Non-invasive test for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS)

Maite Mendioroz

Project awarded in collaboration with the Fundación Luzón

  • PROJECT LEADER

    Maite Mendioroz

  • HOST ORGANIZATION, COUNTRY

    Fundación Miguel Servet, Navarrabiomed, España

  • DESCRIPTION

    Early diagnosis of ALS and other neurodegenerative diseases (such as senile dementia–Alzheimer type (SDAT)) faces a major problem: access to the central nervous system while the patient is alive is impossible. However, a new non-invasive detection test now exists (liquid biopsy (LB)), which is already being used to identify other pathologies and may prove useful as a biomarker for neurodegenerative diseases.

    LB is capable of detecting remains of genetic material in blood, tumours for example. In the case of ALS and SDAT, the goal is to identify epigenetic markers in DNA fragments from neurons affected by the neurodegeneration, using blood plasma. Analysis of the blood could enable us to obtain “live” information about what is happening in the central nervous system (brain and spinal cord).

    The results of the project could also be applied to other neurodegenerative diseases.

  • PROJECT TITLE

    Brain Liquid Biopsy for neurodegenerative disorders (Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis and Alzheimer disease) (BIOP-ALS)

  • BUDGET

    482.847 €