Clinical Alzheimer Research

Alzheimer’s disease presents a major health challenge to our aging society. Our research group investigates the interplay between neuropathology, genetics, immunology and ehavioral factors with respect to cognitive performance in healthy aging versus beginning dementia. Of particular interest are the very early changes in brain pathology and function, as detectable by multimodal imaging, including structural and functional MRI, Amyloid- and Tau-PET, as well as immunological markers in body fluids. Towards this aim, we are conducting longitudinal cohort studies in elderly volunteers in our clinical study outpatient unit, which is located next to the PET/MRI center at Schlieren.

To investigate the immunological basis of neurodegenerative diseases, we are focusing on how the accumulation of pathologically aggregated proteins (i.e. Amyloid and Tau), modulates the function and trafficking of antigen-presenting cells and lymphocytes into the brain. Single-cell techniques coupled with advanced computational analysis enable the identification of novel peripheral immune cell profile alterations across the Alzheimer's disease (AD) spectrum.

More Information about the cohort studies can be found at Center for Prevention and Dementia Therapy / Zentrum für Prävention und Demenztherapie

PhD Students
Maha Wybitul

PostDocs
Dr. sc. ETH Zürich Dario Bachmann

PS Dr. sc. nat. Valerie Treyer
PubMed
Orcid
Demenzforschung der Klinik für Nuklearmedizin – USZ

Dr. sc. nat. Christoph Gericke
PubMed
Orcid
ZNZ

Dr. med. Anton Gietl
Orcid
Klinikleitung - Psychiatrische Universitätsklinik Zürich

Brain Iron Load and Brain Functionality at Old Age
Dr. med. Sonja Kagerer (project leader)

Biomarkers of Brain Clearance During Sleep
Prof. Dr. med. Ruth Tuura (project leader), Dr. med. Anton Gietl & PD. Dr. Valerie Treyer

Behavioral biomarkers for patients with mild neurocognitive disorder
Prof. Dr. med. Nicolas Langer (project leader), Dr. med. Anton Gietl & PD. Dr. Valerie Treyer

Alterspsychiatrie - Psychiatrische Universitätsklinik Zürich (PUK) (pukzh.ch)
Klinik für Nuklearmedizin – USZ
Homepage – Radiopharmaceutical Science | ETH Zurich
Frisoni - Département de réadaptation et gériatrie - UNIGE
Pr. Valentina Garibotto - Head of the Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging Division - HUG
Henrik Zetterberg | University of Gothenburg (gu.se))