As part of ARI’s work to advance autism science and education, we offer free bi-monthly expert-led webinars on topics related to autism. Presenters discuss emerging trends and research findings on the underlying biology of autism and effective care strategies. Information presented in ARI webinars is evidence-based, making our video library a trustworthy resource for the autism community. Webinar playbacks are free on our website and YouTube Channel, with more than 1.35 million views.
ARI’s recurring Research Update webinar series offer uniquely up-to-date insights on critical topics in autism. These series cover ongoing investigations and their implications for research and care, providing families and practitioners with crucial information in a timely manner. Within the ever-changing landscape of autism science, these webinar series also offer a transparent look at how our understanding of autism continues to evolve. Research topics recently updated include systemic inflammation, sleep, challenging behaviors, trauma, and gastrointestinal issues.
Research Update Series
Sleep
Research Updates: Bringing Sleep and Autism into Community Settings (2025)
Beth Mallow, MD, shares current research updates on sleep and autism. She highlights the multifactorial nature of sleep patterns and how they affect daily functioning and core autism traits like emotion regulation. The speaker provides helpful sleep questionnaires and tips for minimizing sleep resistance and night waking. Mallow outlines preliminary work from ongoing sleep education trials for parents and therapists and emphasizes the efficacy of behavior-based interventions. She provides contact information for potential study participants and notes the lack of research surrounding common medications before the Q&A.
Systemic Inflammation & PANS/PANDAS
Research Updates: At the Crossroads of Infection, Inflammation, and Mental Health (2024)
Jennifer Frankovich, MD, MS, dives into the intersection of infection, inflammation, and mental health. She discusses the increase in recognition of this critical overlap over the last decade, highlighting how systemic inflammatory conditions have the highest rate of co-occurring psychiatric disorders. The speaker outlines ten inflammatory diseases that frequently co-occur with mental health conditions, including spondyloarthritis, psoriasis/psoriatic arthritis, Behçet’s Syndrome, Sjögren’s disease, Scleroderma, CNS Vasculitis, Sydenhams’ Chorea, and Lupus. Frankovich underscores the connection of Streptococcal infections to many of these inflammatory conditions, noting their similarities to PANS and challenges with diagnosis. She provides thanks and acknowledgments before the Q&A.
This is a follow-up to our June 12, 2024 webinar featuring Dr. Jennifer Frankovich, Ayan Mondal, Ph.D., and Noor A. Hussein, Ph.D.
Challenging Behavior
Research Updates: Self-Regulation Strategies for Self-Injury (2025)
Free webinar at 1 p.m. Eastern time (US), Wednesday, April 2, 2025
Tune in to learn research updates related to self-regulation strategies for self-injury.
Trauma
Autism and Trauma: Research Updates (2025)
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Gastrointestinal Issues
Autism and Gastrointestinal Comorbidities (2025)
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