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Multispectral cellular-level retinal imaging for early detection of Alzheimer’s disease

Award Number: R43AG074744
ORGANIZATION: NATIONAL INSTITUTE ON AGING
OPDIV: NIH
AWARD CLASS: DISCRETIONARY
AWARD ACTIVITY TYPE: SCIENTIFIC/HEALTH RESEARCH (INCLUDES SURVEYS)
PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE START DATE: 08/01/2021
PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE END DATE: 07/31/2023

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Multispectral cellular-level retinal imaging for early detection of Alzheimer’s disease - Project Summary/Abstract Physical Sciences Inc (PSI) proposes to develop a novel technique to identify amyloid β-protein (Aβ) deposits in the retina as a biomarker for Alzheimer's disease (AD). Our goal in this program is to develop an optical imaging technique capable of identifying specific chemical compounds in vivo in the retina with cellular-level resolution, non-invasively, and without the use of contrast agents. We will validate the ability of this technique to identify early indications of AD on mice first in Phase I as a proof-of-principle demonstration, and then on humans in Phase II. Although AD cannot yet be treated with the intent to cure, sufficiently early diagnosis will facilitate intervention with available therapeutics, adding years of productive quality time to the patient's life. However, the lack of suitable diagnostic tools for both in vivo rapid screening of Aβ aggregation and early detection of AD pathology poses severe limitations. Current available structural, functional, and metabolic brain imaging methods are not yet suitable for repeated population screening in the preclinical stages. They are either limited by the use of unsafe ionizing isotopes (radioactivity), involve high costs, have low availability, and provide reduced resolution or specificity. An alternative non-invasive approach to visualize Aβ plaques in AD patients could be high-resolution optical imaging of the retina, knowing that Aβ plaques form in retinal layers and share properties with those in the brain. The retina, as an extension of the brain, is the only part of the central nervous system that can be imaged non-invasively at sub-cellular resolutions. Human postmortem histopathological studies have shown accumulation of Aβ in the retinas of those with confirmed AD, principally in the inner-retinal layers. Studies of transgenic mouse models of AD have demonstrated the presence of retinal Aβ and shown quantitative and temporal correlations between brain and retinal Aβ deposition. Most of the in vivo retinal imaging techniques involved fluorescence imaging based on curcumin as a fluorescence tag or on hyperspectral imaging. However, so far, no in vivo retinal imaging technique involving spectral analysis provided cellular-level resolution and no high-resolution retinal imaging instrument possessed spectral discrimination. PSI proposes to develop a multispectral adaptive optics-based non-invasive optical imaging technique that will enable in vivo cellular-level resolution for early detection of Aβ presence in the retina and will facilitate a path to understanding the onset of various neurodegenerative diseases. We will build on our expertise in high-resolution retinal imaging and spectral analysis.


Issue Date FY	Funding FY	Legal Entity Name	Legal Entity Address	Legal Entity City	Legal Entity State	Legal Entity Zip Code	Legal Entity COUNTY	Legal Entity COUNTRY	Assistance Listing	Award Code	Budget Year	Action Date	Action Type	Action Amount

Issue Date FY: 2024 ( Subtotal = $0 )
2024	2021	PHYSICAL SCIENCES INC.	20 NEW ENGLAND BUSINESS CENTER DR	ANDOVER	MA	01810	ESSEX	USA	Aging Research	000	1	2/9/2024	NEW	$0
														Subtotal = $0

Issue Date FY: 2021 ( Subtotal = $263,081 )
2021	2021	PHYSICAL SCIENCES INC.	20 NEW ENGLAND BUSINESS CTR DR	ANDOVER	MA	01810	ESSEX	USA	Aging Research	000	1	7/23/2021	NEW	$263,081
														Subtotal = $263,081

Grand Total All Awards = $263,081

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Multispectral cellular-level retinal imaging for early detection of Alzheimer’s disease

Award Number: R43AG074744

ORGANIZATION: NATIONAL INSTITUTE ON AGING

OPDIV: NIH

AWARD CLASS: DISCRETIONARY

AWARD ACTIVITY TYPE: SCIENTIFIC/HEALTH RESEARCH (INCLUDES SURVEYS)

PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE START DATE: 08/01/2021

PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE END DATE: 07/31/2023

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