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Could a Simple Blood Test Spot Alzheimer’s Years in Advance?
"New research could change how we identify Alzheimer’s years before symptoms appear."
Good morning. It’s Thursday, November 14th.
Did you know: On November 14, 1969 – NASA launched Apollo 12, the second crewed mission to the Moon. Astronauts Charles Conrad and Alan L. Bean would later perform two Moonwalks, gathering valuable samples and setting up scientific equipment on the lunar surface.
In today’s email:
Can a Blood Test Predict Alzheimer’s Years Before Symptoms? The Science Says Yes
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ImageJ: Image Tool You Can't Ignore
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Could a Simple Blood Test Spot Alzheimer’s Years in Advance?
What if a simple blood test could tell us who might develop Alzheimer’s disease years before symptoms appear?
This might sound like science fiction, but researchers have recently uncovered hidden clues in our blood that could bring us closer to this reality.
Alzheimer’s disease, a leading cause of dementia, gradually erodes memory and thinking abilities, affecting millions globally. The APOE-ε4 gene is a known risk factor, raising a person’s chances of developing Alzheimer’s by up to twelve times.
Yet, having the gene doesn’t guarantee Alzheimer’s, and many people with the disease don’t carry it. So, scientists are looking beyond genes, studying blood proteins to reveal new insights.
In a large study of over 5,000 older adults in Iceland, researchers used advanced technology to examine thousands of proteins in the blood. They found two types of protein “signatures” linked to Alzheimer’s.
One set of proteins changed in people who later developed the disease, regardless of whether they had the APOE-ε4 gene.
These proteins are involved in brain processes like neuron growth and communication, suggesting that early changes in the brain may be detectable in the blood long before symptoms emerge.
Explore Research Assistant Jobs
1. Clinical Research Assistant
The College of Medicine, University of Cincinnati Cancer Center, is looking for a Clinical Research Assistant. This position will support the University’s mission and commitment to excellence in our students, faculty, staff and all our activities. Under general supervision of the Clinical Research Manager, the Clinical Research Assistant provides support and assistance with clinical trial participants, biospecimens, and data collection to the University of Cincinnati Cancer Center Clinical Trials Office. Duties can span a broad range of activities or be primarily focused within one or more areas of the clinical research spectrum. Read More
2. Research Assistant in Spatial Transcriptomics
The Rydén and Mejhert lab aims to understand how alterations in human white adipocyte function are related to cardiometabolic disorders such as type 2 diabetes, dyslipidemia, and coronary sclerosis. Our group consists of 15-20 members (senior researchers, postdoctoral fellows, PhD/master students, and technical staff) and has all the necessary infrastructure to conduct translational research including a fully equipped preclinical laboratory at NEO and a clinical research unit at the Karolinska University Hospital, Huddinge. Read More
3. Agricultural Assistant II – Dairy
The Iowa State University Dairy is seeking an Agricultural Assistant II to support the daily operations of the ISU Dairy Farm. Working under limited supervision, this role involves performing standard procedures for the care and milking of dairy cattle, as well as assisting dairy researchers and supervisors in collecting data related to animal research. Read More
4. Senior Research Analyst with broad LC-MS experience
Do you have experience with LC-MS-based techniques? And are you eager to apply this to contribute to safe food and feed for public health? Do you want to know everything about PFAS? Do you have the ability to motivate your colleagues? Then you might be the person we’re looking for to strengthen one of our research teams! We have an opening for a Senior Research Analyst PFAS in our Organic Contaminants team. Read More
Explore Funded PhD Programs
1. PhD in Interdisciplinary Nanoscience and Nanotechnology (NanoDTC)
The Centre for Doctoral Training in Nanoscience and Nanotechnology (NanoDTC) invites applications from top-class independent-thinking students for its Interdisciplinary PhD programme in Nanoscience and Nanotechnology. We offer a number of fully funded PhD studentships of 3.5 years duration to support students on our programme. Read More
2. PhD Studentship: Synthetic Organic Chemistry/Chemical Catalysis
