On Monday 7th April BBC Look East reported on the development of a new blood test to detect frontotemporal dementia, a form of Alzheimer’s disease, long before symptoms appear. The research, funded in part by the Race against Dementia charity founded by Formula One champion Sir Jackie Stewart, was also reported in the Daily Mail, Sun, and Scotsman.

Our BioBepository featured in the report, as it processes and stores the blood samples from hundreds of participants in the ON-FIRE Study, led by Dr Maura Malpetti at the University of Cambridge Department of Clinical Neurosciences. The ON-FIRE study is investigating blood-based markers of inflammation in Frontotemporal dementia, in order to identify clinically relevant inflammatory profiles that can be used to identify those at risk. The Biorepository’s involvement in the ON-FIRE study is led by Natalia Piaszczyk.

Our BioRepository team operate an advanced sample storage facility that includes automated systems for retrieving and arraying biological material for biomarker applications, as well as cost-effective solutions for DNA extractions and Quality Control.

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• Photo credit: MRC Epidemiology Unit. Photo taken in BioRepository, featuring Biorepository team members Natalia Piaszczyk and Lydia Moore, as well as Dr Maura Malpetti and BBC Look East reporter Nikki Fox.