PhD project: The identification of biological mechanisms during development that underlie sensory processing differences in genetic models of autism spectrum disorders

Subproject of the CANDY & AIMS-2-TRIALS research programs

CANDY: Comorbid analysis of neurodevelopmental disorders and epilepsy 

In Europe, 10-15% of children and adults or 50 to 75 million individuals are affected by neurodevelopmental conditions, such as autism, attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), intellectual disability (ID), motor problems and language disorders. It is not hard to imagine that one of these conditions alone can have a serious impact on a person’s life. What makes the situation even worse is the fact that several of these conditions often co-exist and, on top of that, go along with somatic illnesses, such as epilepsy. This significantly affects both life expectancy and quality of life and there are no effective treatments to date. In the CANDY project, we investigate the biological links between these neurodevelopmental conditions and co-existing somatic illnesses and how treatment and monitoring of affected patients can be improved.

AIMS-2-TRIALS: Autism Innovative Medicine Studies - 2 - Trials

Autism spectrum disorders (ASD) affect around 1 % of the population and are characterised by difficulties in social interactions and communication as well as repetitive behaviours. The precise symptoms and their severity vary widely from one person to another; some are only mildly afflicted and can lead relatively independent lives, while others are severely disabled and require a lot of specialist care. People with ASD often have other conditions, including epilepsy, depression, anxiety and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Today, there are no drugs designed specifically to treat ASD; instead, those affected are treated with medicines designed for other conditions.

AIMS-2-TRIALS aims to improve outcomes for people with ASD. To do this it will create a pipeline for developing, testing and implementing new treatments for ASD with stakeholder involvement at each stage. The project will set up a global clinical trial network for ASD to validate biological markers and endpoints to reliably show whether or not a treatment is effective and appropriate for ASD.

The project brings together experts from universities, university hospitals, pharmaceutical companies, patient groups, not-for-profit foundations, and small and medium-sized enterprises.