Professor\, Dept. of Psychiatry\, Neurol ogy and Genetics
WashU Medicine
Talk title: High-Dimensional multi-omics for Neurodegeneration: F rom Blood Signatures to Mechanistic Insight in Alzheimer’s and Related Deme ntias
Abstract: Large scale\, high dimensional proteomics across plasma\, CSF\, and multiple tis sues is transforming Alzheimer’s and neurodegenerative disease research\, f rom biomarker discovery to mechanistic insight. Plasma and CSF AD proteomic s informs about disease pathways\, treatment responsive biomarker dynamics with lecanemab. Multi disease AI models can accurately classify AD\, PD\, F TD\, and DLB and detect co pathologies. Proteomics—integrated with genetics \, longitudinal cohorts\, and AI—reveals hidden biology\, improves predicti on\, and enables precision medicine across neurodegenerative diseases.
Host: Dr. Nancy Saccone
Host comments: Dr. Car los Cruchaga is an international leader in the study of Alzheimer’s Disease and other dementias and neurodegenerative disorders. His group employs hum an multi-omics – genetics\, genomics\, transcriptomics\, proteomics\, metab olomics\, and more – to understand and predict risk\, progression\, prognos is\, and drug response for these complex diseases. In addition to his natio nal and international leadership and collaborations\, he has deep connectio ns throughout Washington University. After training at the University of Na varra and the Center for Applied Medical Research in Spain\, he came to Was hU for postdoctoral work with Dr. Alison Goate and then started his indepen dent lab here in 2011. He now holds the Barbara Burton and Reuben Morriss I II Endowed Professorship at WashU\, in recognition of his foundational work and the sustained and future impact of his research program. His work iden tified novel genes and variants in AD and AD pathology and has led to incre ased recognition of the utility of blood and plasma-based biomarkers. As th e founding director of the Neurogenomics and Informatics Center at Washingt on University\, he oversees diverse efforts to understand neurodegenerative diseases on a deep genetic and molecular level to ultimately improve patie nt care.