# Predicting neurodegeneration in living patients by IR imaging of skin fibroblasts

> **NIH NIH R21** · UNIVERSITY OF CALIF-LAWRENC BERKELEY LAB · 2022 · $541,295

## Abstract

ABSTRACT
Although neurodegenerative diseases most often can be identified by late onset behavioral characteristics or
by post-mortem pathology, we often lack reliable methods to predict disease status early in life. It remains
extraordinarily difficult in many cases to make clear distinctions among neurodegenerative disease subtypes
before the onset of symptoms, or to determine when disease onset will occur. New biomarkers are needed.
We have developed a Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectromicroscopy approach to predict disease status
from cell images based on chemical endpoints. Cells are exposed to IR light and spectral phenotyping ofthe cell
images produces an absorbance signature as a rapid physiological indicator of disease state. We will test
whether the method can accurately classify disease status in the absence of behavioral or tissue abnormalities and
benchmark the predictions in mice with known disease features. In human cells, we will test whether the FTIR
biomarker can accurately predict neurodegenerative disease class using human patient fibroblasts and
lymphoblasts as surrogate cells. The FTIR spectrum will be tested to distinguish among neurodegenerative
subtypes that are often confused with each other, e.g., Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and non-AD dementias.
These proof of principle experiments are designed to establish whether the FTIR method can generate a
reliable early disease biomarker and whether the signature has the power to discriminate among distinct
disease subtypes.
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## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10433612
- **Project number:** 1R21AG077458-01
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF CALIF-LAWRENC BERKELEY LAB
- **Principal Investigator:** Aris A Polyzos
- **Activity code:** R21 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2022
- **Award amount:** $541,295
- **Award type:** 1
- **Project period:** 2022-08-01 → 2025-07-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10433612

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10433612, Predicting neurodegeneration in living patients by IR imaging of skin fibroblasts (1R21AG077458-01). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-27 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10433612. Licensed CC0.

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