Federica Anastasi awarded BrightFocus Foundation grant to advance personalized approaches to Alzheimer’s disease

Federica Anastasi, postdoctoral researcher at the Fluid Biomarkers and Translational Neurology research group at the Barcelonaβeta Brain Research Center (BBRC), has been awarded a prestigious research grant from the BrightFocus Foundation. In particular, she has received a Postdoctoral Fellowship Program in Alzheimer's Disease Research (LOI). Her project is one of 50 selected globally this year, as part of nearly $13 million in new funding to advance research into Alzheimer’s disease, macular degeneration, and glaucoma. 

The awarded project, titled “Personalized proteomics to decipher cognitive heterogeneity and advance AD prognosis”, aims to uncover why Alzheimer’s disease affects people in different ways and how its course can be more accurately predicted. Dr. Anastasi’s research will focus on studying proteins in the blood of individuals at risk of Alzheimer’s disease to identify markers that can predict the risk of faster decline. Her ultimate goal is to build a simple, accessible, and personalized tool to support earlier detection of individuals at higher risk of rapid decline and more tailored intervention.

‘Alzheimer’s disease affects people differently, while some individuals remain stable during time, others decline faster. There’s still much to learn about why these differences occur.’ Dr. Anastasi explains. ‘This project focuses on understanding why individuals experience AD differently and predict who will be most affected. By discovering which mechanisms cause these differences, we move closer to achieving precision medicine in Alzheimer’s disease.’

The project will last two years and will be conducted in collaboration between two leading European centers dedicated to Alzheimer's disease research: the Alzheimer Center at the Amsterdam University Medical Center and the Barcelonaβeta Brain Research Center, in Barcelona. Dr. Anastasi will be mentored by Prof. Betty Tijms, Associate Professor and Neurodegeneration Program Leader at Amsterdam Neuroscience, and Dr. Marc Suárez-Calvet, Neurologist and Group Leader at BBRC and the Hospital del Mar Neurology Department.

The BBRC is proud to support Federica Anastasi’s work, which exemplifies our commitment to advancing cutting-edge, translational research with real-world impact. The insights gained from this project are expected to inform future strategies for early intervention and accelerate the development of personalized therapies for Alzheimer’s disease.

About the BrightFocus Foundation

BrightFocus Foundation funds exceptional scientific research worldwide to defeat Alzheimer’s disease, macular degeneration, and glaucoma and provides expert information to empower individuals and families. For more than 50 years, the BrightFocus Foundation has catalyzed scientific breakthroughs across diseases of mind and sight that have led to novel treatments, prevention strategies, and diagnostic tools. The majority of their grants support early-stage research, ensuring fresh perspectives are brought to the forefront and offering an increased return on research investment over time through novel discoveries that fuel the field.