From the embers of Spectrum 10K, an autism 'neuroimmune' phoenix may rise...

Statement from the Spectrum 10K research team, 30th January 2025 https://www.autismresearchcentre.com/projects/spectrum-10k/

It looks like Cambridge have decided that Spectrum10K - with the "intention had been to create a database with 10,000 DNA samples related to autism health research" - is to call it a day. 

Various voices, from several different autisms communities (note the plurals), had raised concerns about the initiative and particularly, what the endgame was. The PEAPOD studies gauged opinions from various of those autisms communities and well, ultimately I think the organisers probably thought it just wasn't worth the efforts. 

Will it be missed? For some, no. For others, particularly those allied to the genetics ilk, perhaps. 

But from out of the embers comes a potential phoenix as we're told that "there are now other very large health and genetic databases in the UK and internationally that have become available as a resource for autism health research. This means that we no longer need to collect new DNA samples as we can use existing health and genetic databases to better understand the health challenges faced by autistic people." 

More specifically one of the potential new aims seems incredibly sensible: "Whether autistic people experience greater prevalence and severity of neuroimmune conditions, and – if so – why". I'll stick my neck out here and say that this is probably more likely to yield actionable results in the form of both data on such 'neuroimmune conditions' and the ways to treat said conditions and their likely impact on the presentation of autism. Of course I am biased around the importance of somatic health conditions and autism... Bridging the Gap Between Physical Health and Autism Spectrum Disorder https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7335278/