The 2nd conference entitled Autism, Genes and the Environment will be held September 13-15, 2003 in Sacramento, California. Two of 12 NIEHS/EPA-sponsored Children's Centers have their primary focus on childhood autism and will co-sponsor the meeting and associated workshops. The U.C. Davis Center for Children's Environmental Health will host the meeting and the Center for Childhood Neurotoxicology and Exposure Assessment administered through UMDNJ will serve as co-sponsor. Additional financial and logistical support for this year's meeting comes from The M.I.N.D. Institute. The intent is to alternate between east and west cost locations to increase the opportunities for participation in one of the few forums that directly address the interplay between genes and environment in the etilolgy of autism. The agenda is designed to bring together environmental epidemiologists, behavioral researchers, and molecular and cellular neurotoxicologists who may not have applied their expertise toward elucidating the influence of environmental exposures to the development of social behavior, with established researchers in the field of autism. In addition to scientists from academia and governmental organizations, the Centers have incorporated a formal program to encourage participation of parents of autistic children, advocates, and caregivers. Focused workshops will be led by M.I.N.D. Institute professionals and affiliates, which are designed to address specific needs of the community. The long-term objective of the forum is to improve communication between toxicologists and researchers in the field of autism, stimulate multidisciplinary collaboration, and better understand the interplay between susceptibility genes and environmental exposure in the etiology of autism. The following topics will be presented at the conference: Critical Periods of Pre- and Post-Natal Development; Environmental Epidemiology of Neurodevelopmental and Autoimmune Disorders; Animal Models of Neuro- and Immuno-toxicity, and Molecular and Cellular Neurotoxicity of Organic Mercury. Three workshops for parents and caregivers will address the following: Dietary Factors Influencing Autistic Behaviors; Pharmacological Interventions, and Behavioral Interventions.