Researchers in the Center for Human Genetics Research at VUMC are trying to identify the genetic causes of autism. The principal investigators of this study are James S. Sutcliffe, Ph.D., and Jonathan L. Haines, Ph.D. Our research to date has led to the identification of chromosomal regions that are expected to contain one or more genes involved in the development of autism. We are currently working to identify genes in these regions that play a role in the development of autism. Identifying the genetic causes of autism may lead to improvements in the diagnosis of this disorder and in intervention options for individuals with this disorder.

Our group is a member of a consortium of autism research groups brought together by the National Alliance for Autism Research (NAAR). This effort has been termed the Autism Genome Project (AGP). The AGP is a large-scale, collaborative genetics research project designed to map the human genome for autism genes. The AGP is the largest research collaboration ever to focus on the genetics of autism. The project will involve about 170 researchers (from approximately 50 academic and research institutions) and approximately 1,500 families (with two children diagnosed with autism) from all over the world. Four institutes of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), the National Institute of Child Health & Human Development (NICHD), the National Institute of Neurological Disorders & Stroke (NINDS), and the National Institute of Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (NIDCD), are partnering with NAAR to fund this effort.

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Genetics and Autism
Participation in the Genetics of Autism Spectrum Disorders Study
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Additional Information on Autism