes related to cutting edge autism research, many paper sessions. and more than 200 posters. Awards for lifetime achievement in autism research, young investigators, and outstanding dissertations in autism are presented. The three-day conference features significant opportunities for dialogue in each paper and poster session, around meals and breaks, and in a reception preceding the award presentation, thus assuring ample opportunity for informal scientific exchange and student-researcher dialogue. A large number of travel awards are available to assist students and those from diverse groups to attend. IMFAR will be located at various cities of reasonable size and transportation service, to support international attendees. In some years the conference will be preceded by a one-day workshop on a specific set of developing technologies relevant to autism research to support research development among the attendees. Adequate representation of participants from traditionally under- represented groups is a very high priority and a number of activities occur to achieve this, including specific advertising, travel awards, and representation in all aspects of the meeting. This proposal is a yearly meeting of participants around the world studying biology, behavior and treatment associated with autism. This is the only scientific meeting of its kind devoted to autism that brings together scientists, clinicians and parents. This is the venue for scientists to quickly share their scientific findings and resources in all aspects of autism.
| Rogers, Sally J; Vismara, Laurie A (2008) Evidence-based comprehensive treatments for early autism. J Clin Child Adolesc Psychol 37:8-38 |
| Rogers, Sally J (2004) Developmental regression in autism spectrum disorders. Ment Retard Dev Disabil Res Rev 10:139-43 |
