“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.
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.
“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.
“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.
“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.
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.
“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.
“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.
Social science research examines those aspects of a family’s situation that can have negative or positive influences on child development. A family’s income, the composition of the family, the services and supports available to them, the neighbourhood and community in which they live, their ethnic/cultural background, and their family history are all factors that can influence Autistic children’s outcomes.
Roles & Affiliations: PhD Candidate, Department of Kinesiology at McMaster University Membership Type: Trainee Member Supervisorship Status: Not available for supervision. Google Scholar Bio Bio Karen Joseph is a MacART trainee and PhD student in Kinesiology at McMaster University, supervised by Dr. Jennifer Heisz. Her research examines how lifestyle factors, such as nutrition, sleep, and
Dr. Jean-Eric Tarride is a Professor in the Department of Health Research Methods, Evidence, and Impact. He is also Director of the Centre for Health Economics and Policy Analysis (CHEPA) – a world-class interdisciplinary health research centre that fosters excellence in acquiring, producing and communicating socially-relevant knowledge in the fields of health economics and health policy
Roles & Affiliations: Professor, Health Research Methods, Evidence, and Impact at McMaster University Membership Type: Associate Member Supervisorship Status: Not available for supervision. ORCiDMcMaster ExpertsPubMedGoogle Scholar Bio Bio Dr. Jean-Eric Tarride is a Professor in the Department of Health Research Methods, Evidence, and Impact, and the McMaster Chair in Health Technology Management. He is the
Roles & Affiliations: Assistant Professor, Occupational Therapy & Graduate Institute of Behavioural Sciences at Chang-Gung University Membership Type: Associate Member Supervisorship Status: Available for Master’s students in the Occupational Therapy program at Chang Gung University in Taiwan starting in September 2026. Students will have the opportunity to contribute to PARC-related data collection, gain hands-on experience
Lorraine Hoult is a Clinical Psychometrist at the Ron Joyce Children’s Health Centre in the Autism Program. Her clinical and research interests include genetics of autism, predictors of treatment response and outcome, risks of premature birth, provincial and federal policies, autism program development and evaluation.
Roles & Affiliations: Associate Professor, Pediatrics at McMaster University;Developmental Pediatrician at McMaster Children’s Hospital Membership Type: Associate Member Supervisorship Status: Not available for supervision. PubMedGoogle ScholarMcMaster Experts Bio Bio Dr. Mohammad Zubairi is a Developmental Pediatrician & Associate Professor at McMaster University in the Department of Pediatrics. He is currently Director for Equity, Diversity and
Roles & Affiliations: Assistant Professor, Faculty of Social Work at University of Calgary Membership Type: Associate Member Supervisorship Status: Unknown supervision availability ORCiDUCalgary ProfilePubMedGoogle Scholar Bio Bio Dr. Linda Nguyen is an Azrieli Accelerator Assistant Professor in Youth, Sibling, and Community Engaged Research in the Faculty of Social Work at the University of Calgary. She
Roles & Affiliations: Senior Epidemiologist at Public Health Agency of Canada;Assistant Professor (Part-Time), Health Research Methods, Evidence, and Impact at McMaster University Membership Type: Associate Member Supervisorship Status: Not available for supervision. McMaster ExpertsPubMed Bio Bio Dr. Ayesha Siddiqua was a MacART trainee during her doctoral studies at McMaster University. She completed her PhD in
Roles & Affiliations: Research Consultant (Freelance) Membership Type: Associate Member Supervisorship Status: Not available for supervision. ORCiDPubMedGoogle Scholar Bio Bio Dr. Stephen Gentles is a research consultant and methodologist who has contributed to research and knowledge translation initiatives with MacART faculty at the Offord Centre for Child Studies. He holds a PhD from McMaster in
Roles & Affiliations: Senior Scientist, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto, ON;Professor Emeritus, Psychiatry, University of Toronto Membership Type: Associate Member Supervisorship Status: Not available for supervision. McMaster ExpertsPubMed Bio Bio Dr. Peter Szatmari is a clinician-scientist and an international autism expert. He has made significant contributions to the field in many areas including
