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Plasma Exosomes as Biomarkers for Alzheimer’s Disease (AD)
Alzheimer’s disease (AD) affects over 7 million individuals in the U.S., with onset preceding clinical symptoms by up to 20 years. Current diagnostic methods like PET imaging and CSF analysis are invasive and costly, unsuitable for early detection. This project introduces AD-Exo, a blood-based assay that matches PET imaging accuracy by measuring biomarkers in neuron-derived exosomes from a standard blood draw. AD-Exo can diagnose AD and monitor treatment efficacy, enabling community-level screening and early detection. The team aims to demonstrate AD-Exo's sensitivity, distinguish it from other neurodegenerative diseases, and optimize assay time and throughput for commercialization.
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