Emory researchers developing visual tool to view effects of Alzheimer's, ASD on brain
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Researchers at Emory University are developing a visual tool to view how conditions such as Alzheimer's disease and autism spectrum disorder affect the brain in real-time, the university announced in a press release.
The National Institute on Aging and the NIMH will fund the development of novel positron emission tomography imaging probes, which are designed to show real-time brain activity that occurs during disease progression.
The funding from the institutions will provide a total of $9.6 million over 5 years and will support multidisciplinary teams collaborating through Emory’s Positron Emission Tomography Imaging Center and the Radiopharmaceutical Discovery Program.
“We are truly honored to receive this federal support to advance our understanding of Alzheimer’s disease and autism spectrum disorder by using next-level PET imaging technologies,” Steven Liang, PhD, lead author and associate professor at Emory University, said in the release.
According to Elizabeth Krupinski, PhD, vice chair of research for the department of radiology and imaging sciences, the work has “the potential to be game-changing.”
“Liang’s projects involve drug discovery, radiochemistry, and translational PET imaging studies in multiple species, from rodents to nonhuman primates to humans,” Krupinski said. “We are very excited to support this fruitful collaboration and to stimulate cross-departmental interactions to translate basic science discoveries into humans.”