Study Targets Early Signs of Neurodegeneration
Alamar Biosciences and Nightingale Health launched the UKB-PRISM study, measuring blood biomarkers in 80,000 UK Biobank samples.
Updated on Nov. 2, 2026 in Alzheimer’s
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Alamar Biosciences and Nightingale Health announced on November 2, 2026, the UKB-PRISM study, which will measure hundreds of circulating protein biomarkers in 80,000 blood samples from UK Biobank participants. The study is funded by Alzheimer's Research UK, LifeArc and other partners and is expected to be completed by the end of 2027.
Why it matters
The study aims to identify early molecular indicators of neurodegeneration, with the goal of earlier detection, prevention and treatment of Parkinson's disease, Alzheimer's disease and other neurodegenerative conditions. Alzheimer's and other dementias affect more than 55 million people globally, and dementia cases are on track to nearly triple by 2050.
The study will measure hundreds of circulating protein biomarkers in 80,000 blood samples drawn from UK Biobank participants, a cohort within a pool of 500,000 whose metabolomic data has already been generated. Results are not yet available, and whether these markers will reliably predict neurodegeneration remains unknown until the study concludes.
The players
Alamar Biosciences
Alamar Biosciences is a Fremont, California-based life sciences company that developed the NULISA platform used to measure protein biomarkers in the study.
Nightingale Health
Nightingale Health is a Helsinki-based company that performs metabolomic blood analysis and will run the study's measurements in its laboratories.
UK Biobank
UK Biobank is a large-scale biomedical database and research resource that tracks the health of hundreds of thousands of United Kingdom participants over time.
The details
The work will be conducted in Nightingale's laboratories using Alamar's NULISA platform to measure blood-based biomarkers. After completion, the full dataset will be made available to approved researchers worldwide through the UK Biobank Research Analysis Platform.
Timeline
November 2, 2026: UKB-PRISM study launch announced.
End of 2027: Expected completion of the study.
Big Picture
The study builds on the UK Biobank's existing cohort, which has already supported large-scale biomarker research across many conditions. Its planned open-access release positions the dataset as a shared resource for early neurodegeneration research worldwide.
If successful, the biomarkers could support earlier identification of Parkinson's, Alzheimer's and related conditions, when preventive or treatment options may be more effective. Findings from the study are not expected to change individual clinical care until they are validated further.
The takeaway
Earlier molecular markers of neurodegeneration could eventually shift detection from late-stage symptoms to earlier windows. Readers interested in the science can follow future releases of the dataset through the UK Biobank platform.
What happens next
The study is expected to be completed by the end of 2027, at which point the full dataset will be released to approved researchers.
Further reading
Explore more on Alzheimer’s research and early detection efforts.
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