Neuroimmune Foundation Models for Uncovering Biomarkers in Alzheimer’s Disease and Related Dementias

Initial Proposal Abstract: Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder. At the same time, the peripheral immune system has emerged as a key factor influencing AD progression, enabling biomarker discovery and patient stratification through simple blood draws. These peripheral biomarkers can capture cellular events in the brain that are otherwise inaccessible to direct measurement. Yet, no current model integrates neural and immune data across AD stages to map parallel changes in the brain and immune system.

This project aims to train a Foundation Model to predict cellular and molecular changes in AD and Related Dementias (AD/ADRD). By harmonizing data from millions of cells across the brain and peripheral immune system, the model will provide a comprehensive view of healthy aging and AD/ADRD progression, while facilitating the discovery of blood-based biomarkers.