# Core F: Biomarker Core

> **NIH NIH P30** · UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, SAN DIEGO · 2024 · $481,887

## Abstract

The Biomarker Core will contribute to the ADRC by overseeing research activities involving fluid (and tissue)
biomarkers, neuroimaging and DNA. Biomarkers are critically important as indicators of pathology, structure
and pathophysiology of brain changes in Alzheimer’s Disease and Related Disorders (ADRD). In Alzheimer’s,
the Amyloid, Tau, neurodegeneration (ATN) framework uses biomarkers to stage disease. Biomarkers can help
with diagnosis, including revealing pathological changes during preclinical or early stages of disease. They can
help with differential diagnosis, prognosis, and identification of disease heterogeneity. For fluid biomarkers, the
ADRC will collect blood (for DNA, plasma, serum) annually, cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) at baseline on as many
participants as possible (and repeated after 24 months), research MRI on as many participants as possible at
baseline, and amyloid and tau PET on at least 24 participants per year plus 10-20 more through the CLARiTI
project. For fluid biomarkers, the Core will maintain a repository where collected samples are stored.
Biomarkers will be measured in CSF to assess ATN, and emerging plasma biomarkers will be measured at
UCSD and using resources of the NCRAD laboratory that serves the entire ADRC network. For α-Synuclein,
seeding amplification assays will be obtained in CSF, and from serum or plasma if new methods become
standardized. DNA will be prepared at the ADRC and also at NCRAD from samples that will be shared. APOE
genotyping, GWAS and other genetic sequencing will be performed, coordinated by NCRAD. Research MRI
imaging will be obtained using standardized sequences, in compliance with the SCAN project. To characterize
amyloid burden, amyloid PET will use florbetapir, and for tau burden, tau PET will be obtained with MK6240.
MRI and PET data will be shared with the SCAN project. Vascular disease due to arteriosclerosis and amyloid
angiopathy will be assessed through MRI. The Biomarker Core will use stringent quality control to ensure that
acquisition of samples and imaging follows best practices, and will maintain rigor in analyzing biomarker data.
The Biomarker Core will conduct and support additional research to identify novel biomarkers, including
sharing samples with outside investigators. Core faculty will assist in teaching activities for REC and other
scholars and will provide advice to investigators who wish to use biomarkers in new grant applications.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10867181
- **Project number:** 2P30AG062429-06
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, SAN DIEGO
- **Principal Investigator:** DOUGLAS R GALASKO
- **Activity code:** P30 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2024
- **Award amount:** $481,887
- **Award type:** 2
- **Project period:** 2019-05-01 → 2029-03-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10867181

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10867181, Core F: Biomarker Core (2P30AG062429-06). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-23 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10867181. Licensed CC0.

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