Janet McLaughlin


Janet McLaughlin is an Associate Professor of Health Studies and a Research Associate with the International Migration Research Centre at Wilfrid Laurier University. She is an interdisciplinary scholar trained in medical anthropology, with interests in the areas of global and environmental health, food systems, labour, social justice, citizenship, transnational migration and the social impacts of autism. Her research and publications have focused on various areas of migrant workers’ health, rights and well-being, including: access to health care and workers’ compensation; women’s experiences of gender-based violence; occupational, mental, sexual and reproductive health; social determinants of health; and the impacts of separation on migrant families. She is co-founder of the Migrant Worker Health Project, www.migrantworkerhealth.ca, which promotes accessible health care for migrant workers. Dr. McLaughlin is currently researching autism policy and family impacts in Ontario.

From this contributor

Explore more from The Transmitter

Research image of autism-linked gene PTEN changes in neurons.

A consensus on the definition of profound autism, and more

Here is a roundup of autism-related news and research spotted around the web for the week of 5 July.

By Sarah Thau
7 July 2026 | 2 min read

‘Completely new learning mechanism’ drives navigation in fruit flies

The neuromodulator octopamine, the insect counterpart to norepinephrine, helps flies get their bearings in an unfamiliar environment.

By Natalia Mesa
7 July 2026 | 0 min watch
Illustration of needle sewing through multicolor strips.

How to use artificial intelligence to strengthen scientific processes and scholarly output

As AI-driven systems are integrated into all aspects of science, we need to make sure that they read and write to a shared data and knowledge space.

By Satrajit Ghosh
6 July 2026 | 5 min read