The second annual AFTD Holloway Summit, focused on biomarkers for FTD, was held from November 30 to December 1 in Miami Beach, FL. More than 50 attendees from academia, industry, nonprofit partners, and people with lived experience of FTD contributed to vibrant discussions on the current state of FTD biomarkers and various approaches for facilitating FTD biomarker development.

Holloway Summit meetings, which bring together scientific leaders to discuss ways in which FTD research can be accelerated, are made possible through the generosity of AFTD Board member Kristin Holloway and the Holloway Family Fund.

Biomarkers are the key to achieving accurate and early diagnosis, as well as tracking disease progression and the efficacy of potential treatments in clinical trials. Thus, the 2023 Holloway Summit focused on various aspects of biomarker identification, development, and utilization.

FTD biomarker development relies upon accessible resources, which is why an entire session was devoted to featuring currently available resources and how researchers can use them efficiently. Additionally, numerous discussions uncovered novel approaches for FTD biomarker advancement.

Despite an ongoing need for advancement in the field, speakers emphasized that research on FTD biomarkers is rapidly progressing. There is hope that these conversations will continue to fuel FTD biomarker development, which would greatly benefit the FTD community by improving diagnosis rates, accuracy, and equity, as well as identifying effective therapies.

The meeting was chaired by Danielle Graham, PhD (Biogen), Stacie Weninger, PhD (FBRI), and Henrik Zetterberg, PhD (University of Gothenburg). AFTD’s Penny Dacks, PhD (Senior Director of Scientific Initiatives), Debra Niehoff, PhD (Director of Grants and Research) and Amanda Gleixner, PhD (Research Project Manager) worked with the meeting chairs to develop the program. A scientific review of the Holloway Summit can be accessed on ALZFORUM.