Autism is a complex neurodevelopmental disorder that is estimated to affect 1 in every 100 children. Currently we have no medical treatments to cure the disease. PTEN is a tumor suppressor that has been genetically linked to autism as it functions to inhibit cell growth that can result in abnormal brain development. In this grant we aim to study the location and function of PTEN and how failure of this system can result in neurodevelopmental diseases such as autism.