In 2024, the The Galen and Hilary Weston Foundation launched their latest round of research funding – the Characterisation of Novel Biomarkers for Neurodegenerative Diseases of Ageing Programme - awarding grants to three new grantees, each of whom is doing groundbreaking work to develop biomarkers that will advance the diagnosis and treatment of these conditions, including Dr Viorica Chelban and Dr Christian Lambert (UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology).
The work of the researchers was chosen using rigorous criteria in order to identify the most targeted, innovative research projects. All the applications we received were of a very high standard and we are grateful to everyone who submitted proposals.
We are very excited about the potential of these projects to have a transformative impact on the treatment and care of people affected by neurodegenerative conditions, and look forward to sharing details of their progress with you in the coming months and years.
Dr. Viorica Chelban (Neuromuscular Diseases, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology)
- Expertise: MSA, neurodegeneration, biomarker development
- GHWF Funding: £350,000
- Potential Impact: If successful, this approach would improve early detection, monitor disease progression, and pave the way for more effective treatments for MSA.
Advancing precision medicine in Multiple System Atrophy (MSA): Integrated biomarker profiling for early diagnosis and prognostic stratification
Multiple System Atrophy (MSA) is a rare, rapidly progressing, and fatal neurodegenerative disease that affects movement, coordination, and the body’s autonomic functions. Despite medical advancements, a definitive diagnosis can only be confirmed during autopsy.
To address this challenge, Dr Chelban aims to validate cutting-edge laboratory tests – the alpha-synuclein seed aggregation assay and ultra-sensitive high-throughput protein detection – as tools for diagnosing MSA in living patients, by:
- Investigating the accuracy, reliability, and reproducibility of an optimised alpha-synuclein seed aggregation assay for diagnosing MSA.
- Identifying disease stages by establishing patterns of protein changes that correlate with MSA progression.
- Developing a comprehensive biomarker profile by combining multiple tests to improve diagnosis and tracking.
Dr. Christian Lambert (Imaging Neuroscience, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology)
- Expertise: PD, DLB, LBD, biomarkers
- GHWF Funding: £346,238
- Potential Impact: If successful, this project would produce a fast, non-invasive biomarker for early Parkinsonian disorders, enabling earlier diagnosis, better patient classification, and precision treatments.
Diagnosing and monitoring progression in early Lewy Body Disorders
Lewy Body Disorders (LBD), including Parkinson’s disease (PD) and Dementia with Lewy Bodies (DLB), can begin 10 to 20 years before symptoms appear, making early diagnosis and tracking difficult. This prodromal phase presents a crucial opportunity for early intervention, yet current methods cannot accurately detect or monitor disease progression at this stage.
Dr. Lambert has developed advanced quantitative MRI (qMRI) techniques that are able to track neurodegeneration at the individual level, by:
- Assessing at-risk cohorts using this technique.
- Conducting baseline assessments and gold standard techniques to evaluate and compare the qMRI technique.
- Evaluating the longitudinal progression of the technique’s ability to detect disease.
Links
Source: The Galen and Hilary Weston Foundation