Autism

Mirolyuba Ilieva obtained her Master degree in Cell biology and Pathology at Sofia University in 2006. In August 2013 she got a PhD in Nanotechnology from Danish Technical University (DTU). She has been researcher at Copenhagen University and currently she is a scientist in the Department of Psychiatry, Odense, University of Southern Denmark. Her research is focused on induced pluripotent stem cells and brain organoids as a model for neurodevelopmental psychiatric disorders, e. g. Autism Spectrum Disoeders; neurotrophic factors mimetic peptides as therapeutic agents, nanosensors for monitoring gene expression during cell reprograming and neuronal differentiation. EU expert for reviewing projects for Marie Sklodowska-Curie Individual Fellowships. Way Lau is an Assistant Professor in Department of Special Education and Counselling at the Education University of Hong Kong. He completed his Ph.D. in biomedical sciences in Department of Medicine and did his postdoctoral trainings in Departments of Psychiatry and Psychology at the University of Hong Kong. One of his key research interests is on identifying biomarkers of Autism Spectrum Disorder, using molecular and system neurosciences techniques, and psychobiological approach. He is also keen on studying mechanisms of psychological resilience in non-clinical samples and students with special educational needs for prevention of stress-induced mental illness, and cultivation of resilience and strength in counteracting adversity.

Preface Mirolyuba Simeonova Ilieva and Way Lau 1. The putative etiology and prevention of autism Gary Steinman 2. Role of environmental factors and epigenetics in autism spectrum disorders Roheeni Saxena, Melika Babadi, Hasti Namvarhaghighi and Florence I. Roullet 3. Genomics, transcriptomics, proteomics and big data analysis in the discovery of new diagnostic markers and targets for therapy development Dong Ik Park 4. Autism spectrum disorder risk prediction: A systematic review of behavioral and neural investigations Xiujuan Geng, Xin Kang and Patrick C.M. Wong 5. Resting-state abnormalities of posterior cingulate in autism spectrum disorder Mei-Kei Leung and Way K.W. Lau 6. Neurobiology of sensory processing in autism spectrum disorder  Cheung Pui Pui Phoebe and Lau Benson Wui Man 7. The role of the endocannabinoid system in autism spectrum disorders: Evidence from mouse studies Susanna Pietropaolo, Luigi Bellocchio, Ines Bouzon-Arnaiz and Benjamin K. Yee 8. The effects of oxytocin administration on individuals with ASD: Neuroimaging and behavioral evidence Elizabeth Baker and Katherine K.M. Stavropoulos 9. Microglia in animal models of autism spectrum disorders Megumi Andoh, Yuji Ikegaya and Ryuta Koyama 10. The early overgrowth theory of autism spectrum disorder: Insight into convergent mechanisms from valproic acid exposure and translational models Oswald Chen, Isabelle Tahmazian, Hannah J. Ferrara, Bin Hu and Taylor Chomiak 11. The role of neuroglia in autism spectrum disorders Caterina Scuderi and Alexei Verkhratsky 12. Oxidative stress, metabolic and mitochondrial abnormalities associated with autism spectrum disorder Morten Thorsen 13. In vitro models for ASD Sonja Simone Hohmann, Mirolyuba Ilieva and Tanja Maria Michel