Archive for category: Resources & Insights

Free webinar at 1:00 p.m. Eastern time (US), April 15, 2026

Sustained potential (SP) is a neural response to periodic auditory stimuli registered with EEG 40Hz Auditory Steady-State Response. The talk addresses the potential to define different language subgroups in autism and to use this biomarker in clinical trials.

About the speaker:

Dr. Vardan Arutiunian, PhD, is currently a postdoctoral fellow at Azrieli Research Center in Sainte-Justine Mother and Child University Hospital Center (CHU Sainte-Justine), University of Montreal in Sarah Lippe’s Lab (Montreal, QC, Canada). He received his PhD degree in Linguistics from the Center for Language and Brain (HSE University, Moscow, Russia) in the field of language and communication in individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and completed a postdoctoral training (2022–2025) in clinical electroencephalography at Seattle Children’s Research Institute, in Sara Jane Webb’s Lab (Seattle, WA, USA).

In his research, Dr. Vardan Arutiunian uses multiple approaches and methods, such as behavioral assessment, genetic approaches (polymorphism, genome-wide copy number variation), and neurobiological methods (e.g., magnetoencephalography, electroencephalography, brain morphometry) to investigate a variability of language skills as well as structural and functional brain mechanisms of language impairment in children with ASD.

Dr. Vardan Arutiunian’s current studies combine genetic, neuroimaging, and behavioral approaches to understand the biological basis of language in autistic individuals and their first-degree relatives. His studies also address the biomarkers of language impairments in ASD and the presence of these biomarkers in clinical trials. Furthermore, his research aims to identify the early neural markers of language impairments in infants at risk for developing ASD and to reveal the validity of these neural markers to predict long-term language outcome in children who will later be diagnosed with ASD.

Dr. Vardan Arutiunian received a number of research and teaching awards from several organizations in Russia, European Union, and the United States. He presented the main results of his studies in Russia, Germany, France, Italy, Singapore, Canada, United Arab Emirates, and the United States of America. Dr. Arutiunian, PhD, is a 2024 ARI Research Grantee.

Free webinar at 1:00 p.m. Eastern time (US), April 1, 2026

Learn about evidence-based, effective nutritional strategies to manage constipation.

About the speaker:

Kelly Barnhill, MBA, CN, CCN, is the Director of the Nutrition Clinic at The Johnson Center for Child Health and Development. She is a Certified Clinical Nutritionist with over a decade of experience working with nutrition in children with autism and related disorders. At the Johnson Center, she directs a team of dieticians and nutritionists that has served over 3000 children through this practice.

In addition to her clinical practice, Kelly also serves as the Johnson Center Clinical Care Director, overseeing management and implementation of multidisciplinary care across the practices within the organization. In 2008, Kelly accepted the position of Nutrition Coordinator for the Autism Research Institute. In this role, she designs and manages curriculum and training for hundreds of nutrition practitioners each year, as well as providing direct training for thousands of parents. Kelly is a sought-after presenter, speaking at several national and international conferences each year.

Her studies and work at JCCHD are the culmination of many years’ effort and expertise, with the last several years devoted to understanding the biological underpinnings of the disorder we know as autism. Her work has raised awareness of the need for these services for children with autism and related disorders. Kelly is a graduate of the University of Texas at Austin.

Ms. Barnhill also sits on ARI’s Board of Directors and Scientific Advisory Board.