Autism Research at Biomedical Laboratory
Utah State University - Logan, Utah
The biomedical laboratory at Utah State University has a long history of immunogenetic research in autism. The laboratory has been on the leading edge of immune function mechanisms in autism starting about 18 years ago under the direction of the late Dr. Reed Warren. Numerous scientific papers have been published describing the association of immune function genes and decreased function of Natural Killer cells in autism. This line of research continues to advance in collaboration with prominent scientists from around the country.

Investigators:

Students:
Eric Monson, Andrew Vanderwerf, Cole Gibbons, Meredith Halling, Zach Benson, and Rachel Simmons.

Exciting new findings will be submitted to scientific journals for publication in the near future.

1. The first project involves a continuation of older research involving human leukocyte antigen (HLA) association with autism. Two new findings show an association between autism and two separate autoimmune diseases. This research involves work done in our laboratory in collaboration and others in California, Michigan and Maryland.
2. The second project involves the detection of copy number variation of complement C4A and C4B genes. Research in our laboratory has resulted in a couple of publications concerning the increase in the C4B null allele in autism. However, this research was done by a tedious protein assay method. We have now developed a real-time PCR genetic method to detect copy number variation of the C4 genes in DNA samples.
3. CADDRE, EMA. Collaborative projects that involve whole genome amplification of minute amounts of genomic DNA (picograms to nanograms) to microgram amounts of amplified DNA. This allows for the genotyping of thousands of genetic polymorphisms.
4. The DotLab project involves the examination of serum for antibodies to Borrelia burgdorferi peptides the causative organism in Lyme disease. It has been reported using standard Elisa technology that subjects with autism have antibodies to the Lyme organism. Using new state-of-the-art diffraction technology (DotLab, Axela Biosensors) we are examining serum samples for these antibodies.

Collaborators: