Autism Genetic Resource Exchange
{{Short description|DNA biobank funded by Autism Speaks}}{{Infobox company
| logo = AGRE logo.png
| type = Biobank
| predecessor = Cure Autism Now
| founded = 1990s
| website = {{URL|autismspeaks.org/agre}}
}}
The Autism Genetic Resource Exchange (AGRE) is a DNA biobank funded by Autism Speaks. It exists as a DNA repository and family registry of genotypic and phenotypic information available to autism researchers worldwide{{cite journal |display-authors=etal |vauthors=Geschwind DH, Sowinski J, Lord C |year=2001 |title=The Autism Genetic Resource Exchange: a resource for the study of autism and related neuropsychiatric conditions |journal=Am J Hum Genet |volume=69 |issue=2 |pages=463–6 |doi=10.1086/321292 |pmc=1235320 |pmid=11452364}}
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History
AGRE was established in the 1990s by a predecessor organization, Cure Autism Now.{{cite news |url=https://www.usatoday.com/life/2004-01-12-autism-main_x.htm |author= Painter K |title= Science getting to roots of autism |work= USA Today |date=2004-01-12 |accessdate=2008-11-16}}
Cure Autism Now was a Los Angeles-based non-profit organization founded in 1995 by Jonathan Shestack and Portia Iversen, the parents of an autistic child, whose story is told in the book Strange Son. Cure Autism Now was an organization of parents, doctors and scientists devoted to research to prevent, treat and cure autism.{{cite news |url=https://www.pbs.org/kcet/closertotruth/explore/show_03.html |title= How does the autistic brain work? |publisher=PBS |date=2003-04-06 |access-date=2008-11-21| archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20081025023214/http://www.pbs.org/kcet/closertotruth/explore/show_03.html| archive-date= 25 October 2008 | url-status= dead}} In 1997, Cure Autism Now established AGRE despite initial resistance from scientists to begin a project that conflicted with existing practices.{{cite news|title=You can hurry science |author=Coukell A |work=proto |date=Winter 2006 |pages=26–31 |url=http://protomag.com/assets/you-can-hurry-science |publisher=Massachusetts General Hospital |accessdate=2009-01-11 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20110715125230/http://protomag.com/assets/you-can-hurry-science |archivedate=2011-07-15 }}
Projects
In October 2011, AGRE announced a plan to create the world's largest library of sequenced human genomes of individuals with autism-related genes, representing 2000 families and 10000 individuals.{{Citation needed|date=July 2023}} To do this, AGRE will provide specimens to the Beijing Genomics Institute, who would perform the sequencing.{{cite web |url= http://www.autismspeaks.org/science/science-news/autism-speaks-funds-creation-world%E2%80%99s-largest-autism-genome-library |title=Autism Speaks Funds Creation of World's Largest Autism Genome Library | Autism Speaks |work=autismspeaks.org |date=11 October 2011 |accessdate=28 November 2011}}