SFARI

Presentations that will be given by SFARI Investigators at the 2017 International Meeting for Autism Research (IMFAR) in San Francisco (May 10-13) are highlighted.

This issue of the SFARI newsletter includes: (1) SFARI launches SPARK, an online research initiative that aims to recruit 50,000 individuals with autism, (2) Upcoming lecture: Christopher Walsh, “One brain, many genomes: Somatic mutation and genomic variability in human cerebral cortex”.

The animal models module of SFARI Gene has recently been expanded to include two new species: Drosophila melanogaster and Danio rerio. As of now, the database lists 55 genes for Drosophila models and 24 genes for zebrafish models, in addition to several models induced by biological or chemical agents.

SFARI’s requests for grant applications (RFAs) underwent a number of changes in 2021. In 2022, we will largely continue on the course set last year. There will be a single call for Pilot Awards and new calls for the Human Cognitive and Behavioral Science and the Genomics of ASD RFAs.

SFARI is pleased to announce that it has awarded 32 grants (19 Pilot Awards and 13 Research Awards) in response to the 2017 Pilot and Research Awards request for applications (RFA).

The International Society for Autism Research (INSAR) 2020 Annual Meeting to be held May 2020 was canceled, but virtual content is now available online. A selection of abstracts and e-Posters by SFARI Investigators, SFARI staff and collaborators are highlighted here.

A new collaboration between SFARI and the Nancy Lurie Marks Family Foundation will generate hundreds of induced pluripotent stem cells from individuals with autism and related neurodevelopmental conditions. These cell lines will become available to researchers starting next year.

On May 21, 2019, the recipients of the SFARI Bridge to Independence Award gathered at the Simons Foundation to discuss their scientific findings and plans in autism research.

New data were added to SFARI Gene in June. This data release included the addition of new human genes implicated in autism, new animal models, and new protein-protein and protein-nucleic-acid interactions of relevance for autism.

New data were added to SFARI Gene in March 2017. This data release included updated gene scores for candidate autism risk genes, new animal models, and new copy number variant loci associated with autism.