Jill Escher is on a mission to spur research into how chemicals in the environment may influence risk for autism.

On Cayo Santiago island, scientists track the alliances and power struggles of a colony of feral monkeys — collecting data to generate new insights into the social challenges that people with autism face.

The mutations that men accumulate in their sperm as they age don’t account for most of their increased risk of having a child with autism.

Many of the genes implicated in autism are unusually long — a feature that leaves them susceptible to breaking during cell division.

Mutations in genes that seemingly don’t affect the corresponding proteins may still boost autism risk.

Watch the complete replay of Brian O’Roak discussing the accelerating pace of autism genetics and new methods for identifying and validating autism risk genes.

Most methods used to scan the genome are missing thousands of complex variants that alter DNA structure and may contribute to autism risk.

Collaboration and transparency will be key as scientists sort through thousands of whole genomes of people with autism for genetic clues.

Taking a close look at people who have a mutation in a known autism gene may reveal why these people often have vastly different characteristics.

Brian O’Roak has helped to steer some of the largest, most complex studies of autism genetics to date.