AH-EXT-199

Title

Using AI to read complex molecular patterns and improve how we detect and understand diseases

Summary of Proposed Work

This project aims to give doctors and patients better tools to understand healthy ageing and to spot brain‑related diseases—such as dementia—much earlier than is currently possible.

The team is developing a new kind of low‑cost diagnostic device that can “read” complex patterns in molecules from the body. Instead of looking for one specific disease marker, it captures a broad molecular fingerprint and uses artificial intelligence to interpret what it means. This makes it possible to detect many different conditions, even those that are normally hard to diagnose.

Because the technology is general‑purpose, it could be used as a quick, front‑line test in clinics to check for a wide range of diseases. It could also monitor patients over time, helping doctors intervene sooner if a condition begins to develop or worsen—something especially important for diseases that affect the brain and nervous system.

The project will benefit from research at the UK Dementia Research Institute, which studies how small molecular changes can signal the earliest stages of dementia. Combining their insights with this new AI‑powered diagnostic approach could lead to faster, more accurate detection and better treatment planning.