The Rosetta Stone Study, led by Professor Danny Altmann and Professor Rosemary Boyton at Imperial College London, is a £1.2 million ME Association–funded project investigating shared and distinct biological mechanisms in ME/CFS and Long Covid. Three months into the project, Professor Altmann provided an update covering progress, challenges, recruitment, and next steps.
Purpose of the Study
The project aims to apply advanced molecular analysis to matched cohorts of ME/CFS and Long Covid patients, plus healthy controls. Like the historical Rosetta Stone, the study seeks to decode one illness using insights from the other, potentially accelerating breakthroughs. The team aims to uncover biomarkers, mechanisms, diagnostic tools, and future therapeutic pathways.
Main Research Strands
Professor Altmann outlined four major scientific components:
- Proteomics – identifying protein biomarkers in blood that could reveal mechanisms and lead to clinical diagnostic tests
- Autoimmunity profiling – detecting autoantibodies that may be triggered by infections and drive chronic illness
- Gut microbiome analysis – sequencing participants’ stool samples to identify dysbiosis and its impact on immunity and inflammation
- Cellular metabolism – examining how cells from affected individuals differ in energy use and turnover
Progress So Far (First 3 Months)
The project is currently in the essential set‑up phase: • Recruiting specialist lab staff worldwide with strong candidates already selected.
- Updating ethics approvals to include blood draws, viral testing, and postal stool samples
- Finalising laboratory methods and workflows
Although this stage is administrative rather than data‑producing, it is necessary for the later rapid scientific output
Participant Recruitment
The study will use a blend of historical samples (such as those from the UK ME/CFS Biobank) and newly recruited participants, including:
- ME/CFS patients (both historic, pre‑Covid cases and newer diagnoses)
- Long Covid patients
- Healthy controls – emphasised as very difficult but essential to recruit
The team welcomes volunteers from across the UK, and an advert will be placed via the ME Association. Healthy controls are especially important.
Use of the Elaros App
All participants, regardless of location, can contribute symptom data via the Elaros digital platform. The team is tailoring the app to ensure:
- validated, high‑quality symptom data
- a balanced experience for both ME/CFS and Long Covid users
- minimal burden on participants
A subset of participants located close to West London will also attend in‑person clinical appointments for blood sampling.
Stool Sample Collection
Anyone in the UK who joins the study may be asked to submit a stool sample. Kits are posted discreetly, and the process is designed to be simple, hygienic, and user‑friendly. Samples will undergo DNA sequencing to analyse bacterial species and their metabolic activity.
Practical Challenges Identified
Running a large, complex biomedical study across multiple diseases requires:
- clear and strict inclusion criteria
- ethics-compliant study design
- capability to integrate large multi‑omics datasets
- robust patient and public involvement (PPI) for app design and study decisions
The team is actively adding ME/CFS representation to the PPI group to ensure patient perspectives inform every stage.
Next Steps
The focus now shifts toward:
- onboarding new staff
- opening clinical visits
- distributing stool‑sample kits
- beginning lab analyses
Professor Altmann believes the field is approaching a “tipping point” where converging biological evidence may finally clarify disease mechanisms and lead to real diagnostics and treatments.
Watch our YouTube video where Katrina Pears, MEA Research Coordinator interviews Danny Altmann, Professor of Immunology at Imperial College London about the Rosetta Stone study, please see video below.
- N.B. Transcript will follow, however please can you utilise the YouTube captions option to read subtitles.