
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
Events
Online
Gerald D. Fischbach Auditorium
Hyatt Regency, Baltimore, MD
Subscribe to our newsletter and receive SFARI funding announcements and news



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

So Hyun Kim, Catherine Lord and colleagues developed a new telehealth approach to autism assessment — the Brief Observation of Symptoms of Autism (BOSA) — for use during COVID-19 and beyond.

Daniel Geschwind and colleagues showed that Cntnap2 knockout mice exhibit alterations in brain-wide connectivity related to social behaviors and that oxytocin within the nucleus accumbens regulates changes in connectivity.
Helen Bateup and colleagues showed that a loss of Tsc1 from striatal direct pathway neurons altered synaptic function and enhanced motor routine learning in mice. These findings suggest that changes in select types of striatal neurons may underlie altered motor behaviors in individuals with tuberous sclerosis complex and autism.
Event Videos
View all events →
SFARI 2022 Bridge to Independence Award RFA: Informational session
January 10, 2022
SFARI hosted an informational session on the 2022 Bridge to Independence Award (BTI) request for applications (RFA). The session provided a brief overview of the BTI program...
By clicking to watch this video, you agree to our privacy policy.
Read More
What do we mean by ‘autism risk genes’?
May 21, 2021
David Ledbetter and Joseph Buxbaum discussed whether there are genes for which mutations confer risk specific to autism or whether these genes are really conferring general...
By clicking to watch this video, you agree to our privacy policy.
Read More
Small molecules, genes and antisense oligonucleotides: Industry perspectives on treatment development for ASD
May 14, 2021
Federico Bolognani, Stuart Cobb, and Yael Weiss joined a panel to discuss new industry developments on the use of small molecules, gene therapy and antisense oligonucleotides...
By clicking to watch this video, you agree to our privacy policy.
Read More
New research results from the Australian Autism Biobank study
May 12, 2021
Jake Gratten and Naomi Wray presented findings from the Australian Autism Biobank study, an initiative to establish an Australian resource of biospecimens, phenotypes and...
By clicking to watch this video, you agree to our privacy policy.
Read More