The National Database for Autism Research

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Prompted by the need to accelerate progress in autism spectrum disorders (ASD) research, the National Institutes of Health developed the National Database for Autism Research (NDAR).

NDAR is a data repository and portal to many other research repositories. Using NDAR, a researcher can query data from multiple repositories at the same time. This allows for re-aggregation, re-use, re-analysis, and rigorous comparison of results. Currently, NDAR shares detailed clinical, genomic, imaging and other rich data from 17,000 research subjects. Data from another 45,000 subjects is expected. Compared to only 8% of data which is typically shared by any other major research communities, NDAR is poised to meet the Interagency Autism Strategic Plan goal of making 90% of all autism research data available. Fostering transparency, the NDAR website provides summary information about funded research to scientists and the general public. Pooling data across labs transforms research from a traditional, single-lab, single-project approach to a collaborative approach with unprecedented potential for discoveries.

The technology and policy regimes developed for NADR may be useful beyond the biomedicine and public health fields. NDAR is a versatile platform that can replicated across many other areas of research. By re-using this technology, millions of dollars in acquisition or development costs could be saved. It is a model program supporting the needs of 21^st century science.

Visit the National Database for Autism Research website or contact Dr. Gregory K. Farber (301-435-0778 | farberg@mail.nih.gov) or Dan Hall (301-443-7156 | halldan@mail.nih.gov) for more information.

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