Plain English Summary

1) Brief description of the context of the research including potential impact
Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is the leading cause of dementia, which is one of the biggest challenges of modern medicine and healthcare. Many hundreds of clinical trials over decades have produced zero disease-modifying interventions/drugs!
Data-driven computational methods have emerged in the wake of the increasing availability of large clinical and neuroimaging datasets. The models themselves provide new utility and key insights into disease, including fine-grained patient assessment (and clinical trial recruitment!) and improved understanding of disease mechanisms.

2) Aims and Objectives
The overarching objective of this project is to produce a quantum leap in the understanding of the biological mechanisms of Alzheimer’s disease progression.
The project aims are: a) build computational “supermodels” of disease progression that produce state of the art predictive and diagnostic accuracy for clinical trials and healthcare; and b) build mechanistic models that explain the underlying biological mechanisms of Alzheimer’s disease progression for informing drug development.

3) Novelty of Research Methodology
Project objectives will be achieved by bringing together, for the first time: data-driven image-based modelling and large clinical/neuroimaging datasets; data originating from mouse models of Alzheimer’s; and translational data including high-resolution imaging readouts of brain cell function and Alzheimer’s pathology, as well as outputs from ultrasensitive assays for blood-based biomarkers. This is a unique combination of computer science, clinical neurology, and neuroscience.

4) Alignment to EPSRC’s strategies and research areas
This project aligns with the Healthcare Technologies Theme, touching on two Grand Challenges: Optimising Treatment and Developing Future Therapies. Within this theme, this project aligns with the following Research Areas: Artificial intelligence technologies, Clinical technologies (excluding imaging), Mathematical Biology, Medical imaging.
Understanding Alzheimer’s Disease is a high priority global healthcare challenge, and this multidisciplinary project aligns with all EPSRC’s strategies, but particularly with Accelerating Impact.

5) Any companies or collaborators involved
None at the moment beyond the corresponding supervisors.

Aims

The overarching objective of this project is to produce a quantum leap in the understanding of the biological mechanisms of Alzheimer’s disease progression.
The project aims are: a) build computational “supermodels” of disease progression that produce state of the art predictive and diagnostic accuracy for clinical trials and healthcare; and b) build mechanistic models that explain the underlying biological mechanisms of Alzheimer’s disease progression for informing drug development.