UCD researchers will play a major role in a leading global project that aims to find the genes that contribute to the risk of developing autism. The international consortium known as the Autism Genome Project (AGP) will receive a total investment of €12 million from a variety of international organisations over the next three years. A large sample of individuals and families with autism has been recruited in Ireland and around the world to participate in the research.
The Health Research Board (HRB) is providing funding of €5 million for Irish researchers to participate in the project. The aim is to find a link between clinical and genetic information in patients and come to a better understanding of the factors contributing to autism. This will be crucial to the development of diagnostics, targeted treatment and intervention.
UCD researchers, Professor Andrew Green and Dr Sean Ennis from the UCD School of Medicine and Medical Science, and TCD researchers, Dr Louise Gallagher and Professor Michael Gill from the School of Medicine at TCD, will play a lead role in the project.
“This project will bring new understanding to how autism develops,” said Professor Andrew Green, UCD School of Medicine and Medical Science. “It will further raise the profile of Irish science worldwide.”
Building on previous success, the international coalition of researchers will apply 'gene-chip' technologies to scan the genome for association with new genetic markers, as well as sub-microscopic copy number variations (CNVs) along chromosomes in autism. These findings will guide high-throughput DNA sequencing experiments designed to pinpoint underlying changes in DNA sequences in autism susceptibility genes. The unprecedented statistical power generated by the AGP will ultimately allow researchers to confirm the role of these genes, in autism spectrum disorders.
Professor Michael Gill, School of Medicine at TCD, described the project as an exciting opportunity for Irish researchers to play a key role in a prestigious international project. “Our involvement in this kind of a global initiative is recognition of the skills and dedication of Irish research teams focused on autism in both Trinity and University College Dublin.”
