Early career support sparks new hope for Alzheimer’s diagnosis

Engineering professor Michael Adachi and his team at SFU’s Nanodevice Fabrication Group have uncovered a new method to Alzheimer's disease detection more efficient and accessible.

With over 500,000 Canadians diagnosed with Dementia, there is an increasing need to find a solution to address this health challenge. Alzheimer's disease, the most common form of Dementia, often starts unnoticed—with changes in the brain occurring long before symptoms become apparent. Biomarkers are measurable biological indicators found in blood, tissue, or other fluids that are used in health care and research to help assess disease risk, detect disease, monitor progression and evaluate responses to treatment, including Alzheimer's disease. 

Receiving the Michael Smith Health Research BC Scholar award, in partnership with CLEAR Foundation, Adachi and his team are developing a sensor to detect Alzheimer biomarker proteins through a blood test. This new innovation aims to help reshape Alzheimer's care—supporting earlier diagnosis and better patient outcomes.

Learn more about his research>>