About SFARI Gene

Mission

SFARI Gene's mission is to provide researchers and life science professionals around the world with the most up-to-date information in the field of autism research. Through the expert curation of available data and the development of innovative tools, we aim to foster an engaged, informed research community, advance our understanding of the etiology of autism, and enable the development of new treatments.

Timeline

After the initial launch of SFARI Gene in 2008, MindSpec researchers have systematically updated its contents with additional modules of diverse data. These continued advancements and additions to the SFARI Gene database have led to the development of a robust, more complete source of information. With the recent release of SFARI Gene 3.0 and the support of the autism research community, SFARI Gene will continue to be an invaluable tool in the effort to better understand and develop treatments for ASD.

  • 2008

    SFARI Gene Launched

    Variations in hundreds of genes can influence risk of ASD. Given the scale of this dataset, SFARI Gene was launched as an expertly curated, comprehensive, and dynamic database that collects information about ASD risk genes from the published scientific literature to keep the autism research community informed of the latest available data.

  • 2009

    Genetic Animal Models Released

    Experimental animals carrying genetic mutations that have been implicated in autism susceptibility provide an essential platform for studying how such mutations might affect brain development. SFARI Gene hosts contains a comprehensive, annotated list of animal models, along with summaries of their accompanying phenotypes.

  • 2009

    PIN Module Released

    The PIN module provides an annotated list of proteins and messenger RNAs that are bound by gene products associated with autism risk, and thus provides a key resource for hypothesis generation.

  • 2011

    CNV Module Released

    Copy number variants (CNVs) were among the earliest identified genetic risk factors for autism, and this module provides a complete catalogue of CNVs that have been reported in autism cohorts.

  • 2011

    Gene Scoring Module Released

    Recognizing that the strength of the evidence implicating genes in autism risk varies from gene to gene, SFARI Gene launched the Gene Scoring module, which provides a systematic and critical assessment of the evidence linking each gene to ASD.

  • 2011

    SFARI Gene 2.0 Released

    Incorporating a new user interface, SFARI Gene 2.0 offered a more complete accounting of high-throughput genomic studies of autism, as well as new features in both the Animal Model and Gene Scoring modules.

  • 2011

    Induced Animal Models Added

    This update to the Animal Model module incorporated a range of autism models that have been induced by biological or chemical agents, providing an important resource for investigators interested in environmental risk factors for autism.

  • 2016

    Rat Models Added

    Recognizing the growing importance and availability of rat models of autism, SFARI Gene 2.0 announced the inclusion of a comprehensive, annotated list of these models.

  • 2017

    SFARI Gene 3.0 Released

    SFARI Gene 3.0 presents the same trusted and comprehensive database on autism genetics in a completely redesigned user interface that enables easier navigation and search capabilities and utilizes attractive new data visualization tools.

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