SFARI Reflects on 15 Years of Simons Searchlight

We’re grateful to the Simons Foundation Autism Research Initiative (SFARI) for sharing a thoughtful article reflecting on 15 years of Simons Searchlight and the research impact made possible through this incredible community.

What began as a small, family-driven effort has grown into a global research program advancing understanding of rare genetic neurodevelopmental conditions. This progress would not be possible without the families who generously share their time, data, and trust, the patient advocacy groups who bring communities together, and the researchers who turn data into discovery. We’re also deeply thankful for the leadership of Dr. Wendy Chung and the longstanding support of the Simons Foundation.

Today, researchers can access Simons Searchlight data and biospecimens through SFARI Base, and use Research Match to efficiently recontact participants for new studies. Together, these tools help reduce recruitment barriers and accelerate research that might otherwise be difficult in rare genetic conditions.

We’re proud of what this community has built over the past 15 years and excited for what’s ahead.

🔗 Read the full SFARI article