Just returned from an incredible week at #AAIC 2026 in #London! Grateful for every conversation, insight, and connection that reminded me why I love this field.
A few talks really stayed with me: Suzanne Schindler's plenary on "Eligibility for Anti-Amyloid Immunotherapy: Amyloid Biomarkers in the Real World" was a sharp, practical look at how biomarker evidence is translating into real clinical decisions. Betty Tijms walked us through "Proteomic Subtypes of AD: What Do They Mean and How Will They Influence or Benefit Drug Development for Alzheimer's Disease?" and it completely shifted how I think about AD subtypes and treatment targeting. I also loved Rachel Buckley's talk showing that elevated plasma p-tau217 predicts real, quantifiable risk of future cognitive impairment, independent of amyloid-PET.
The ISTAART preconference sessions were another highlight for me, especially the "Immersives: Integrating Data Resources for AD/ADRD Research: Biomarkers, Imaging, and NIAGADS Genetics and Genomics Data from the ADSP" workshop. I'm currently working on harmonizing data across multiple cohorts to evaluate how SOMI staging predicts cognitive impairment, so the sessions on biomarker harmonization and biological staging frameworks gave me a lot to bring back to my own project.
What struck me most was the sheer range of methodologies driving this field forward: imaging-based and blood-based biomarkers, generative and agentic AI, machine learning, multi-omic approaches, and so much more. Each one is opening new doors for early detection and intervention, and it's genuinely exciting to be part of this progress.
And of course, I got to present my own work: "Separate and Joint Effects of Stages of Objective Memory Impairment and Cognitive Function Index on Clinical Progression in A4" where we showed that using both CFI and SOMI to determine eligibility for secondary prevention trials in amyloid positive individuals may improve trial efficiency. Special thanks to my mentors and co-authors on this work:
richard lipton (Albert Einstein College of Medicine; MONTEFIORE MEDICAL CENTER),
Rebecca Amariglio (Harvard Medical School),
Reisa Sperling (Harvard Medical School)
Ellen Grober (Albert Einstein College of Medicine)
This year was especially meaningful because I got to attend with my mother
( #Lata Choudhary). Having her by my side made the whole experience unforgettable.
I'm walking away from this week more inspired than ever, carrying all the ideas and new collaborations into the year ahead. See you at AAIC 2027 in Chicago
#AAIC2026
Alzheimer's Association®
#Alzheimers
#DementiaResearch
#ClinicalResearch
#Neurology