This application addresses Broad Challenge Area (06) Enabling Technologies and specific Challenge Topic, 06-MH-104, Linking data resources with NIH's National Database for Autism Research (NDAR). This application proposes to enhance the infrastructure of the Autism Genetic Resource Exchange (AGRE) so that AGRE can serve as a federation site for the National Database for Autism Research (NDAR). AGRE, a program of Autism Speaks, has amassed an extremely robust clinical dataset that includes detailed medical, developmental, morphological, demographic and behavioral information making it one of the largest systematic repositories of rich, multidisciplinary data for over 4000 ASD individuals and family members. Integrating AGRE's phenotype data with genetic information from multiple sources will provide an extremely rich dataset for data mining. This application will enhance AGRE by bringing together the leaders in clinical phenotyping, data collection, data management, systems integration, and genetic analysis to provide a shared common platform that will facilitate data sharing and scientific collaboration on a broader scale to accelerate the pace of autism research. This will greatly enhance, in both quantity and scope, the knowledge base available to NDAR users, allowing them to advance their analysis and investigation of the underlying causes of autism. Complex neurodevelopmental disorders such as autism are best approached by collaborative research efforts that pool large patient samples to accelerate the pace of research. The availability of comprehensive clinical and genetic databases for autism spectrum disorders (ASD) such as Autism Speaks'Autism Genetic Resource Exchange (AGRE) has had a substantial influence on the trajectory of genetic studies of ASD. The goal of this project is to build the capacity of the AGRE program to serve as a data federation site for the National Database for Autism Research (NDAR). Through this grant, AGRE will be able to make comprehensive phenotype and genetic datasets more broadly available to a larger community of autism researchers.
Complex neurodevelopmental disorders such as autism are best approached by collaborative research efforts that pool large patient samples to accelerate the pace of research. The availability of comprehensive clinical and genetic databases for autism spectrum disorders (ASD) such as Autism Speaks'Autism Genetic Resource Exchange (AGRE) has had a substantial impact on the trajectory of genetic studies of ASD. The goal of this project is to build the capacity of the AGRE program to serve as a data federation site for the National Database for Autism Research (NDAR). Through this grant, AGRE will be able to make comprehensive phenotype and genetic datasets more broadly available to a larger community of autism researchers.
