Home Department: undeclared
Supported by: Anonymous Donor
Mentor: Antonio Hardan, Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences

Lauren Kwa is studying the role of neurosteroids in the pathophysiology of autism spectrum disorder (ASD). By measuring the concentrations of a series of neurosteroids in plasma and saliva samples and characterizing behavioral phenotypes of ASD, the associations between specific patterns of neurosteroids and specific phenotypes will be determined. This research will build the foundation for the use of neurosteroids to develop treatments that reduce irritability and improve sensory and social functions in individuals with ASD.

Poster presented at the Stanford Bio-X Interdisciplinary Initiatives Symposium on August 26, 2015:

Assessing the Role of Neurosteroids in the Pathophysiology and Treatment of Autism Spectrum Disorder

Lauren Kwa¹, Wenchao Sun², Robin Libove¹, Jennifer Phillips¹, Francois Haddad³, Serena Tanaka¹, Antonio Hardan¹, Lawrence K. Fung¹
[Departments of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences¹ and Medicine (Division of Cardiovascular Medicine)³ and Biomaterials & Advanced Drug Delivery Lab², Stanford University]