SPECTRA: Systems for Phenotypic Evaluation, Clinical Trajectories, Response, and Agency
SPECTRA: Systems for Phenotypic Evaluation, Clinical Trajectories, Response, and Agency supports research teams developing autism assessments, AI models, and tailored care to improve independence and quality of life.
This grant was recently updated
TA4 is closed after its deadline shifted from October 18, 2026, 5pm ET to October 21, 3pm ET. TA1/2’s December 2, 2026 deadline moved from 5pm to 3pm ET; TA3’s moved from January 18, 2027, 5pm ET to January 19, 3pm ET; other application details also changed.
Funder: Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health
Due Dates: October 21, 2026 (TA4 summary) | December 2, 2026 (TA1 and TA2 summaries) | January 19, 2027 (TA3 summary) | To be announced (Full proposals)
Funding Amounts: No individual-project funding limit or range; TA4 awards last 48 months
Summary: SPECTRA funds cross-disciplinary autism research, assessment technologies, AI models, and individualized interventions to improve health, independence, and quality of life.
Key Information: A mandatory Solution Summary must precede a full proposal; awards use Other Transaction agreements.
Description
SPECTRA is an ARPA-H program supporting individualized autism assessment and care across the lifespan. It emphasizes objective, multi-factor measurement and computation rather than behavioral observation alone. Research examines how genetic, environmental, family, metabolic, immune, microbiome, and developmental factors interact to shape health, communication, and functional trajectories.
The program connects trajectory analysis, federated AI modeling, precision intervention testing, and technologies that measure everyday function during ordinary use. Solutions are developed with autistic people and their families to improve quality of life, independence, and autonomy. SPECTRA funds original or additional human-focused research, not animal research or scaling existing programs. It seeks interacting drivers of outcomes rather than single factors studied in isolation.
