SFARI | Simons Foundation Autism Research Initiative

SFARI’s mission is to improve the understanding, diagnosis and treatment of autism spectrum disorders by funding innovative research of the highest quality and relevance.

SFARI

Cerebellum from a brain. Multiphoton fluorescence micrograph (MFM) of a section through the cerebellum from a human brain, showing the inner white matter (purple) and outer grey matter (green). The white matter mainly contains axons, which pass nerve impulses to the brain's outer cortex. The grey matter is made up of two layers of neurons (nerve cells), the molecular layer and the granular layer. Here, glial cells in the grey matter are stained green and cell nuclei in the white matter are stained purple. The cerebellum controls sensory perception, motor control and coordination. Magnification: x100 when printed at 10 centimetres across.

Funding Opportunity Analysis of postmortem brain tissue from the Autism BrainNet collection — Request for applications

The Simons Foundation Autism Research Initiative is pleased to announce the Analysis of postmortem brain tissue from the Autism BrainNet collection — Request for applications (RFA). Grants awarded through this RFA are intended to advance the understanding of autism spectrum disorder through analyses of human postmortem brain tissue donated to the Autism BrainNet collection.

News2021 Genomics of ASD: Pathways to Genetic Therapies awardees announced

NewsAutism BrainNet to digitize the Autism Celloidin Library of postmortem brains

News

SFARI Investigators awarded Nobel Prize, Lasker Award and MacArthur Fellowship

Neuroscience 2021: Presentations by SFARI Investigators

SFARI Investigators elected to the National Academy of Medicine in 2021

2021 SFARI Human Cognitive and Behavioral Science awardees announced

Available Resources

SFARI is working to advance autism science by providing a number of key resources to researchers.

Cohorts

Simons Simplex Collection

The Simons Simplex Collection (SSC) contains genetic and phenotypic data from nearly 3,000 families with a child affected by autism.

Simons Searchlight

Simons Searchlight is studying individuals with recurrent genetic variants associated with autism and related neurodevelopmental disorders.

SPARK

SPARK is an online research initiative that aims to recruit 50,000 individuals with autism and their family members living in the U.S.

Autism Inpatient Collection

Autism Inpatient Collection (AIC) is a study designed to produce a collection of phenotypic and genetic data from children with a clinical diagnosis of autism who have been admitted to one of six specialized inpatient…

Models

Mouse models

SFARI is helping to make mouse models of high-risk autism genes and copy number variants available to the research community.

Rat models

SFARI is helping to make rat models of high-risk autism genes available to the research community.

Zebrafish models

SFARI is helping to make zebrafish models of high-risk autism genes available to the research community.

Neural stem cell culture. Fluorescent light micrograph of groups of neural stem cells (neurospheres) in culture. Neural stem cells are able to differentiate into neurons (nerve cells) or support cells (glial cells). They are a potential source of cells to replace damaged or lost brain cells.

iPS cell models

SFARI is helping to make iPS cell lines derived from individuals who participated in the SSC and Simons Searchlight available to researchers.

Other Resources

SFARI Gene

SFARI Gene is an evolving database for the autism research community that is centered on genes implicated in autism susceptibility.

DNA analysis. Graphs showing the results of DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid) sequencing.

Data analysis tools

A number of visualization and analysis tools are available to explore genetic and phenotypic data from the SSC, Simons Searchlight and SPARK.

Therapeutics

Clinical Research Associates (CRA) is evaluating new potential treatments for autism, including R-baclofen.

SFARI Base

SFARI Base provides approved researchers with access to data and biospecimens from the SSC, Simons Searchlight, SPARK and Autism Inpatient Collection.

Autism BrainNet

Autism BrainNet is a collaborative network of academic sites that collects, stores and distributes brain tissue for autism research.

We solicit applications for SFARI Awards from individuals who will conduct bold, imaginative, rigorous and relevant research in four main research areas: gene discovery, molecular mechanisms, circuits, cognition and behavior, and clinical.

View Funding Opportunities

Funded Research

Since its launch in 2006, SFARI has supported over 550 investigators studying autism-related research in the U.S. and abroad. Research projects include studies at the genetic, molecular, cellular, circuit and behavioral levels, in addition to clinical and translational studies.

Research Highlights

Altered hormone signaling in the brainstem causes motor delays in 16p11.2 mice

Simon Chen and colleagues found that a reduction in locus-coeruleus noradrenaline neuromodulatory signaling contributes to altered motor learning in 16p11.2 deletion mice.

RhoA over activation may underlie smaller brain volumes in Cul3 mutant mice

Lilia Iakoucheva and colleagues found that mice lacking a copy of the high-confidence ASD risk gene Cul3 have reduced brain volumes, potentially due to defects in Rho signaling during brain development.

Tandem repeat mutations in autism

Melissa Gymrek and colleagues developed a framework for the identification and prioritization of de novo mutations at tandem repeats on a genome-wide scale and assessed their contribution to autism risk.

Other Initiatives

SPARK is an online research initiative that aims to recruit 50,000 individuals with autism and their families. sparkforautism.org

Spectrum is an editorially independent publication funded by SFARI spectrumnews.org

News

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Funding Opportunities

Research Highlights

Event Videos

What do we mean by ‘autism risk genes’?

Small molecules, genes and antisense oligonucleotides: Industry perspectives on treatment development for ASD

New research results from the Australian Autism Biobank study

Clinical trials and cyclic AMP in fragile X syndrome: A life journey

Other Initiatives