A Paris-born child psychiatrist, Fombonne has advanced bold positions on the cause, prevalence and nature of autism during a career spanning four countries.

An autism brain imaging study published seven years ago received an expression of concern last month after its authors failed to uphold a promise to make their raw data freely available.

Audio and motion-sensor recordings offer a remote window into a baby’s first years and make it easier for families to participate in research.

Researchers put hundreds of gut bacteria strains through their paces to chart the compounds each creates — and to help others explore the flora’s potential contribution to autism.

Mounting evidence suggests that autism often involves upsets in homeostatic plasticity, a set of processes neurons use to stabilize their activity. These disruptions result from a range of autism-linked mutations and may help to explain the condition’s famed heterogeneity.

Premature birth is tied to an increased chance of having autism, according to the largest study yet looking for a potential connection.