C2N Diagnostics, a St. Louis-based specialty diagnostics company focused on brain health, has announced a grant of more than $1.5 million from the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research (MJFF).

The grant will enable researchers to better understand the connections among neurodegenerative conditions, including Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and neuronal a-synuclein disease (NSD)—which encompasses Parkinson’s disease, Lewy body dementia, and REM behavior disorder, by connecting research fluid samples and novel fluid biomarker test results. The first phase of the initiative will aid studies designed to detect amyloid plaques in the brain, a pathological hallmark of AD. The researchers will use a C2N-developed biomarker test to measure specific tau proteins that can help diagnose AD and identify disease progress. In addition, the researchers will investigate how biomarkers of dementia and neurodegeneration change and impact NSD progression.

“We’re honored to work with the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research, which is making significant progress in designing a milestone-driven, innovative, and high-risk model to identify and accelerate the idea of finding the cure for Parkinson’s disease,” said C2N Diagnostics CEO Joel Braunstein. “Our partnership is a pivotal example of how C2N is leveraging its leadership position with precision diagnostic tools for and beyond Alzheimer’s disease, and we look forward to additional opportunities.”

(Photo credit: Getty Images/ipopba)