Project description
New researchers are on the trail of biomarkers for dementia to foster early diagnosis
Dementia is a deterioration in cognitive abilities affecting areas including memory, language skills, perception, reasoning, and problem-solving. It can also be accompanied by an associated decline in behavioural abilities related to emotional control, social behaviour, or motivation. Around 50 million people worldwide suffer from dementia and there are approximately 10 million new cases each year. Despite the widespread prevalence and debilitating effects of dementia, there are currently no reliable tests to detect the underlying pathophysiology years before the symptoms begin. MIRIADE is working on changing that with the help of a new generation of researchers. The focus is on biomarker discovery and clinical validation, including addressing regulatory requirements. Early diagnosis will significantly enhance options for monitoring and modulating progression.
Objective
Dementia is currently diagnosed largely based on cognitive decline, while pathology starts years before symptom onset. To make progress in the development of effective drugs for dementia, there is an urgent need for biomarkers to enable precision health: for early and specific diagnosis and objective monitoring of disease progression.
With its multidisciplinary team of scientists from academia, industry, and patient organisations, MIRIADE aims to train a new generation of scientists able to optimise and accelerate development of novel biomarkers for dementia.
MIRIADE will integrate biomarker discovery data from multiple platforms and develop a Dementia Disease Map to enhance biomarker identification (WP1). We will develop assays for prioritized biomarkers (WP2), and selected markers will be clinically validated (WP3). We will study pre-analytical stability and validate against regulatory requirements (WP4) and develop a roadmap for optimal biomarker development (WP5). MIRIADE will thus establish an innovative biomarker-focussed cross-sectoral research and training programme that will equip ESRs with a unique combination of skills in big data analysis, biomarker assay development, innovation management, and a thorough understanding of medical needs. This programme will provide a new task force of scientists that are optimally trained to the accelerate the biomarker development for dementias and able to progress effective biomarker tools to the clinic.
Fields of science
Keywords
Programme(s)
Coordinator
1081 HV Amsterdam
Netherlands