A look back at the event "Autism: what can we learn from research?" held on March 30, 2019

On Saturday March 30, nearly 550 people came to the Institut Pasteur for a day focusing on the latest progress in research by the Institut Pasteur and Robert Debré Hospital on autism and autism spectrum disorder. This unique event also included a presentation of the new "Autisme Info Service", France's first free national platform for information on autism launched in April 2019, and a progress report on the national autism strategy, one year on from its launch.

The autism day, organized on the initiative of Thomas Bourgeron, Head of the Human Genetics and Cognitive Functions Unit at the Institut Pasteur, and his team, provided an opportunity to present the latest research on autism and autism spectrum disorder.

An introduction by Stewart Cole, President of the Institut Pasteur, and Hélène Gilardi, Director of Robert Debré Hospital (part of the Paris Public Hospital Network or AP-HP), was followed by a presentation of the most recent research and discoveries on autism resulting from cooperation between scientists at the Institut Pasteur, child psychiatrists at Robert Debré Hospital, and more broadly French and European partners. The importance of genetics, the need for a precise early diagnosis, and the complexity of treatments owing to the wide-ranging profiles of people with autism were also discussed.

The Institut Pasteur and Robert Debré Hospital also presented the research they are carrying out together with the aim of improving understanding of brain function and neurodevelopmental disorders. Several collaborative multidisciplinary projects are under way, led by Thomas Bourgeron, Head of the Human Genetics and Cognitive Functions Research Unit, and Richard Delorme, Head of the Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Department at Robert Debré Teaching Hospital.

This major event was also an opportunity for the general public, and especially patients and their families, to meet the scientists and clinicians involved at various levels in efforts to understand and tackle autism.

At the event, Samuel Le Bihan and Florent Chapel, Vice-President of the Autism Foundation – both parents of autistic children – introduced the new "Autisme Info Service", a platform for people with autism and their families designed to provide information about autism screening and diagnosis, activities specially geared towards those with autism, administrative procedures and professionals that can provide valuable assistance. This first free national platform for autism was launched on April 2, World Autism Awareness Day.

C laire Compagnon, interministerial delegate for the national autism strategy within the broader landscape of neurodevelopmental disorders, attended the event, setting out the five pledges in the French national autism strategy for the period 2018-2022.

Finally, accompanied by Thomas Bourgeron, Erik Orsenna, Ambassador for the Institut Pasteur, concluded the day with the words "If we managed to put aircraft in the sky, why shouldn't we be able to help people live better lives?"

Read the fact sheet about autism (in French)

Access the presentations made during the event (in French)

Posters (in French)