Oskar Hansson, Professor of Neurology, and Gemma Salvadó, Research Associate – both at Lund University – are co-authors of the article:
Why do you think your article won the prize?
"Our study suggests that a simple blood test can provide more accurate diagnosis and prognosis for Alzheimer’s disease, in a less invasive and more accessible way than previous tests. The prize highlights the potential to improve care through precisely this type of simple and precise test."
In what way can the new biomarker make a difference?
"By combining two blood-based biomarkers, doctors can detect pathological changes and determine whether they are causing the symptoms, as well as gain an understanding of the severity of the disease. The biomarker has higher accuracy than current blood tests when it comes to detecting tau pathology – one of the most important hallmarks of Alzheimer’s disease and the pathological changes most strongly linked to symptoms. This provides doctors with a better basis for diagnosis and can help improve both the accuracy and accessibility of diagnosis, and ultimately lead to better treatment."
The article was published a year ago – what has happened since then?
"We have continued to study the biomarker in several complementary projects. At present, three further articles on the biomarker have already been published or accepted, which reinforces its value in improving diagnostic classification. We are also testing the biomarker in larger and more diverse groups to see how reliable the results are and whether they apply to more people. The aim is to understand how it can begin to be used in clinical practice."
How does it feel to receive the award?
"It is both a great honour and feels like a huge responsibility. We are truly grateful to the committee for the award, and we share it with all the co-authors and collaborators who took part in the study. This project was based on close collaboration between several different teams and centres – so really, it is everyone’s prize."