SPARK | Improving the Lives of People with Autism
SPARK is an autism research study and a growing community of autistic individuals, their families, and researchers on a mission to advance the understanding of autism. SPARK’s mission is to improve the lives of people with autism by identifying the causes of autism and informing more effective therapies, treatments, services, and support. Because without research, they are just guessing.
In addition, SPARK is committed to diversity, equity, and inclusion in research and strives to listen to and include all voices in the autism community. The SPARK Snapshot – African American & Black Communities provides a window into the autism journey of African American and Black SPARK participants.
About SFARI
SPARK is a project supported by the Simons Foundation, through the Simons Foundation Autism Research Initiative (SFARI). The overall mission of SFARI is to improve the understanding, diagnosis, and treatment of autism spectrum disorders by supporting innovative research of the highest quality and relevance.
SFARI was launched in 2006 by the Simons Foundation to bring more high-quality scientists into the field of autism research. Today, with a budget of $90 million per year, SFARI supports over 300 autism researchers in the U.S. and around the world. These scientists work in a range of scientific fields including genetics, neuroscience and clinical research. SFARI was an early leader in the study of the genetics of autism. Seeing a need to create a large genetic data set of autism families available to all researchers, SFARI launched the Simons Simplex Collection in 2006 and gathered genetic and other information on nearly 3,000 autism families. Data from the Simons Simplex Collection has yielded many important advances in the genetic basis of autism.
Another SFARI initiative is Simons Searchlight, which aims to better understand genetic neurodevelopmental conditions, specifically those associated with autism. Simons Searchlight collects family, medical, developmental and behavioral information through online surveys and phone interviews with families and individuals. Simons Searchlight families can connect with other families with the same genetic diagnosis. They may also have the chance to connect with researchers and participate in additional studies to advance the understanding of their genetic changes. Simons Searchlight, previously named Simons Variation in Individuals Project (Simons VIP), has been working with families for more than a decade.
SPARK is the next step in SFARI’s effort to advance autism research. Autism is a complex and varied condition that will require genetic analysis of tens of thousands of families not only to further genetic understanding but to gather important behavioral and medical information from all types of families impacted by autism. While one of SPARK’s goals is to advance science, our other immediate goal is to provide useful resources for those impacted by autism.
Why Join SPARK for Autism
As autism is a spectrum, researchers need many people with autism to participate in all types of research. Until now, only a small number of individuals and families affected by autism have ever participated in research. SPARK wants to invite the entire autism community to dramatically expand its participation.
SPARK will provide researchers with medical and genetic information from tens of thousands of individuals and families affected by autism. These data will power important new research that aims to advance the understanding of autism and provide meaningful information and resources to participants.
Connect with SPARK for Autism
- 1-844-54-SPARK or 1-844-547-7275
- info@SPARKforAutism.org