BBRC hosts the international course on biomarkers for neurodegenerative diseases for the second time

Biomarkers are a key element in research into neurodegenerative diseases: they enable researchers to detect changes in the brain before the first symptoms appear, monitor disease progression and assess the effectiveness of new therapies. With the aim of training the next generation of researchers in this field, the Barcelonaβeta Brain Research Center will host the eighth edition of the Course on Biomarkers for Neurodegenerative Diseases from 1 to 5 June.

Following the successful edition held in 2023, this year’s course will mark the second time that BBRC has hosted this internationally renowned event. The course is specifically aimed at doctoral students and early-career researchers: a total of 60 participants, selected from among hundreds of applications from around the world, who represent the present and future of Alzheimer’s research.

The course is organized on a rotating basis by three world-leading centres in biomarker research: BBRC itself, University College London (United Kingdom) and the University of Gothenburg (Sweden). This structure ensures an international and cross-disciplinary perspective, bringing together the field’s leading experts each year.

Over the course of five days, more than 20 world-class speakers will deliver sessions on the main current lines of research into biomarkers for neurodegenerative diseases, with a particular focus on Alzheimer’s disease. The programme ranges from the genetic foundations of neurodegenerative diseases — led by Professor Sir John Hardy, from UCL — to the latest neuroimaging techniques, including amyloid and tau PET (William Jagust), and structural and functional magnetic resonance imaging (Nick Fox, Martina Callaghan). A substantial part of the course will also be devoted to biofluid biomarkers: blood-based biomarkers (Charlotte Teunissen, Laia Montoliu-Gaya), cerebrospinal fluid biomarkers (Henrik Zetterberg, Ann Brinkmalm) and proteomics (Carlos Cruchaga). In addition, Jeffrey Cummings will address current and future therapeutic strategies for Alzheimer’s disease, while Kristin Wildsmith will present how the use of biomarkers is transforming drug development.

The programme also includes practical workshops on three thematic areas: the development of biofluid biomarkers, the role of brain networks in Alzheimer’s disease progression, and statistics applied to biomarkers. These workshops will be coordinated by Dr Marta del Campo (BBRC), Dr Nico Franzmeier, Dr Raffaelle Cacciaglia and Dr Michael Donohue. Participants will also develop their own research projects throughout the week, which they will present on the final day.

Directed by Dr Marc Suárez-Calvet (BBRC), Dr Aitana Sogorb-Esteve (Fundación CIEN), Dr Michael Schöll (UGOT/UCL) and Dr Ross Paterson (UCL), the event is intended for PhD students, clinicians and neuroscientists with a background in the biological or engineering sciences.

More information is available on the course website and the programme can be found here.