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CURRENT RESEARCH OPPORTUNITIES
We are committed to providing our patients and their families with information about opportunities to participate in research studies. For OC Kids is not affiliated with any of these studies unless directly stated. Your decision to be in any study is totally voluntary. Your care at For OC Kids will not be affected by your decision to participate or not to participate. Please contact the studies directly for more information or to participate.

*We make every effort to keep this page as updated as possible, but if you inquire information about a research project ending/closing, please email the webmaster HERE so that updates to our links can be made.*

Electronic fliers are available by clicking on the Study Links Below.
Hard copies of recruitment fliers are available in the For OC Kids waiting room
This page will be regularly updated to inform our families of the latest research opportunities available.

OPPORTUNITIES AT UC IRVINE

UCIrvine Daily Experiences in Pregnancy Study
UCI IRB# 2002-2316
Lead Researcher: Pathik D. Wadhwa, M.D., Ph.D

The University of California, Irvine, invites you to participate in a study of women's daily experiences (thoughts, feelings, diet, behaviors) in pregnancy.

Eligibility: Female 18 yrs of age or older; pregnant; carrying only one child (i.e., no twins); and English speaking
Time Commitment: Three 4-day long study assessments over the course of participant's early, middle, and late pregnancy.
Research Location: City Tower Building across from the UCI Medical Center in Orange, CA

Contact: Everlyne Gomez: everlyne.gomez@uci.edu; Fiorella Navarro: navarrof@uci.edu; or call: 714-940-1923

UCIrvine Parent Training Project
UCI IRB# 2009-7306
Lead Researcher: Kara Thorsen, M.A.
Faculty Sponsor: Wendy Goldberg Ph.D.

The UC Irvine Department of Psychology and Social Behavior is looking for expectant mothers/mothers with infants younger than 6 months to participate in a research study evaluating a training program for mothers designed to help early detection of autism.

Eligibility: Expecting mothers or mothers with infants younger than 6 months who 1) Have another child with an Autism Spectrum Disorder or 2) Have an older child and NO family history of any developmental disorders.
Time Commitment: 1.5 hour study visit + two online/mailed questionnaires that each take 20 minutes to complete
Research Location: UCI family lab

Contact: Kara Thorsen, M.A. (kthorsen@uci.edu); 1-877-707-5505

Sensory Stimulation for Autism
UCI IRB# 2011-8206

The University of California Irvine, in collaboration with For OC Kids Neurodevelopmental Center, is seeking volunteers to participate in the study of a potential effective treatment for autism using mild forms of sensory stimulation.

Eligibility: child between 3-6 years of age and have a diagnosis of autism
Time Commitment: 4 visits over 6 months; visit length between 1-2 hrs/visit + investigational treatment time (several minutes of your time, 4 times/day for 6 months)

Contact: Michael Leon, Professor of Neurobiology and Behavior, UCI: 949-824-5343

Families Matter!
UCI IRB# 2010-7753
Lead Researcher: Agnes R. Ly, M.A.
Faculty Sponsor: Wendy Goldberg Ph.D.

The UC Irvine Department of Psychology and Social Behavior is looking for mothers and fathers with a child between 3-6 years to participate in a study on how mothers and fathers parent together and how families play!

Eligibility: Mothers and fathers with a child between 3-6 years who 1) Has an Autism Spectrum Disorder OR 2) Is typically developing (no diagnoses)
Time Commitment: 1 hour-long home visit where families will have playtime + time for completing questionnaires
Research Location: At families homes.

Contact: Agnes R. Ly, M.A. (agnes.ly@uci.edu); 949-824-7441

The SEARCH Family Autism Resource Center at University of California, Riverside Smooth Sailing Study: Successful Transition in the Early School Years for Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders
UCR IRB# HS 11-010
Lead Researcher: Dr. Jan Blacher

The SEARCH Family Autism Resource Center at UC Riverside (UCR) is looking for children with Autism Spectrum Disorders to participate in a research study.

Eligibility: Child between the ages of 4-7 who has an autism spectrum disorder
Time Commitment: 3 visits over 18 months
Research Location: The Help Group in Sherman Oaks or UC Riverside

Contact: Los Angeles Area: 310-825-9592 or Riverside Area: 951-827-3849

University of California, Irvine Department of Biomedical Engineering Laboratory for Fluorescence Dynamics Autism Research Study
UCI IRB# 2010-7454
Lead Researcher: Prof. Enrico Gratton

Researchers at the University of California, Irvine are using a non-invasive, painless technique called Near Infrared Spectroscopy (NIRS) to better understand brain functioning in ASD children.

Eligibility: Boys/Girls of age between 6 and 10 years; diagnosed or treated for ASD; willing to participate in a paper task
Time Commitment: 1 visit (about one hour and 30 minutes)
Research Location: UC Irvine Child Development Center

Contact: Chiara Polzonetti (cpolzone@uci.edu); 949-824-1826

Name Listening in Autism Spectrum Disorder
UCI IRB# 2009-7298
Lead Researcher: Sabine Huemer, M.A.; Department of Cognitive Sciences, UCI
Faculty Sponsor: Virginia Mann, Ph.D.

We are looking for adolescents who are interested in participating in a passive listening study that takes place in an MRI scanner. We will examine whether there are differences in how young people with and without autism spectrum disorders process various types of names. the results of the study will help us better understand brain activities in connection with social deficits in autism and can help improve treatment approaches.

Eligibility: Males/Females of age between 13 and 17 years and has been diagnosed with an autism spectrum disorder OR Males/Females of age between 10 and 16 years and has NO diagnosis of an autism spectrum or any other psychiatric disorders
Time Commitment: parent phone questionnaire (~10 minutes); psychological evaluation of adolescent (~ 2.5 hours); (f)MRI scanning session (~30 minutes) Subjects and their parent/legal guardian have to come to the study locations on 2 separate days to complete the study.
Research Location: UCI's Child Development Center in Irvine and the Center of Oncology on the UC Irvine campus for the (f)MRI scans.

Contact: Sabine Huemer, M.A. 310-245-6041

Are You a Parent of a Teenager?
UCI IRB# 2010-7864
Lead Researcher: Maryam Abdullah, M.A.
Faculty Sponsor: Wendy Goldberg Ph.D.

The UC Irvine Department of Psychology & Social Behavior invites moms, dads & teens to participate in a study examining parent-teen relationships.

Eligibility: Moms, dads, and teens (age 13-17 years old) who 1) have been diagnosed with an autism spectrum disorder such as Autism, Asperger's syndrome, PDD-NOS (high functioning ASD) or 2) does not have a developmental disorder and does not have an immediate family history of one (typically developing)
Time Commitment: home visit:teen developmental assessments and teen, mom, & dad relationship questionnaires: (~ 2-hour home visit) + daily diary for one week: teen & mom questionnaires (~20 minutes/day)
Research Location: At families homes.

Contact: UCI Family Lab (families@uci.edu); 949-824-7441

CHOC/UCI Neurodevelopmental Programs
Sponsored by The Children and Families Commission of Orange County