Participate In Our Research

Every day, our investigators conduct research that has the potential to change people’s lives. We seek volunteers for those research programs. Some children and adults who volunteer may have specific diagnoses, while others volunteer to serve as controls or people who don’t have a diagnosis. We seek a variety of participants across age, gender, disability, race, and region.
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We are grateful to families who share their experiences, time, and knowledge with us. Explore studies that are recruiting volunteers below.

Ages 50-80: Aging in Premutation Carriers of the Fragile X gene, FMR1

This study is recruiting individuals aged 50-80 with a premutation of the Fragile X gene, FMR1. We also are seeking individuals in this age range who do not have FMR1 premutation and who would be willing to volunteer as a control participant. All participants will be compensated for their time, and individuals with an FMR1 premutation will receive a clinical evaluation report as part of study participation.

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Ages 5-35: Study of brain and behavioral development in autism

The KU BRAIN Lab is seeking research participants ages 5-35. The purpose of the study is to understand brain development and how it relates to thinking, movement abilities, and sensory processing.

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Ages 3-6: Autistic Preschoolers Sought for a Research Study

Over the course of this study, 60 preschoolers with autism will be recruited to participate in local preschools in the Kansas City metro area. Two peer partners are recruited for each child with autism; and one special education team member will be trained as lead interventionist and implement the communication intervention called Stay-Play-Talk.

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Up to age 3: Researchers Looking for Toddlers Who May Have Autism

This study has the goal of providing guidance for therapists to predict which children will remain minimally verbal and benefit most from intensive language intervention at earlier ages.

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Ages 60-75: Participants Needed for FMR1 Premutation Carrier Study

The BRAIN Lab is seeking individuals ages 60-75 years for our studies of behavioral and brain changes during aging in healthy individuals and individuals with premutations of the Fragile X gene, FMR1. Both individuals with and without the premutation are eligible to participate.

A man holds the shoulders of a woman as they smile together