Topic: Exploring Biomarkers in Neurodegenerative Diseases: Recent Advances and Clinical Implications

Neurodegenerative diseases, characterized by the progressive degeneration of the nervous system, pose significant challenges to global healthcare systems. Understanding the underlying biology and identifying reliable biomarkers are crucial steps toward effective diagnosis, prognosis, and treatment. This Special Issue provides a comprehensive overview of recent advancements in the field of neurodegenerative disease biomarker research. It covers a wide range of topics, including the identification of novel biomarkers through omics technologies, the role of neuroinflammation in disease progression, the development of imaging techniques for early diagnosis, and the potential of liquid biopsy approaches. Additionally, it discusses the challenges and opportunities associated with translating biomarker discoveries into clinical practice. By synthesizing the latest findings and highlighting future directions, this Special Issue aims to facilitate collaboration among researchers and clinicians and accelerate progress toward personalized medicine for neurodegenerative diseases.

Sub-topics:
1. Biomarker Discovery and Validation:
    - Methods and technologies used in the discovery of biomarkers for neurodegenerative diseases.
    - Criteria and approaches for validating candidate biomarkers in preclinical and clinical studies.

2. Molecular Pathways and Mechanisms:
    - Insights into the molecular pathways and cellular mechanisms underlying neurodegenerative diseases.
    - Identification of biomarkers associated with specific pathological processes, such as protein misfolding, neuroinflammation, and synaptic dysfunction.

3. Imaging Biomarkers and Neuroimaging Techniques:
    - Development and application of imaging biomarkers for the early detection and tracking of neurodegenerative diseases.
    - Advances in neuroimaging techniques, such as MRI, PET, and SPECT, for visualizing disease-related changes in the brain.

4. Liquid Biopsy and Peripheral Biomarkers:
    - Exploration of blood-based biomarkers and other peripheral markers for neurodegenerative diseases
    - Potential of liquid biopsy approaches, such as analysis of circulating proteins, nucleic acids, and extracellular vesicles, for disease diagnosis and monitoring.

5. Clinical Applications and Translation:
    - Clinical utility of biomarkers in diagnosing, prognosticating, and monitoring neurodegenerative diseases.
    - Challenges and opportunities in translating biomarker discoveries from research settings to clinical practice.

6. Omics Approaches for Biomarker Discovery:
    - Review of genomic, transcriptomic, proteomic, and metabolomic studies aimed at identifying biomarkers for neurodegenerative diseases.

30 Nov 2024