Understanding how Alzheimer's progresses over time using sparse brain scans and blood markers
Official title: Inferring the natural history of Alzheimer's disease from sparse longitudinal molecular and neuroimaging data
Funded at Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai · NIH-11603148 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This grant aims to map the progression timeline of Alzheimer's disease using limited, real-world brain imaging and blood data to identify biomarkers and critical treatment windows.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (New York, United States) |
| Project start | September 1, 2026 |
| Project end | August 31, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $704,145 |
| NIH project number | 1R56AG098971-01A1 |
| Project ID | NIH-11603148 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Patients with or at risk for Alzheimer's disease who contribute or have contributed data to ADNI, ABC-DS, SCAN, or similar longitudinal studies.
✕Less likely to help
People without Alzheimer's biomarkers in their blood or brain imaging data may not directly benefit.
What this research studies
Alzheimer's disease often progresses in steps that are hard to track with only a few data points. This project uses existing datasets, like ADNI and ABC-DS, to reconstruct a timeline of how the disease evolves. By analyzing molecular and imaging information, researchers hope to find reliable markers that indicate what stage a person is at and when therapies might be most effective. The team will test and validate their timelines across multiple studies to ensure they reflect true disease progression. The ultimate goal is to point to biomarkers and timepoints that could guide future trials and personalized care.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the work could help doctors time treatments more effectively and identify biomarkers that signal when to intervene.
How similar studies have gone: Previous studies have shown that integrating sparse data can reveal plausible disease timelines, but robust validation across cohorts is still evolving.
Where this research is happening
-
Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai
New York, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Beckmann, Noam — Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai
- Study coordinator: Beckmann, Noam
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
-
Understanding how brain activity changes may drive Alzheimer’s disease progression in a mouse model
Researchers are testing how changes in brain signals and protein cleanup processes affect the development of Alzheimer’s disease in mice.
-
Thiamine-boosting therapy for Alzheimer’s: understanding how benfotiamine may reduce harmful AGE in DP patients
A medication-based approach using high-dose vitamin B1 (benfotiamine) is studied to help people with Alzheimer's by reducing harmful sugar-related molecules.
-
Non-invasive tears biomarker for early Alzheimer's in LMICs
A low-cost, tear-based biomarker approach aims to detect early Alzheimer’s disease in older adults in Peru and similar settings.
-
Turning APOE4 into protective APOE2 or APOE3Christchurch to help with Alzheimer’s
A patient-facing explanation of a treatment idea that aims to change a genetic risk factor for Alzheimer's disease in the brain.
-
Telomerase in Alzheimer’s Disease: how aging biology could influence memory and brain health
Researchers are exploring a new brain-aging mechanism linked to telomerase, with potential to slow or modify Alzheimer’s disease in people and improve cognitive function.
-
Biomarkers of Alzheimer’s Disease: Sensory, Motor, and Cognitive Clues
Researchers are testing simple sensory and movement tasks to find early signs of Alzheimer’s disease so they can diagnose and treat people sooner.
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.