Autism Science Foundation

U.S. nonprofit organization

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Autism Science Foundation

Abbreviation| ASF
Founded| March 24, 2009; 15 years ago (2009-03-24)[1]
Founders| Alison Tepper Singer,
Karen Margulis London

Tax ID no.

| 26-4522309[2]
Legal status| 501(c)(3) non-profit organization
Headquarters| New York City[3]
Coordinates| 40°44′55″N 73°59′23″W﻿ / ﻿40.748496°N 73.9898322°W﻿ / 40.748496; -73.9898322

Chairman of the Board

| Scott Badesch[4]

President

| Alison Singer[5]

Scientific Advisory Board Chair

| James McPartland, PhD[6]

Revenue (2016)

| $1,231,922[2][7]
Expenses (2016)| $1,270,604[2]

Employees (2022)

| 6[2]

Volunteers (2016)

| 50[2]
Website| www.autismsciencefoundation.org

The Autism Science Foundation (ASF) is a non-profit organization that funds evidence-based autism research and supports autism families.[8] The organization was founded in April 2009 by Alison Tepper Singer, a former senior executive of Autism Speaks and the longest-serving public member of the Interagency Autism Coordinating Committee (IACC), and Karen Margulis London, co-founder of the National Alliance for Autism Research. Both Singer and London are parents of autistic children.

## Formation[edit]

The Autism Science Foundation was created as a split from Autism Speaks, which assigned a high priority to investigating the debunked claim that vaccination is associated with autism risk. This focus raised concerns among parents and researchers.[9]

Alison Singer, a senior executive of Autism Speaks, resigned in January 2009 rather than vote for committing money to new research studies into vaccination and autism. The U.S. Interagency Autism Coordinating Committee (IACC), of which Singer was a member, voted against committing the research funds; this was contrary to the Autism Speaks policy on vaccine safety research. Singer said:

"There isn't an unlimited pot of money, and every dollar spent looking where we know the answer isn't is one less dollar we have to spend where we might find new answers. The fact is that vaccines save lives; they don't cause autism."

Singer noted that numerous scientific studies already disproved the link first suggested more than a decade ago and that Autism Speaks needs to "move on."[10] Later that year, along with NAAR's cofounder Karen London, Singer launched ASF as a nonprofit organization supporting autism research premised on the principles that autism has a strong genetic component, that vaccines do not cause autism, and that early diagnosis and intervention are critical.[11][third-party source needed]

Eric London resigned from Autism Speaks' Scientific Affairs Committee in June 2009, saying that arguments that "there might be rare cases of 'biologically plausible' vaccine involvement ... are misleading and disingenuous", and that Autism Speaks was "adversely impacting" autism research. London is a founding member of the ASF's Scientific Advisory Board.[12]

On January 5, 2011, Brian Deer published the first part of his British Medical Journal series on Andrew Wakefield's "elaborate fraud" which started the dubious MMR vaccine controversy.[13] On January 7, 2011, Alison Singer was interviewed by Kiran Chetry on CNN's American Morning.[14] Singer discussed the repercussions of Deer's report, stating, "...we can finally put the question of autism and vaccines behind us."

## Activities[edit]

Since 2014, ASF has hosted annual Days of Learning, TED-style science conferences.[citation needed]

ASF offers numerous funding opportunities for scientists, and has been nationally recognized for its support of early career researchers. The organization currently offers pre- and postdoctoral fellowships, two-year post undergraduate fellowships, medical school gap year fellowships, and undergraduate summer research awards.[15][16]

ASF has been a sponsor of the "International Society for Autism Research" (INSAR) since 2009, and has interviewed numerous researchers at the event.[17]

In 2019, Alison Singer, the president of the ASF, announced that she had joined the National Council on Severe Autism.[18]

In 2020, ASF partnered with Els for Autism to form Sam's Sibs Stick Together, which aims to offer extra support for autism siblings, present findings of research that focus on siblings and discuss resources available for siblings of all ages.

## Funding[edit]

Vaccinologist Dr. Paul Offit, a founding board member of the Autism Science Foundation, donates all royalties from his book Deadly Choices to the ASF.[19] The Autism Science Foundation also receives royalties from paperback sales of Dr. Offit's previous book, Autism's False Prophets.[20]

ASF is also the recipient of funds raised through Wall Street Rides FAR, the annual cycling and walking event that originated in White Plains and has since expanded to include satellite rides in Baltimore and Toronto.

## Awards[edit]

GuideStar named the Autism Science Foundation a top nonprofit startup in disabilities category in 2011, calling it "a shining star to those interested in real science and evidence based interventions".[21]

In 2021, ASF earned top-rated status from GreatNonProfits for the ninth consecutive year.

