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 policy and practice through meaningful research.
Learn more about our research HERE.
Education
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 policy and practice 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 // Former President & Vice-Chancellor // McMaster University
The community engagement component of MacART endeavours to work with Autistic and community collaborators and involve them in 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 policy and practice 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 // Former 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 policy and practice through meaningful research.
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Welcome to the McMaster Autism Research Team (MacART)!
We are the McMaster Autism Research Team, a group of researchers, clinicians, clinician-scientists, and other experts who foster collaboration among the families, researchers, clinicians, educators, and policymakers whose lives and work are touched by autism.
MacART held its 3rd Autism Research Symposium on May 26, 2023, with the theme, “Autism and Mental Health: Towards an Ecological Lifespan Approach”.
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MacART at INSAR 2023
MacART members attended the 2023 International Society for Autism Research (INSAR) annual meeting. This year, our members contributed to 26 posters, 2 oral presentations, and 2 panel sessions.
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2023 Pandemic Canadian Autism Needs Assessment
MacART is proud to partner with Autism Speaks Canada and Autism Alliance of Canada to develop, implement, and analyze the Pandemic Canadian Autism Needs Assessment – a survey where respondents can share their experiences to help inform the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Through this partnership’s work, we expect to be a catalyst for meaningful enhancements to policy and programs across Canada, to better the quality of life for Autistic Canadians and their families during a time of uncertainty.”
Jill Farber // Executive Director // Autism Speaks Canada
The 2023 survey was recently launched and the data is being analyzed. Results from the 2020 survey are available.
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MacART at the 2023 Kids Brain Health Network Conference
MacART and colleagues attended the 2023 Kids Brain Health Network Conference that took place in Ottawa, Ontario. This year, our members contributed to a number of poster presentations and oral presentations. Dr. Peter Rosenbaum gave a keynote presentation titled “Childhood Disability in the 21st Century: Can We Create a Canadian Model for the World?”
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 policy and practice through meaningful research.
Learn more about our research HERE.
Education
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 policy and practice 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 // Former President & Vice-Chancellor // McMaster University
The community engagement component of MacART endeavours to work with Autistic and community collaborators and involve them in 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 policy and practice 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 // Former 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 policy and practice through meaningful research.
Recent News
Statement from MacART on World Autism Day 2025
April 2nd is World Autism Day, a day for recommitting to continued efforts to support inclusion and acceptance for more than 75 million Autistic people across the world. In Canada, 1 in 50 children and youth between ages 1 to 17 are Autistic (PHAC, 2022), which highlights the importance of fostering an inclusive world. The
MacART at McMaster Child Health Research Day – 2025
On March 26, 2025, more than 400 McMaster Health Sciences students, faculty, patients, family members, and special guests gathered at the McMaster University Student Centre to commemorate ongoing research projects. A grand total of 160 research studies were presented at this annual event, spanning a wide range of topics including basic science, autism, climate change
MacART at McMaster Child Health Research Day – 2025 Read More »
MacART at McMaster Child Health Research Day – 2025 Read More »
National Autism Network Launched – a Partnership Between Autism Alliance of Canada and Sinneave Family Foundation
March 21, 2025: MacART is thrilled with the recent announcement of our close collaborators, Autism Alliance of Canada and the Sinneave Family Foundation, being awarded the honour of leading the creation of the non-profit National Autism Network (NAN). The NAN will help inform the implementation of Canada’s National Autism Strategy, and will give Autistic Canadians
About MacART
We are the McMaster Autism Research Team, a group of researchers, clinicians, clinician-scientists, and other experts who foster collaboration among the families, researchers, clinicians, educators, and policymakers whose lives and work are touched by autism.
Our members are leading and participating in a variety of projects with provincial, national, and global impacts, aligning our work with the assessment report on autism released by the Canadian Academy of Health Sciences in 2022, which aimed to inform development of a National Autism Strategy.
Our Membership
