North Texas ADRC - Biomarker Core

Ut Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas TX

Investigators

Abstract

Biomarker and Imaging Core: Project Summary/Abstract The Biomarker and Imaging Core (BIC) will provide advanced state-of-the-art imaging and molecular biomarkers that will aid in the detection and monitoring of disease and increase our understanding of early and potentially targetable pathogenic changes in early stages of AD/ADRD within the Alzheimer's Disease Research Center (ADRC). We will collect standardized biomarkers and support discovery and development of novel biomarkers centered around early protein and molecular alterations in AD/ADRD. We will provide a robust platform for data sharing and coordination with regional and national Alzheimer's disease (AD) projects, as well as educational training for junior investigators in AD-related neuroimaging. The BIC investigators have complementary expertise in PET imaging, advanced neuro MRI, FDA regulatory compliance for investigational PET radiopharmaceuticals and translational human clinical trials, development of novel tracers, as well as extensive experience in imaging informatics and building robust image analyses pipelines for human neuroimaging studies. Our neuroimaging activities will be built on an existing strong neuro- and molecular imaging acquisition and analysis infrastructure led by core Co-Lead Dr. Joseph Maldjian, Director of the Advanced Neuroscience Imaging Research (ANSIR) lab at UTSW. The BIC, in coordination with the Data management, Informatics and Statistical Core (DMIS) core, will provide data sharing using an existing robust platform for data sharing and coordination with regional and national databases (NACC, SCAN). The BIC discovery activities focus on detecting early (pre-/early- symptomatic) imaging and proteomic signals in AD/ADRD by translating the cutting-edge basic science discoveries at the Center for Alzheimer's and Neurodegenerative Diseases (CAND) directed by BIC co-lead Dr. Marc Diamond. This will be accomplished by evaluating these novel biomarkers on human samples and post-mortem brains collected by the Clinical and Neuropathology cores. The BIC specific aims are to: 1) Provide advanced neuroimaging acquisition and analysis for the ADRC; 2) Support development of novel and early protein-based biomarkers in AD/ADRD, and 3) Promote education and training of new investigators, and collaboration.