Collection of a unique dataset across Europe The Longitudinal European Autism Project (LEAP) is a pioneering European project that aimed to identify biological characteristics (biomarkers) that are common or distinct between autistic people and that could help predict...

We are delighted to congratulate AIMS-2-TRIALS Autism Representative (A-Rep) Dr Mary Doherty on being recognised with a British Citizen Award Medal of Honour for Services to Healthcare (BCAh). Dr Doherty, a consultant anaesthetist from Ireland who is autistic and has...

AIMS-2-TRIALS has released the first dataset to the autism research community, marking a significant milestone for the project. This follows a collaborative effort between AIMS-2-TRIALS researchers and autism community members with the data sharing platform ELIXIR...

Researchers from the University of Cambridge led a study investigating autistic people’s priorities for change in collaboration with colleagues in the AIMS-2-TRIALS consortium including autism community members and autism charity representatives across Europe....

EURORDIS awarded Roche and King’s College London the 2026 Company Award for Patient Engagement*, in recognition for their work with people with rare genetic conditions and the autistic community in the AIMS-2-TRIALS consortium. On 24 February 2026, at the EURORDIS...

On 23rd April 2025 researchers from the AIMS-2-TRIALS Consortium presented their research findings and recommendations at the European Parliament in Brussels. The event ‘Towards a Common Approach for Autism in Europe’ was organised by Autism Europe in partnership with...

In a recent study, AIMS-2-TRIALS researchers focused on a response of the retina in the eyes, which relies on a chemical messenger, known as neurotransmitter, to regulate communication between nerve cells (neurons). The neurotransmitter of interest is γ-Aminobutyric...

Both Artist and Researcher Celebrated at the 2023 ‘AUTISM WITHOUT BOARDERS’ Award Event In 2023, the ‘AUTISM WITHOUT BOARDERS’ Award was held at the Institute for Research Hospitalization and Health Care (IRCCS) in Pisa, Italy in November 2023. This Award was...

To raise awareness about autism, challenge misconceptions, and promote neurodiversity, members of the Cambridge study team working on AIMS-2-TRIALS collaborated with a group of six autistic people and parents of autistic people (A-Reps) to design a creative project...

Scientists still do not know what underpins the core behavioural characteristics of autism, for example repetitive behaviours. One well-supported theory suggests that these behaviours stem from an imbalance between neurotransmitters (the ’chemical messengers’ in the...

AIMS-2-TRIALS researchers have been exploring how people process faces, both in autistic and non-autistic individuals. Previous research has shown that most people find it trickier to recognise upside down (inverted) faces compared to upright faces (see image on the...

AIMS-2-TRIALS researchers, as part of a large-scale collaboration in the Longitudinal European Autism Project (LEAP), have been studying the variability within autism. In a large study of over 400 children and adults, the team have found that the timing of the N170 –...

Research studies across the lifespan Project updates:  Over the past year, recruitment of participants and families to our AIMS-2-TRIALS cohort studies has grown at its most significant rate since pandemic-related restrictions on face-to-face research eased. The Leads...

Everyone experiences the world differently and faces different challenges. Some autistic people may want support with difficulties in areas such as sleep, social interaction, sensory difficulties, irritability, or depression, while others may not. Currently, no...

Much remains unknown about the biology and genetics of autism, although researchers have shown that it is heritable and there are many genes linked to its development. One unique approach to discovering more is to study rare genetic conditions that often co-occur with...