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.
News
SFARI workshop highlights challenges and best practices for induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cell models in autism research
New DYRK1A and GRIN2B zebrafish models added to SFARI resources
SPARK August 2022 update: New phenotypic and genomic data available
SFARI 2022 Bridge to Independence fellows announced
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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…
Simons Searchlight
Simons Searchlight is studying individuals with recurrent genetic variants associated with autism and related neurodevelopmental disorders.
Simons Simplex Collection
The Simons Simplex Collection (SSC) contains genetic and phenotypic data from nearly 3,000 families with a child affected by autism.
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.
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.
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.
Autism BrainNet
Autism BrainNet is a collaborative network of academic sites that collects, stores and distributes brain tissue for autism research.
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.
SFARI Base
SFARI Base provides approved researchers with access to data and biospecimens from the SSC, Simons Searchlight, SPARK and Autism Inpatient Collection.
SFARI Gene
SFARI Gene is an evolving database for the autism research community that is centered on genes implicated in autism susceptibility.
Therapeutics
Clinical Research Associates (CRA) is evaluating new potential treatments for autism, including R-baclofen.
Funding Opportunities
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.
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
Genevieve Konopka and colleagues coupled brain imaging with measures of gene expression to reveal that gene expression patterns in the cortex that typically underlie functional brain activity in neurotypical individuals are affected in people with autism.
A bidirectional switch affecting phosphorylation of Shank3 influences homeostatic synaptic plasticity
Gina Turrigiano and colleagues showed that the phosphorylation state of the autism-associated synaptic scaffold protein Shank3 can bias synapses toward upward or downward homeostatic plasticity.
Decoding of emotional vocal cues by the auditory cortex correlates with social communication abilities in children
Vinod Menon and colleagues showed that a subregion of the auditory cortex decodes emotional cues in a communication partner’s voice and that this predicts social communication abilities in children.
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