CeADAR working on development of AI model for the early detection of Alzheimer’s Disease

CeADAR, Ireland’s Centre for AI, is playing a leading role in the development of a new diagnostics system for the detection and monitoring of Alzheimer’s Disease (AD).

The €6m 2D-BioPAD project brings together 11 public and private institutions from across Europe with the aim of developing a point-of-care (PoC) diagnostics system capable of detecting the early signs of AD in a way that’s faster, cheaper, more reliable, and less invasive than existing tools and procedures.

Researchers aim to leverage previous studies by project partners into the unique properties of graphene, a material consisting of a single layer of atoms which is stronger than most steels and has more thermal and electrical conductivity than copper.

Researchers hope that a graphene-based PoC diagnostics system will combine nano and DNA technologies to analyse patients’ blood samples and identify and quantify up to five biomarkers for AD.

CeADAR is leading the training and optimisation of the AI models to be used in the identification of biomarkers and the implementation of the system overall.

An ageing population, rising life expectancy, and a lack of available treatments increased incidence and mortality due to AD by almost 150% between 2000 and 2019. It is expected that almost 19 million people across Europe will suffer from the disease by 2050.

The increase in AD cases is already having serious implications for public healthcare systems around the world. It is estimated that the treatment of AD patients cost the US healthcare system more than $355bn in 2021 alone, while the labour from unpaid caregiving was estimated to be worth around $257bn.

Researchers believe that early and accurate detection of AD will lead to better outcomes for patients who will benefit from more effective and less costly treatments, leading to a lower emotional burden and better quality of life for themselves and their families.

It is also hoped that the system will make cutting-edge drug treatments available to the wider public. Currently, drug trials require participants be assessed according to their risk for AD, a costly process which is often inaccessible for the average person.

2D-BioPAD began in October 2023 and is expected to run until September 2027. The system and its impact will be assessed during two clinical trials in three centres in Finland, Greece and Germany. The first trial will focus on benchmarking and technical validation through several use cases. The larger second trial will involve up to 300 AD patients in real-life clinical settings.

Head of Innovation & Development at CeADAR Ricardo Simon Carbajo says:

“CeADAR is delighted to play such an important role in the development of a ground-breaking digital diagnostics system for the early detection and monitoring of AD. This tragic disease is afflicting more and more people globally each year. The 2D-BioPAD project represents an opportunity to utilise AI in a way that will make a significant difference to the lives of people with AD and their loved-ones. We’re excited to be part of that.”

The project is being led by the Palacky University in Czech Republic. Greek contributors include Q-Plan International Advisers PC (Q-Plan), Aristotle University of Thessaloniki (AUTH), and Greek Association of Alzheimer’s Disease and Related Disorders (GAADRD). Other project partners include Catalan Institute of Nanoscience and Nanotechnology in Spain (ICN2), Grapheal SAS in France, University of Eastern Finland and ENVIA APS in Denmark, and CeADAR, Ireland’s Centre for AI.