Considering sex- and gender-related mechanisms in autism neuroscience

Speaker: Dr. Meng-Chuan Lai, Associate Professor, Department of Psychiatry, Department of Psychology, University of Toronto, Staff Psychiatrist, Clinician Scientist, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health

Dr. Meng-Chuan Lai (MD, PhD) is a staff psychiatrist and senior scientist at the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto. He is an Associate Professor and Co-Chair, Advisory Council for Equity, Diversity, Inclusion, Indigeneity and Accessibility in Clinical Care in the Department of Psychiatry, and Graduate Faculty at the Institute of Medical Science and Department of Psychology, University of Toronto. He is an Honorary Visiting Fellow at the Department of Psychiatry, University of Cambridge, and an Adjunct Associate Professor and Attending Psychiatrist at the National Taiwan University Hospital. He is an INSAR Fellow and an editor of the journals Autism and Molecular Autism. As a Canadian Institutes of Health Research Sex and Gender Science Chair, Dr. Lai’s work focuses on how sex- and gender-related factors act as modulating mechanisms for the presentation and adaptation, clinical recognition, neurobiology and etiologies of neurodevelopmental and co-occurring mental health conditions.

Talk summary:

In this talk I will provide an overview of how neuroscience studies, especially neuroimaging research, have utilized sex and gender lenses to understand the neurobiology of autism to date. Specifically, I will focus on what we know so far about the neurobiological heterogeneity of autism associated with sex (and much more limited, about the associations with gender), and on the relations between sex-related mechanisms and mechanisms of autism emergence.

Mentorship opportunity: 

Immediately following Dr. Lai's presentation, audience members will have the opportunity to hear more about Dr. Lai's career. This is an excellent opportunity for trainees to ask questions and learn more about careers in women's health. 

Agenda:

9-9:45 : Speaker presentation

9:45-10:00: Question and answer period

10-10:30: Mentorship session

Register here