Blood Proteins Studied for Early Dementia Signs
Researchers will analyze 80,000 UK Biobank blood samples to look for early molecular markers of Alzheimer's and Parkinson's.
Updated on Nov. 2, 2026 in Alzheimer’s
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Alamar Biosciences and Nightingale Health have launched the UK Biobank UKB-PRISM study, which will measure hundreds of circulating protein biomarkers in 80,000 UK Biobank blood samples to look for early signs of neurodegenerative disease. The study is expected to finish by the end of 2027, and its full dataset will be shared with approved researchers worldwide.
Why it matters
Alzheimer's disease and other dementias affect more than 55 million people globally, and Parkinson's affects more than 12 million today. The study aims to identify early molecular indicators of neurodegeneration, which could support earlier detection, prevention and treatment in the years ahead.
The UKB-PRISM study is a biomarker measurement project on 80,000 blood samples from UK Biobank participants, with results expected by the end of 2027. Because it is still in progress, its findings on early indicators of neurodegeneration have not yet been reported.
The players
Alamar Biosciences
A Fremont, California company whose NULISA platform is used to measure blood-based protein biomarkers.
Nightingale Health
A Helsinki, Finland company that performs blood metabolomic analysis and has generated data on all 500,000 UK Biobank participants.
Alzheimer's Research UK
A UK charity funding dementia research, and a funder of the UKB-PRISM study.
The details
The study will use Alamar's NULISA platform in Nightingale's laboratories to measure hundreds of proteins circulating in participants' blood. Researchers will look for molecular patterns that may signal neurodegeneration before symptoms appear. Once completed, the full dataset will be made available to approved researchers worldwide through the UK Biobank Research Analysis Platform.
Timeline
November 2, 2026: Launch of the UKB-PRISM study is announced.
End of 2027: The study is expected to be completed.
Health Landscape
The UK Biobank is an established open research resource, and UKB-PRISM builds on its existing blood samples and Nightingale's metabolomic data. The project adds a neurodegeneration focus to a cohort already used for population-level health research.
This study is at an early research stage, so it will not change how Alzheimer's or Parkinson's is diagnosed or treated for now. If you have questions about your own memory or movement changes, worth discussing with your doctor.
The takeaway
Early molecular indicators of neurodegeneration could eventually support earlier detection of Alzheimer's and Parkinson's, though results are still years away. For now, bring any persistent changes in memory, mood or movement to your physician.
Further reading
For background on the conditions this research targets, see the Alzheimer's section.
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