SPARK

SPARK (Simons Foundation Powering Autism Research for Knowledge) is an autism research initiative that aims to recruit, engage and retain a community of 50,000 individuals with autism and their family members living in the U.S.

Participation in this cohort involves the contribution of medical and behavioral information, mailing in saliva for genetic analysis, the potential option to have genetic findings related to autism returned, and the option to be recontacted to participate in future research studies. This community of engaged participants will provide researchers with an efficient way to invite individuals to participate in their research.

This research project is centrally coordinated by the Simons Foundation Autism Research Initiative (SFARI) and includes collaboration with 31 university-affiliated research clinics in 26 states across the U.S. SFARI launched a pilot phase of the project in December 2015 with three clinical sites. An additional 18 sites began recruiting individuals with autism and their families in April 2016, 4 more sites began in April 2017 and the remaining sites in March 2019.

In addition, numerous national and local autism community organizations across the U.S. are partnering with SFARI to help recruit participants and spread the word about this landmark study.

Researchers can request de-identified phenotypic and genetic data and submit an application to recruit SPARK participants into new autism research studies through SFARI Base. The SPARK Recruitment Process Document provides answers to many frequently asked questions.

Families who are interested in learning more about SPARK or in participating can visit SPARKforAutism.org.

Phenotypic Data

Phenotypic data from 251,082 individuals (including more than 99,000 individuals with ASD) are currently available to approved researchers via SFARI Base. These individuals include:

• 84,005 children (under 18 years of age) with ASD
• 15,303 adults with ASD
• 75,099 males with ASD
• 24,348 females with ASD
• 40,672 unaffected siblings
• 6,273 enrolled twins, triplets and quadruplets
• 13,953 multiplex families

A summary of the phenotypic data that is available for these participants can be accessed here.

A summary of the demographic and clinical information for these participants is available here.

Genomic Data

Genomic data for over 47,000 participants, including 43,276 exomes and 7,865 genomes are currently available. 21,977 exomes and 2,162 genomes are from individuals with ASD. These data are available to approved researchers via SFARI Base.

A release of additional 16,803 exomes is planned in the next few months.

There will be a publication embargo for 6 months after all genomic data is released that will prohibit submission of manuscripts for publication.

Results from a pilot study ‬that genetically characterized 457 families enrolled in SPARK is available here:‬

• Feliciano P. et al. npj Genom. Med. 4, 19 (2019) PubMed