Home Department: Human Biology
Mentor: Antonio Hardan, Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by the presence of social communication impairments and restricted, repetitive patterns of behavior or interests. Maggie’s research aims to understand the genetic influence on neuronal development by utilizing neuroimaging analysis and cognitive and behavioral assessments on twin pairs with and without ASD. This will help identify neurobiological abnormalities in the brain, and determine the extent of association between genetic factors and abnormalities in individuals with ASD.