AGP News: Press Coverage
1. AGP Phase 2 project (2007-):
1.1 Recent News:
2009:
- New! 8th October 2009. AGP researchers collaborate with Johns Hopkins University on new autism study, published today in Nature, 461, 802-808: "A genome-wide linkage and association scan reveals novel loci for autism", by Lauren A. Weiss, Dan E. Arking and The Gene Discovery Project of Johns Hopkins and the Autism Consortium. [Link to Nature]. Press coverage:
- The John Hopkins newsletter: Gene controlling brain nerve connections linked to autism
- John Hopkins news: Autism: Genome-wide Hunt Reveals New Genetic Links
- Media Newswire:U Psychiatry Researchers Part of Global Collaboration that Reveals New genetic Link for Autism.
- Salt Lake Tribune - Salt Lake City: U. researchers discover another genetic link to autism
- Autism News: Three University of Utah Department of Psychiatry researchers find new genetic link for autism.
- Medical News Today: Autism: Genome-wide Hunt Reveals New Genetic Links
- EurekAlert: Autism Speaks; genetic resource exchange, tissue program support findings published in Nature
- EurekAlert: Genome-wide study of autism published in Nature
- Ascribe: Autism: Genome-Wide Hunt Reveals New Genetic Links
- PHYSORG: Genome-wide study of autism published in Nature
- New!
October 2009. AGP researchers collaborate on major new autism sequencing project. The US National
Institute of Mental Health has used stimulus funding (total $8 million in fiscal year 2009) for a two-year collaborative project that will study the genetic
architecture of autism by deep genomic sequencing. [Link
to full article].
- New!
September 2009. A short review describing recent advances in CNVs found in psychiatric disorders has been published in the new journal, European Psychiatric Review.
The AGP is acknowledged for use of the 1M SNP data showing reciprocal CNVs at the 22q11.2 locus, to help demonstrate the Non-Allelic
Homologous Recombination mechanism.
[Link to full article]. - New! September 2009. A number of AGP collaborators will make presentations at the upcoming 59th Annual Meeting of the American Society of Human Genetics (ASHG), to be held in Hawaii, 21-24 October:
- The AGP: Dissecting the genetic and genomic etiology of autism.
- Parental Origin Bias in de novo CNVs Detected in Autism Probands.
- The Role of the Mitochondria in Autism.
- Genome-wide homozygous haplotype mapping to identify Autism Spectrum Disorder candidate genes.
- Leucine rich repeat gene polymorphisms are associated with autism spectrum disorder susceptibility in populations of European ancestry.
- Further investigation of IMMP2L, LRRN3 and DOCK4 as potential candidate genes for autism susceptibility.
- Copy Number Variation Discovery in Autism Spectrum Disorder.
- New! September 2009. Dr. Anney (UCD) presented a study on
behalf of the AGP at the 12th Annual meeting of the The Irish Society of Human Genetics, Dublin.
[Link to press release]
- 30 April 2009. AGP collaborators participate in new autism study,
led by The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP), published in Nature:
Original Publications:
- Wang et al, "Common genetic variants on 5p14.1 associate with autism spectrum disorders". Nature, published online 28 April 2009. [Abstract]
- Glessner et al, “Autism genome-wide copy number variation reveals 28 April 2009. [Abstract]
- USA. Autism Speaks. "Autism Genes Discovered; Help Shape Connections Among Brain Cells"
- USA. Time. "Autism Linked to Genes That Govern How the Brain Is Wired"
- USA. CHOP. "Autism Genes Discovered; Help Shape Connections Among Brain Cells"
- USA. Vanderbilt University. "Studies find new genetic risk zone for autism"
- UK. BBC. "Genes 'have key role in autism' "
- UK. The Guardian. "Scientists find genetic clues to how autism can develop"
- UK. The Times. "Biggest autism study identifies gene variations behind condition"
- UK. Daily Telegraph. "Gene mutations that may lead to autism identified by scientists"
- UK. The Herald. "First genetic clues to autism uncovered"
- 30 April 2009. AGP collaboration in Kuwait: Qatar: Autism Genome Project on way to unravel the mystery
2008:
- 1 September 2008. Conference paper mentions AGP:
"The first autism disease genes", presented at the 21st Congress of the European College of Neuropsychopharmacology 2008, Barcelona, Spain. - 11 August 2008. Simons Foundation article reports on new AGP publication: "Grouping similar traits in autism uncovers new genetic culprits".
- 1 July 2008. New AGP publication: "Genome-wide Linkage Analyses of Quantitative and Categorical Autism Subphenotypes". Biological Psychiatry 2008 Jul 15. Epub ahead of print. [Full article (pdf)]
- 2nd April 2008: World Autism Day: AGP presented at the UN:
- Further information and link to webcast
- Further information on World Autism Day from Autism Speaks
- Press Conference by Qatar on world autism day resolution: During the Second Annual International Forum for Children with Special Needs held in Doha in April, Autism Speaks and Qatar’s Shaffalah Centre, which assists disabled children, announced plans to launch an Autism Speaks Programme in Qatar.
- February 2008: Autism Speaks:
"Top 10 autism research events in 2007" (includes AGP study). - January 2008: New paper linking autism to copy number variations (CNVs) on chromosome 16
builds on AGP findings:
Toronto / Hospital for Sick Children Press Release - 11 January 2008. (USA):
Publication of results of
Broad Institute study on genetic susceptibility in Autism Spectrum Disorders: Press Release from Autism Speaks
- 4 December 2007. (USA): Autism Speaks announces a new collaboration with the Broad Institute to study genetic susceptibility in Autism Spectrum Disorders: Press Release
To celebrate the first ever United Nations (UN) sanctioned World Autism Awareness Day, the UN held a Panel Discussion on autism. The event was sponsored by the Government of the State of Qatar in collaboration with the World Health Organization and Autism Speaks.
Prof Monaco (WTCHG) was one of the international group of speakers to discuss the global aspect of autism. In his presentation he referred to the ongoing work of the AGP.
1.2. Launch of AGP Phase 2 project (April 2007):
- 12 March 2008: Cure Autism:
Autism Understanding Furthered By International Genetic Study
[..] Currently, phase II of the Autism Genome Project has been announced. The promising discoveries
found in phase I makes scientists hopeful that discovering the genes that cause autism will provide new steps toward autism
understanding. With greater understanding, more effective methods of diagnosis, preventing and treating the disorder can
be taken.
More here
- 27 August 2007. (UK). Times:
Hunting the gene that traps children in their own world
- 25 March (USA):
Major study points to causes of autism
- 3 March 2007 (EU)European Commission: "Europeans play key role in autism research"
- 21 February 2007.(USA):
$1 million autism grant will benefit Hallmayer
- 19 February 2007. (Ireland). UCD News: "€5 million for Irish researchers to help
identify autism gene"
- 19 February 2007 (USA). Hillibrand Foundation:
"Hilibrand Foundation awards $1 million for autism research"
- 18 February 2007. (Canada).Genome Canada: "Canadian Team launches second phase of international autism genome project"
2. AGP Phase 1 project (2004-7):