James Adams on Life, Lessons & Legacy

We’re looking forward to introducing you to James Adams. Check out our conversation below.

James, really appreciate you sharing your stories and insights with us. The world would have so much more understanding and empathy if we all were a bit more open about our stories and how they have helped shaped our journey and worldview. Let’s jump in with a fun one: What is a normal day like for you right now?
I connect via zoom and email with my main collaborators on our dual projects of developing a diagnostic test for autism, and for treating children with autism.

Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
I’m a professor at ASU with an adult daughter with autism. 25 years ago I switched my research to focus on autism and how to treat it.

Amazing, so let’s take a moment to go back in time. Who were you before the world told you who you had to be?
I was a professor of materials science and engineering at ASU, but I saw a desperate need for daughter and millions of others like her who had autism. When she was diagosed, we knew little about the causes of autism and how to treat it. So I decided to focus my life on answering those questions

When did you stop hiding your pain and start using it as power?
When my daughter was diagnosed at age 2.5 years, we were told she had both severe autism and severe intellectual disability, and it was just a matter of time until we would have to institutionalize her. So, my wife and I first focused on loving her and accepting her as she was. After several years my wife attended an autism medical conference which gave us hope, and inspired me to start autism research studies.

Next, maybe we can discuss some of your foundational philosophies and views? What important truth do very few people agree with you on?
We think we have now found one of the major contributing factors to autism symptoms, which is chronic gut disorders involving harmful gut bacteria and yeast that produce harmful chemicals that affect brain and body functioning, similar to how alcohol (from yeast) can affect brain function

Thank you so much for all of your openness so far. Maybe we can close with a future oriented question. What is the story you hope people tell about you when you’re gone?
I hope our work will lead to a national diagnostic test for autism in infants, so it can be detected and treated early in life.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://autism.asu.edu