Jan 29
Revealing the Biology of Autism: Insights from the Israeli Desert
Sacramento, California
Region
Presentation
Date
Location
& KOH Library and Cultural Center
2300 Sierra Blvd
Sacramento, CA 95825
This event takes place from Friday, January 29-Sunday, January 31
Friday, January 29, 2016, 7:30 PM
Mosaic Law Congregation Sanctuary
Musical Shabbat Service
Join us in welcoming Dr. Dinstein at a special musical Shabbat service with Rabbi Reuven Taff and Cantor Ben Rosner. Toward the end of the service, Dr. Dinstein will share a preview of what’s to come in his presentations on Saturday and Sunday – a glimpse into current autism research and some promising new approaches underway in Israel’s Negev Desert. Afterward, meet Dr. Dinstein at a festive Oneg Shabbat sponsored by the Michael Boussina Inclusion Program.
Saturday, January 30, 2016, 2:00 – 4:00 PM
KOH Library and Cultural Center
Overcoming Challenges in Autism Research
On Saturday afternoon, Dr. Dinstein will present an overview of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and what worldwide research has uncovered about its causes in recent years. He will also describe the research program currently being established by scientists at BGU, together with clinicians at Soroka Hospital, the only major hospital in the Israeli Negev. He will explain how this work overcomes research roadblocks and will open new paths to discovery – with the goal of transforming the definition of autism from one that is behavioral to one that is biological.
Sunday, January 31, 2016, 2:00 – 4:00 PM
KOH Library and Cultural Center
What’s Different about the Autistic Brain?
Sunday’s talk will delve further into Dr. Dinstein’s research about structural and functional differences between the autistic and typically developing brain, and the neuroimaging technology used to assess these differences. He will present recent findings that demonstrate the potential of neuroimaging to identify specific forms of autism during early development – findings that offer hope for ASD diagnoses and clinical intervention for children as young as 12-24 months old.
RSVP
R.S.V.P. to Taliah Berger, MBIP Executive Director, at [email protected] or 916-541-3720
Seating is limited. This weekend program is free and open to the entire community.
Dr. Ilan Dinstein, a faculty member of BGU’s Department of Psychology and the Zlotowski Center for Neuroscience since 2012, established Israel’s first neurophysiological autism lab.
Dr. Dinstein and his research team use neuroimaging techniques, such as MRI and EEG, to study brain structure and function in children with autism. Their goal is to identify objective biological measures for diagnosis at earlier ages and for distinguishing between different sub-types of autism, which will enable clinicians to use earlier targeted intervention.
Dr. Dinstein earned his Ph.D. in neuroscience at New York University and did postdoctoral work at the Weizmann Institute and Carnegie Mellon University. In recognition of his achievements, Dr. Dinstein was awarded an Alon Fellowship from the Israeli Council for Higher Education, the Sieratzki Prize for Advances in Neuroscience, and the Toronto award for excellence in research.