## Scientific advisory board[edit]

The Autism Science Foundation has 17 scientific advisory board members, including Ami Klin and Harold S. Koplewicz.[22]

## See also[edit]

* List of autism-related topics

## References[edit]

1. ^ "AUTISM SCIENCE Foundation[permanent dead link]". Department of Consumer and Regulatory Affairs. Government of the District of Columbia. Accessed on February 25, 2016.
2. ^ a b c d e "Form 990: Return of Organization Exempt from Income Tax". Autism Science Foundation. Guidestar. December 31, 2016.
3. ^ "Form 990: Return of Organization Exempt from Income Tax". Autism Science Foundation. Guidestar. December 31, 2013.
4. ^ "Board of Directors Archived 2021-08-20 at the Wayback Machine". Autism Science Foundation. Retrieved March 8, 2018.
5. ^ "Staff Archived 2021-08-20 at the Wayback Machine". Autism Science Foundation. Retrieved March 8, 2018.
6. ^ "Scientific Advisory Board Archived 2021-08-28 at the Wayback Machine". Autism Science Foundation. Retrieved March 8, 2018.
7. ^ "Autism Science Foundation" (PDF). Foundation Center. 25 October 2016. Retrieved 22 June 2017.
8. ^ "Autism Science Foundation - About Us". 17 February 2022. Archived from the original on 2022-02-19.
9. ^ Stokstad E (2009). "Resignations highlight disagreement on vaccines in autism group". Science. 325 (5937): 135. doi:10.1126/science.325_135a. PMID 19589974.
10. ^ Luscombe R (2009-01-25). "Charity chief quits over autism row". Observer. London. Archived from the original on 29 January 2009. Retrieved 2009-02-01.
11. ^ "Autism Science Foundation launches operations: new advocacy group will focus on non-vaccine-related autism research" (Press release). Autism Science Foundation. 2009-04-18. Archived from the original on 2010-05-09. Retrieved 2009-04-20.
12. ^ Kalb C (July 1, 2009). "Another resignation at Autism Speaks". The Human Condition. Newsweek. Archived from the original on July 4, 2009. Retrieved July 3, 2009.
13. ^ Deer, B. (2011). "How the case against the MMR vaccine was fixed". BMJ. 342: c5347. doi:10.1136/bmj.c5347. PMID 21209059. S2CID 46683674. Archived from the original on 12 January 2011. Retrieved 2011-01-12.
14. ^ "The mystery of autism". CNN. Archived from the original on January 10, 2011. Retrieved January 12, 2011.
15. ^ "Current Grantees - Autism Science Foundation website". Archived from the original on 2012-01-04.
16. ^ "Past Grantees". Autism Science Foundation. Archived from the original on 2011-12-14.
17. ^ "Autism Science Foundation's interviews with IMFAR researchers: David Mandell - Wellsphere". Archived from the original on 2011-10-05. Retrieved 2010-12-29.
18. ^ Lutz, Amy S.F. "National Council on Severe Autism (NCSA) Launches". Psychology Today. Retrieved 18 January 2019.
19. ^ "Behind the Vaccine Science: An Interview with Dr. Paul Offit, Author of Deadly Choices, How the Anti-Vaccine Movement Threatens Us All". Archived from the original on 2011-01-07. Retrieved 2011-01-12.
20. ^ "Dr. Paul Offit's book, Autism's False Prophets". Archived from the original on 2012-04-03.
21. ^ "GuideStar names ASF a top nonprofit startupl".
22. ^ "Scientific Advisory Board". Archived from the original on 2012-02-20.

## External links[edit]

* Autism's fight for facts: A voice for science, Nature Magazine

* v
* t
* e

Autism resources

* Autism
* outline
* history

Awareness|

* Autism-friendly
* Autism Sunday
* Communication Shutdown
* World Autism Awareness Day

Culture|

* Autistic art
* Autism spectrum disorders in the media
* Fictional characters
* Films about autism
* Circle of Friends
* Neurodiversity

Accommodations|

* Sensory friendly
* KultureCity

Therapies

| Psychotropic medication (antipsychotics)|

* Aripiprazole
* Risperidone

|

Behavioral|

* Applied behavior analysis (ABA)
* Discrete trial training (Lovaas)
* Picture exchange communication system (PECS)
* Pivotal response treatment
* Positive behavior support
* Early Start Denver Model (ESDM)
* Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT)
* Social skills training

Developmental|

* Floortime (PLAY Project)

Controversial|

* Auditory integration training
* Aversion therapy (Judge Rotenberg Center)
* Chelation of mercury
* Facilitated communication
* Gluten-free, casein-free diet
* Hug machine
* Hyperbaric oxygen therapy
* Holding therapy
* Relationship development intervention
* Secretin
* Sensory integration therapy
* Son-Rise
* Vitamin B12

Related|

* ADHD medication
* Melatonin
* Occupational therapy
* Social Stories
* Speech therapy
* Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors
* Structured teaching (TEACCH)

Centers

| Research|

| United States|

* Association for Science in Autism Treatment
* Autism Research Institute
* Autism Science Foundation
* Kennedy Krieger Institute
* National Alliance for Autism Research
* Simons Foundation Autism Research Initiative
* Yale Child Study Center

|

United Kingdom|

* Autism Research Centre (UK)

