Dr. Ging-Yuek Robin Hsiung
Project Title: Highly sensitive plasma biomarkers development for non-Alzheimer dementias
Grant Name: 2025 CLEAR Operating Grant
Grant Duration: 2025-2026 (two years)
Research Lay Summary:
In addition to Alzheimer Disease (AD), there are several other diseases that can cause dementia, including frontotemporal dementia (FTD) and Lewy Body Disease (LBD).
A problem in clinical care and research is that there are no simple tests to identify the presence of these other diseases during life, and are only confirmed in autopsy studies. Moreover, these other dementias sometimes present like just AD, making clinical diagnosis quite difficult.
In the last two decades, Alzheimer biomarkers using brain scans, cerebrospinal fluid tests, and more recently blood tests, have helped us better understand the AD process, and led to the development of new treatments. However, the AD biomarkers do not rule out other coexisting diseases. The Alamar NULISA platform uses a new highly sensitive technology that allow us to measure very small amounts of proteins in blood reflective of brain diseases that were not previously possible.
We will use this test to compare blood samples banked from our patient cohort with highly detailed autopsy characterization to identify a specific biomarker pattern for each type of non-AD pathology. Having a blood test to diagnose these other diseases will significantly enhance future therapeutic development and improve patient care.