AI-powered next-generation imaging biomarkers for dementia
Lead Research Organisation:
University College London
Department Name: Computer Science
Abstract
Dementia is one of the foremost global healthcare challenges of our times, with a vast physical, psychological, social and economic impact. About 50 million people worldwide live with dementia today and this number is expected to triple by 2050. The direct medical and social care costs have been estimated in 2015 to be 1.4% of gross domestic product in high-income countries. Since 2016, dementia has become the leading cause of deaths in the UK. Even today, in the midst of an unprecedented pandemic, Covid-19 is hitting people with dementia the hardest, with dementia being the most common pre-existing condition for people dying of Covid-19. Moreover, patients recovered from Covid-19 are thought to be at significantly increased risk for dementia later in life. Indeed, the need to find a cure for dementia has never been greater.
However, till this day, no disease-modifying treatments have been developed. The attrition rate of treatment trials for Alzheimer's disease (AD), the commonest cause of dementia, is high, with 98% failing in Phase III. The reason, at least in part, for the successive, and often costly, trial failures is likely to be that the disease is targeted too late, after significant and irreversible loss of brain cells has occurred. Hence, there is now a consensus and drive towards undertaking trials of therapies much earlier, before the disease becomes irreversible. This calls for the development of more advanced biomarkers that can offer increased sensitivity for identifying individuals at early stages of the disease.
University College London (UCL) is an international leader in the development of cutting-edge MRI biomarkers for early diagnosis of dementia. Dr Michele Guerreri, the proposed secondee, is an early-career imaging researcher at UCL who has made significant progress in our quest towards better biomarkers for dementia. This secondment is driven by the aspiration to translate this cutting-edge research into a product to accelerate its real-world impact.
AINOSTICS, the hosting organization, is an award-winning imaging AI start-up which specialises in combining cutting-edge MRI and other biomarker data with state-of-the-art artificial intelligence (AI) to detect early changes in AD and other neurodegenerative diseases. They thus represent a perfect partner to deliver this project.
This project will boost the skills of Dr Guerreri which will be working in a cutting-edge AI environment, learning the translation process from a research idea into a commercial product. The Secondee will have the opportunity to experience the commercial sector for the first time, learning the development and commercialisation process of his academic research. The hosting organisation will benefit from the Secondee's expertise in the development of state-of-the-art imaging biomarkers for dementia.
In the long term, the project will lay the groundwork for a close collaboration between UCL and AINOSTICS. The expertise gained by Dr Guerreri will allow him to develop similar relationships with other players in the vibrant UK imaging AI sector, closing the traditional gap that has been preventing or slowing the knowledge exchange between biomedical industry and academia.
However, till this day, no disease-modifying treatments have been developed. The attrition rate of treatment trials for Alzheimer's disease (AD), the commonest cause of dementia, is high, with 98% failing in Phase III. The reason, at least in part, for the successive, and often costly, trial failures is likely to be that the disease is targeted too late, after significant and irreversible loss of brain cells has occurred. Hence, there is now a consensus and drive towards undertaking trials of therapies much earlier, before the disease becomes irreversible. This calls for the development of more advanced biomarkers that can offer increased sensitivity for identifying individuals at early stages of the disease.
University College London (UCL) is an international leader in the development of cutting-edge MRI biomarkers for early diagnosis of dementia. Dr Michele Guerreri, the proposed secondee, is an early-career imaging researcher at UCL who has made significant progress in our quest towards better biomarkers for dementia. This secondment is driven by the aspiration to translate this cutting-edge research into a product to accelerate its real-world impact.
AINOSTICS, the hosting organization, is an award-winning imaging AI start-up which specialises in combining cutting-edge MRI and other biomarker data with state-of-the-art artificial intelligence (AI) to detect early changes in AD and other neurodegenerative diseases. They thus represent a perfect partner to deliver this project.
This project will boost the skills of Dr Guerreri which will be working in a cutting-edge AI environment, learning the translation process from a research idea into a commercial product. The Secondee will have the opportunity to experience the commercial sector for the first time, learning the development and commercialisation process of his academic research. The hosting organisation will benefit from the Secondee's expertise in the development of state-of-the-art imaging biomarkers for dementia.
In the long term, the project will lay the groundwork for a close collaboration between UCL and AINOSTICS. The expertise gained by Dr Guerreri will allow him to develop similar relationships with other players in the vibrant UK imaging AI sector, closing the traditional gap that has been preventing or slowing the knowledge exchange between biomedical industry and academia.
Technical Summary
The vision of this project is to accelerate the translation of next-generation imaging biomarkers of dementia from academic research into real-world impact. The need for advanced biomarkers of dementia has never been greater, as treatment that slows or stops the disease remains elusive. Recent high-profile trial failures underscore the importance of identifying the right participants for trials - those for whom the disease is at an early enough stage to benefit from potential treatments. Biomarkers with higher sensitivity are vital for this endeavour. This project will contribute to this very effort by expediting the process of delivering cutting-edge imaging biomarkers uncovered in academic research to the frontline of therapeutic trials.
The project objective will be achieved through a close collaboration between AInostics, an award-winning imaging AI start-up, and University College London (UCL), an international leader in the development of novel imaging biomarkers for dementia and neurodegenerative diseases generally. The close collaboration will be built through the proposed secondment of an early-career imaging researcher, Dr Michele Guerreri, who has recently developed a cutting-edge imaging biomarker sensitive to subtle changes resulting from neurodegeneration. The secondment will give him the ideal opportunity to turn his novel research idea into a viable commercial product, enabling its expedited translation into frontline applications.
Crucially, joining the rank of innovation scholars will allow Dr Guerreri the time and space to gain the essential knowledge, and to develop the necessary skills, to successfully operate at the interface of academic research and commercial development in the future. In the long term, this invaluable experience will position him to play a key role in facilitating the interactions between UCL and the UK's vibrant imaging AI sector, expediting the impact of public investment on making UK a healthy and prosperous nation.
The project objective will be achieved through a close collaboration between AInostics, an award-winning imaging AI start-up, and University College London (UCL), an international leader in the development of novel imaging biomarkers for dementia and neurodegenerative diseases generally. The close collaboration will be built through the proposed secondment of an early-career imaging researcher, Dr Michele Guerreri, who has recently developed a cutting-edge imaging biomarker sensitive to subtle changes resulting from neurodegeneration. The secondment will give him the ideal opportunity to turn his novel research idea into a viable commercial product, enabling its expedited translation into frontline applications.
Crucially, joining the rank of innovation scholars will allow Dr Guerreri the time and space to gain the essential knowledge, and to develop the necessary skills, to successfully operate at the interface of academic research and commercial development in the future. In the long term, this invaluable experience will position him to play a key role in facilitating the interactions between UCL and the UK's vibrant imaging AI sector, expediting the impact of public investment on making UK a healthy and prosperous nation.
People |
ORCID iD |
| Hui Zhang (Principal Investigator) | |
| Michele Guerreri (Researcher) |