* Conditions and research areas
* Researchers

Therapy|

| United States|

* Center for Autism and Related Disorders (CARD)
* MIND Institute

|

Schools|

* Alpine Learning Group
* Eden II School for Autistic Children
* ESPA College (UK)
* Exceptional Minds (USA)
* New England Center for Children
* Pathlight School (Singapore)
* Rebecca School
* Sunfield Children's Home (UK)
* TreeHouse School (UK)
* Western Autistic School (Australia)

Organizations

| International|

* Autism rights movement
* Wrong Planet

|

Americas|

| United States|

* Autism Network International
* Autism Science Foundation
* Autistic Self Advocacy Network
* Autism Society of America
* Autism Speaks
* Centro Ponceño de Autismo
* Daniel Jordan Fiddle Foundation
* Generation Rescue
* Interactive Autism Network
* Interagency Autism Coordinating Committee
* LENA Foundation
* National Alliance for Autism Research
* National Council on Severe Autism
* National Database for Autism Research
* The Autism Community in Action

|

* Centro Ann Sullivan (Peru)
* Domus Instituto de Autismo (Mexico)

Asia|

* Action for Autism (India)
* Autism Resource Centre (Singapore)

Caribbean|

* Autistic Society (Trinidad and Tobago)
* Maia Chung Autism and Disabilities Foundation (Jamaica)

Europe|

| UK|

* Autism Anglia
* The Autism Directory
* Autism Awareness Campaign UK
* Autism Cymru
* Autism Plus
* Autistica
* National Autistic Society
* Sacar

|

* Specialisterne (Denmark)
* Aspies For Freedom

Oceania|

* Luke Priddis Foundation (Australia)

Literature

| Non-fiction|

* The Accidental Teacher: Life Lessons from My Silent Son
* Animals in Translation
* Aspergirls: Empowering Females with Asperger's Syndrome
* Autism's False Prophets
* Extreme Love: Autism
* Freaks, Geeks, and Asperger Syndrome: A User Guide to Adolescence
* In a Different Key
* Life, Animated
* Like Colour to the Blind
* Look Me in the Eye
* Mother Warriors
* My Autobiography
* NeuroTribes
* Nobody Nowhere
* The Reason I Jump
* Somebody Somewhere
* Son-Rise: The Miracle Continues
* Strange Son
* Switched On
* Unstrange Minds

|

Fiction|

* The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time
* Dear John
* House Rules
* Mockingbird
* Saving Max
* Speed of Dark
* The Winter Journey
* With the Light

For younger people|

* Everybody Is Different: A Book for Young People Who Have Brothers or Sisters With Autism
* Ian's Walk: A Story about Autism
* Marcelo in the Real World
* Rage: A Love Story
* Rules

Journals|

* Autism
* Autism in Adulthood
* Autism Research
* Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders
* Molecular Autism
* Research in Autism Spectrum Disorders

* v
* t
* e

Autism spectrum

Main|

* Causes
* Diagnosis
* Epidemiology
* Epigenetics
* Heritability
* History
* Memory
* Pathophysiology
* Sex and gender
* Societal and cultural aspects
* Therapies

Diagnoses|

* Pervasive developmental disorder
* Classic autism
* Asperger syndrome
* Pervasive developmental disorder not otherwise specified
* Childhood disintegrative disorder
* High-functioning autism

Associated conditions
and phenomena|

* Alexithymia
* Autism and LGBT identities
* Autistic burnout
* Autistic catatonia
* Autistic masking
* Autistic meltdown
* Hyperlexia
* Late talker
* Monotropism
* Nonverbal autism
* Pathological demand avoidance
* Savant syndrome
* Special interests
* Stimming

Comorbid conditions|

* Avoidant/restrictive food intake disorder
* Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder
* Anxiety disorder
* obsessive–compulsive disorder
* Developmental coordination disorder
* Epilepsy
* Intellectual disability
* Sensory processing disorder
* Global developmental delay
* Verbal Dyspraxia

Associated syndromes|

* 22q11.2 deletion syndrome
* Angelman syndrome
* CHARGE syndrome
* Cohen syndrome
* Cornelia de Lange syndrome
* Down syndrome
* Fetal valproate spectrum disorder
* Fragile X syndrome
* MECP2 duplication syndrome
* Neurofibromatosis type I
* Noonan syndrome
* PTEN hamartoma tumor syndrome
* Rett syndrome
* Smith–Lemli–Opitz syndrome
* Timothy syndrome
* Tuberous sclerosis complex
* Williams syndrome

Related issues|

* Autism rights movement
* Critical autism studies
* Double empathy problem
* Multiple complex developmental disorder
* Neurodiversity
* TEACCH program
* Violence and autism

Controversies|

* Facilitated communication
* Lancet MMR autism fraud
* MMR vaccine
* Rapid prompting method
* Thiomersal
* Chelation

Diagnostic scales|

* Autism Diagnostic Interview
* Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule
* Childhood Autism Rating Scale
* Gilliam Asperger's disorder scale

Screening scales|

* Autism-spectrum quotient
* Childhood Autism Spectrum Test
* Ritvo Autism and Asperger Diagnostic Scale

Lists|

* Autism-related topics
* Fictional characters
* Schools

Accommodations|

* Autism-friendly
* Sensory friendly

Authority control databases |

* ISNI

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