# Biomarker Core

> **NIH NIH P01** · ALBERT EINSTEIN COLLEGE OF MEDICINE · 2022 · $660,285

## Abstract

ABSTRACT BIOMARKER CORE
The Biomarker Core will oversee the assessment of multiple blood-based biomarkers and an MRI sub-study
that will support and inform the EAS Program Project. Biomarkers were selected to index the most common
mechanisms of non-normative cognitive decline in older adults, in particular, those related to Alzheimer’s
disease and related dementias (ADRD) and those linked to vascular disease, as well as genomic markers and
markers of processes that play a crucial role in aging such as autophagy. Blood-based biomarkers will include
four categories: 1) Blood biomarkers of AD pathologic change and neurodegeneration: β-amyloid (Aβ40,
Aβ42), tau (pTau181, pTau217, pTau231) and biomarkers of generalized neuronal damage, including glial
fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) and neurofilament light (NfL) chain; 2) Genomics: single nucleotide
polymorphisms (SNPs) including apolipoprotein E (ApoE) status, and genome-wide association study (GWAS)
conducted through the Alzheimer’s Disease Genetics Consortium; 3) Blood chemistry: e.g., lipids, cholesterol,
C-reactive protein (CRP), glucose, hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c), and insulin; 4) Autophagy biomarkers:
macroautophagy and chaperone mediated autophagy activity (CMA).
In addition, this Core will conduct a cross-sectional MRI sub-study in 250 individuals to quantify
macrostructural, microstructural, and physiologic features that index neurodegenerative changes and vascular
disease. The domains assessed include macrostructure, including indicators of AD, neurodegeneration and
vascular disease, microstructural pathology with measures of anisotropy within tracts, and altered
cerebrovascular physiology through assessment of global and regional resting cerebral blood flow (CBF).
Other related biomarkers which complement the Core are assessed in Project 1 (Cerebral Blood Flow by
Transcranial Doppler ultrasound), Project 2 (blood-based assessment of basal and stimulated inflammatory
markers and markers of biological age [telomere length, DNA methylation]), and Project 4 (glucose regulation).
The Biomarker Core will work with the Technology and Data Management Core to ensure that biomarker data
are shared across all Projects and will assist in interpretation. Biomarkers will be used to improve
diagnostic accuracy and inform the assessment of mechanistic associations between project-specific
risk factors and short-term and long-term cognitive outcomes as assessed by conventional and
ambulatory approaches in the Clinical Core.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10333614
- **Project number:** 2P01AG003949-38
- **Recipient organization:** ALBERT EINSTEIN COLLEGE OF MEDICINE
- **Principal Investigator:** Jelena Pavlovic
- **Activity code:** P01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2022
- **Award amount:** $660,285
- **Award type:** 2
- **Project period:** 1982-09-29 → 2027-03-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10333614

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10333614, Biomarker Core (2P01AG003949-38). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-24 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10333614. Licensed CC0.

---

*[NIH grants dataset](/datasets/nih-grants) · CC0 1.0*