Research Projects

Sex and Gender Differences in Autism

My research focused on autism, with a particular interest in understanding and characterizing sex and gender differences. Historically, autistic females have been underdiagnosed and under-researched, resulting in challenges in accessing appropriate care.

My main current project as a postdoctoral fellow at the Campbell Family Mental Health Research Institute (at the CAMH - Toronto, Canada) is called INFORMHA-f. It aims to investigate how autistic females fits within the neurobiological and clinical heterogenity of the autism spectrum, using large databases and normative modeling. Part of my research also deal with (mental) health in autistic females.

Before that, during my PhD at the Laboratory of Psychology and NeuroCognition (LPNC) in Grenoble, France, I studied sex and gender differences in the context of emotional face processing through the lens of the predictive brain model (PREDEMAUT project). I conducted behavioral and EEG experiments.

In my first postdoctoral position at the LPNC, I also explored school participation in autistic youths (PARTDIAG-TSA project), including the question of sex and gender differences. We also launched the FLEXPREAUT project, which aims to better understand the neural mechanisms of the predictive brain in autism through flexibility tasks and fMRI, continuing to focus on sex and gender differences.

By describing the specific profiles of autistic females, we can help ensure better diagnosis and support for them. Therefore, my research also focuses on the diagnosis of autism in females. Specifically, the fGQ-ASC study, conducted at the Grenoble Alpes University Hospital, is dedicated to validating the French version of the Girl Questionnaire for Autism Spectrum Conditions.

Participatory Research

Another key aspect of my work is the development of participatory research on autism in France. In this context, I co-led the PARAUTIS research project on parenting among autistic individuals at iMind (Lyon, France). I am also involved in the AUTISENCITE project, related to the sensory perception in urban environments.

Additionally, I am part of a working group in the Autism and NDD GIS dedicated to create a school for participatory research. This initiative aims to provide a better framework for participatory research including autistic individuals in France, and to enhance the education of both researchers and the autism community to this research method.