European funded research to identify new markers for autism in children born preterm
Researchers at the University of Gothenburg are part of a major new European research initiative that aims to improve the early detection and support of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in children born preterm.
Professor Carina Mallard and Associate Professor Maryam Ardalan at the Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, Sahlgrenska Academy, are joining leading researchers from across Europe and Australia in a new Horizon Europe project MICRO-NEST. The five-year project has received nearly €6 million in funding from the European Union, starting in September 2026.
According to the Global Burden of Diseases, Injuries, and Risk Factors Study (2021), autism is among the top ten causes of nonfatal health burden for people under the age of twenty.
The MICRO-NEST project aims to transform the detection and management of autism in children born preterm – an under-researched population – whose long-term health can benefit from early intervention, therapy and support.
“The project aims to identify biological markers linked to autism at a much earlier stage than is currently possible,” says Professor Carina Mallard.
By combining expertise in neuroscience, immunology, microbiome research and advanced imaging, we hope to improve both diagnosis and future treatment strategies for children born preterm
MICRO-NEST proposes that prenatal and perinatal microenvironments, including the immune system, gut microbiota, and early life events, form a developmental 'nest' that shapes the gene-driven trajectory of brain maturation.
People with autism show dysfunction in the brain, immune system and microbiome, but the reasons remain poorly understood. MICRO-NEST will generate new knowledge on the processes driving the changes in the gut, immune system, microbiome and brain that lead to autism, factoring in sex, gender, age, ethnicity, socioeconomic, lifestyle, behavioural and societal factors.
The team’s innovative approach will integrate genomics, glycomics, immune profiling, microbiome analysis and advanced brain imaging to map the mechanistic pathways linking preterm birth, inflammation and autism. One of the project’s long-term goals is to develop an AI-supported “digital twin” for autism – an innovative tool that could help clinicians identify children at risk earlier and provide more personalised care and support.
Central to MICRO-NEST will be the collaboration between the researchers and people with lived experience of autism and preterm birth. Consultation between researchers, patients and caregivers will ensure that the outcomes of the research will be acceptable, enhance quality of life and benefit the most vulnerable members of society.
Partners: Inserm (coordinator), RMIT Europe, University Medical Center Utrecht, University Hospital Essen, King’s College London, University of Edinburgh, Maastricht University, University of Rostock, Gothenburg University, Unapei, Global Foundation for the Care of Newborn Infants, Technische Universität Dresden, Genos Ltd, University of Geneva, Inserm Transfert SA, RMIT University.
Media contacts
Professor Carina Mallard, University of Gothenburg (Sweden) carina.mallard@gu.se
Associate Professor Maryam Ardalan, University of Gothenburg (Sweden) maryam.ardalan@gu.se
Funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union. Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them.
