Boston researchers land $9M grant to advance molecular neuroimaging

Researchers in Boston are set to co-lead a long-term study on the aging brain and factors that make individuals more vulnerable to neural injury and cognitive decline. 

The research is set to be funded by a $9 million grant from the Leducq Foundation. The funds, which will spread out over a period of five years, are being awarded to Antreas Charidimou, MD, PhD, assistant medical director of Boston University’s Center for Brain Recovery, and Marcel Verbeek, of Radboud University Medical Center in the Netherlands. The grant will support the duo’s project, Translational Framework For Innovation in Cerebral amyloid angiopathy (TRAFFIC). 

The project centers on the study of cerebral amyloid angiopathy (CAA), which causes abnormal buildup of amyloid-beta protein in the blood vessels of the brain. This buildup is known to be associated with brain bleeds, cognitive impairment and dementia in older adults. It can be difficult to characterize though, making it challenging to treat. 

Researchers are hoping to develop more accurate methods of diagnosing CAA with the help of advanced imaging techniques designed to identify molecular biomarkers. Their study will combine brain imaging with patients’ biological metrics and medical histories to help identify patterns related to how CAA develops and progresses. 

"CAA is among the most common pathologies affecting the aging brain, yet fundamental unanswered questions about how the disease develops and progresses continue to limit clinical progress, including our ability to diagnose it accurately and early,” Charidimou said in a release. “By bringing together complementary expertise across clinical, molecular, and experimental research, TRAFFIC is designed to address these gaps while fostering the next generation of CAA investigators. We hope this network will have a lasting impact on the field and ultimately improve care for patients at risk of brain bleeds and cognitive decline.” 

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