Kilee Patchell-Evans Autism Research Group

The Kilee Patchell-Evans Autism Research Group is a Canadian multi-disciplinary team, located at the University of Western Ontario in London, Ontario and led by director Dr. Derrick MacFabe. This innovative research group first came into being in the fall of 2003 through a grant from David Patchell-Evans (whose daughter Kilee has autism). The research team is a group of like-minded biomedical researchers from various fields reflecting the diverse aspects of this family of disorders. These neuroscientists are intent on finding the basic processes underlying the cause of autism. This research initiative has forged strong collaborative alliances with other academic centres in Canada and the United States.

The Kilee Patchell-Evans Autism Research Group’s is examining the effects of a number of dietary and digestive system compounds on brain development, function, and behaviour. The researchers have found that these compounds, in an animal model, produce the repetitive and social behavioral and brain inflammatory changes resembling many aspects of human autism spectrum disorders. This research to date is providing a highly important framework for the possible linkage of genetic, immune, digestion and dietary factors in autism. Dr. MacFabe cautions that this work is in its infancy. However, it points to an exciting and promising new direction in autism research. An initial paper on the results of the animal research has been published. The paper attracted considerable national and international attention.

Click here to read published paper in Behavioural Brain Research

Click here to read published paper in American Journal of Biochemistry and Biotechnology

Click here to read published paper in Neuro Pharmacology

Another aspect of the research project will be the assessment of these risk factors either from the environment or from genetic sensitivity in a large population of autistic children and their families. With the assistance of Dr. Jeanette Holden, Director of the Canadian-American Autism Research Consortium (ASD-CARC), a patient registry of over 7000 participants, the research will look extensively at persons with autism with or without digestive symptoms.

This initiative needs your help. If you have a family member with ASD, please consider joining the research program. For more information, visit ASD-CARC’s website at www.autismresearch.ca or call 1-866-ASD-CARC (1-866-273-2272).

Click Here to visit ASD-CARC’s website.

For more information on the Kilee Patchell-Evans Autism Research Group you can visit their website.

Click Here to visit The Kilee Patchell-Evans Autism Research Group website.