Queensland's most experienced provider of specialised education and therapy services for individuals on the autism spectrum.

The Australian Autism Biobank Study

Participants required:

  • Children aged 2-17 years who are on the Autism Spectrum and their siblings.
  • Children aged 2-17 years with no diagnosis of Autism Spectrum in the Family as our Control population.

Project description: 
The Australian Autism Biobank Study is now recruiting families who may be interested in participating. The biobank is a National Study and in Queensland is a joint partnership between the Autism CRC, Mater Research Institute and Children’s Health Queensland. The aim of the biobank is to collect detailed information on Australian children with autism and their families.

Participation in the study involves the completion of questionnaires about the child and family, a clinical assessment where the child is asked to participate in various child-friendly games and activities, and the collection of biological samples, including a blood sample, from the child and their family.

Benefits to participants:
While families may not benefit directly from this study, this data will be used to facilitate our understanding of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) as well as for earlier and more accurate diagnosis of ASD in children.

The creation of the Australian Autism Biobank is likely to make a significant contribution to the understanding of ASD aetiology. A clearer understanding of the range of genetic and environmental variations that contribute to the occurrence of ASD may provide added insight into the regulation of brain development, which, in turn may open up opportunities for developing more effective treatment of the condition. Significant developments in our understanding of what causes ASD can only be made by studying large numbers of affected individuals. The creation of the Australian Autism Biobank is an essential first step in obtaining sufficient data, which may eventually lead to significant gains in our knowledge of how to identify, diagnose and treat people with ASD.

Please visit the Biobank website for more information.  

To participate in the Queensland site of the Australian Autism Biobank, or for more information about this study, please contact the Autism Biobank Research Team:
P. 0435 860 506
E. autism.biobank@mater.uq.edu.au