Applications are invited for a 3.5-year PhD studentship based in the Yusuf Hamied Department of Chemistry, supervised by Dr Pawel Dydio, to work in the field of synthetic organic chemistry and catalysis. The project will be focused on mechanistically driven discovery of new valuable (multi)catalytic transformations and addressing the limitations of key catalytic processes by elucidating their mechanistic features. For recent articles from the Dydio group that provide background to these, see: Nature Catal. 2019, 2, 114; J.Am.Chem.Soc., 2020, 142, 18251; Chem Catal. 2022, 2, 762; Angew.Chem.Int.Ed. 2022, e202116406; Angew.Chem.Int.Ed. 2024, e202408418; Angew.Chem.Int.Ed. 2024, e202404684; and Angew.Chem.Int.Ed. 2024, e202410616. Read More
3. Fully Funded PhD in Accounting at Rice University
The main goal of the accounting doctoral program is to train students to do high-quality research, and become influential scholars in top academic institutions. The accounting group has world-class senior faculty and young, talented scholars with considerable expertise in the above topics and a vibrant research environment. In addition, the program leverages the resources and excellence of Rice University in related fields such as finance, economics and statistics. Read More
4. PhD Program in Biochemistry at University of Oxford, England
The DPhil in Biochemistry at the University of Oxford is a doctoral research program that focuses on advanced studies and research in the field of biochemistry. This program is ideal for students passionate about exploring biochemical processes and seeking to contribute new insights to the field. Students work on a research project that is often interdisciplinary, allowing collaboration with various departments, such as genetics, cell biology, and molecular biology. Under the guidance of experienced supervisors, students develop both theoretical knowledge and hands-on research skills to prepare for a career in academia, biotechnology, pharmaceuticals, or other research-based fields. Read More
Explore Postdoctoral Jobs
1. Postdoctoral Research Associate – Chemical Biology & Therapeutics
A postdoctoral research associate position is available with Dr. Richard Lee. A postdoctoral fellowship is available in the Chemical Biology and Therapeutics department to study antimicrobial drug action. The ideal trainee will have a background in antibiotic discovery, microbiology, and drug action, as well as an interest in chemical biology and antimicrobial resistance. The trainee will perform mechanism of action studies on novel antibiotic substances, including RNAseq and TMT proteomics and anti-bacterial drug testing. The trainee must keep an accurate notebook and a safe working environment. Read More
2. Postdoctoral Position in Quantitative Cell Biology in the MATSU lab
The MATSU lab at the University of Washington invites applications for a Postdoctoral position. We are seeking a creative, innovative, and collaborative individual to join our interdisciplinary research group. The successful candidate will conduct original research in quantitative live-cell fluorescence microscopy, focusing on the actin cytoskeleton’s role in membrane trafficking processes in human induced pluripotent stem cells. Anticipated start date is January 1st 2025. Read More
3. Postdoc Spatial and single cell seed transcriptomics
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4. Postdoc Research Associate – Water Resources Engineering
The Department of Civil, Construction and Environmental Engineering at Iowa State University is seeking candidates for a Postdoctoral Research Associate position in Water Resources Engineering. The postdoc researcher will work primarily with Dr. Lu Liu on an EPA-funded research project on accelerating water reuse in small communities. The main duties include conducting modeling and data analytics with a focus on water reuse research, assisting community-based research, and disseminating results. There will be opportunities to mentor undergraduate and graduate students and contributing to writing grant proposals. Read More
ImageJ: Image Tool You Can't Ignore
ImageJ is a popular open-source image processing tool, developed by the National Institutes of Health (NIH), widely used in scientific and medical research for analyzing images.
Key Features:
Image Processing: Supports various formats (TIFF, JPEG, PNG, etc.) and 8/16/32-bit images.
Multi-Dimensional Imaging: Handles stacks, 3D, and time-lapse images, ideal for microscopy.
Extensible: Customizable with plugins and macros in multiple languages (JavaScript, Python, etc.).
Measurement Tools: Offers tools for measuring distances, areas, angles, intensity, and more.
Cross-Platform & Open-Source: Free, open-source, and compatible with Windows, macOS, and Linux.
Popular in Life Sciences: Widely used for scientific imaging in biology, neuroscience, and medical research.
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