Plasmonic-array-based biosensors for the diagnosis of neurodegenerative diseases

The impact of Alzheimer's disease (AD) is projected to become one of the major challenges to modern society: over the next few years the incidence of AD will reach 1 million people in the UK alone with an estimated annual economic cost of £30 billion. Unfortunately, the existing diagnostic procedures are inadequate for early disease detection and do not always differentiate AD from other dementias. In addition, they are time consuming, expensive and of limited availability outside specialist centres. Definitive AD diagnosis is still only available post-mortem and the development of enhanced diagnostic strategies are, therefore, highly desirable. We have identified a panel of AD biomarkers incorporating proteins whose diagnostic power arises from their interrelated patterns and we are developing an instrument for point-of-care diagnostic tests that can be used in clinical settings (community medical centres and hospitals) as a screening tool for these markers. Availability of a reliable biomarker test for AD would increase the accuracy of disease diagnosis, aid earlier disease detection including automation for community screening and allow for improved treatment targeting. Whilst no cure for AD is currently available, earlier, more accurate and cost-effective detection of AD will be an important component for facilitating development and implementation of newer, disease modifying therapies (amyloid vaccines). Our approach would also allow expensive resources, particularly emerging state-of-the-art imaging technologies, to be more effectively utilised.