“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.
Learn more about our research HERE.
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.
“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 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.
“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.
Learn more about our research HERE.
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.
“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 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.
“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.
Clinical practice refers to the activities carried out in a medical setting with practitioners’ patients. Some of these are based on guidelines that specify how diagnosis and treatment should be carried out in a particular condition. Clear and strict guidelines around Autism diagnosis ensures that the proper support and care needs of Autistic individuals are provided.
Dr. Mohammad Zubairi is a Developmental Pediatrician & Assistant Professor at Ron Joyce Children’s Health Centre at McMaster University. His primary area of clinical work is with Autistic children and youth. His research focus is on understanding how elements related to a patient’s cultural context are incorporated into clinical reasoning within health professionals’ education, and how
Dr. Irene Drmic is a Psychologist at the Ron Joyce Children’s Health Centre in the Autism Program and Child and Youth Mental Health Program. Her clinical and research interests include mental health in individuals with neurodevelopmental disabilities, phenotypic and genetic overlap of autism and neurodevelopmental disorders, predictors of treatment response and outcome, and program development
Dr. Ronit Mesterman is an Associate Professor of Pediatrics at McMaster University and the Division Head of Developmental Pediatrics. She is certified in pediatric neurology and developmental pediatrics. Besides her active clinical and educational contributions, Dr. Mesterman is the Medical Director of Developmental Pediatric Rehabilitation and Autism Spectrum Disorders Services.
Dr. Stephanie Lavoie is a Neuropsychologist with the Pediatric Neurology Program and the Neonatal Follow-Up Clinic at McMaster Children’s Hospital. Stephanie’s clinical and research interests focus on mental health and neurological underpinnings of neurodevelopmental disorders.
Colleen Fotheringham-Anderson is Director of Child and Youth Ambulatory Services for McMaster Children’s Hospital and Site Administrator for Ron Joyce Children’s Health Centre. She is interested in diagnostic and support/care systems in autism.
Dr. Caroline Roncadin is the Co-Director of the McMaster Autism Research Team. She is the Clinical Director of Autism Services at McMaster Children’s Hospital. Her interests are in early detection and supports/care for Autistic children.
Dr. Peter Szatmari is a clinician-scientist and an international autism expert. He has made significant contributions to the field in many areas including diagnosis, measurement, and longitudinal development – all of which led to significant changes in our understanding of autism as well as the classification of autism in both the DSM-IV and DSM-5. He
Dr. Noam Soreni’s clinical and research work focuses on the cognition and neurobiology of pediatric Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD). As a member of the Anxiety Treatment and Research Center, he leads the pediatric OCD consultation team. The current foci of research are perfectionism, hoarding, and brain imaging of pediatric OCD. He is a co-investigator of the
Dr. Peter Rosenbaum is a developmental pediatrician and health services researcher, author of over 300 peer-reviewed papers and book chapters, and involved in research on childhood disability. He has worked with more than 50 graduate students and is currently a Professorial Fellow in Melbourne, Australia. His primary focus is creating and validating an autism function
Dr. Diana Parvinchi is a MacART trainee. She is an Assistant Clinical Professor (Adjunct) in the School of Rehabilitation Science at McMaster University. She has worked developing a software-based intervention for Autistic children and examining functional connectivity (fMRI) in autism. The findings from the fMRI study are being used to improve the design of the
