Zusammenarbeit HIH und ICM im Bereich Biomarker-Veränderungen bei neurodegenerativen Erkrankungen wie der Alzheimer- und Parkinsonerkrankung

01.09.2022 bis 01.09.2026

The demand for biomarkers in neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's disease (AD) is increasing, not only for monitoring disease progression and treatment response in clinical trials but also for exploring pathophysiology in translational studies in experimental animals and individuals along the AD continuum. Indeed, remarkable progress has recently been achieved in fluid biomarker research due go novel, highly sensitive analytical techniques, e.g., single-molecule array (Simoa) and electrochemiluminescence-based (MSD) immunoassays as well as immunoprecipitation - mass sprectrometry (MS) methods. The high sensitivity not only allows measurements in tiny sample volumes but also quantifies low abundant proteins as in blood samples. However, what is missing mainly, is a mechanistic understanding of how protein changes in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and blood relate to physiological and pathological processes in the brain, although this knowledge appears crucial at a time when clinical trials are increasingly conducted in the pre-symptomatic phase of neurodegenerative diseases.