Causes Of Autism Illuminated: Researchers Map A Molecular Network Of Crucial Protein Interactions

Causes Of Autism Illuminated: Researchers Map A Molecular Network Of Crucial Protein Interactions: Ever since the human genome was mapped, scientists (and those of us cheering from the sidelines) have been hoping to find the genetic basis for various diseases, including autism spectrum disorder (ASD). After a decade of research, however, it is clear the process is not just a matter of sequencing the genome of a group of patients and then figuring out which genetic variation all of them share — to understand the origins of disease, scientists also need to learn all the tiny, atom-sized interactions involved. In a new study, Stanford University researchers mapped an entire molecular network of crucial protein interactions that contribute to autism.