On 25–26 June, the Fraunhofer Institute for Algorithms and Scientific Computing hosted a symposium titled “Towards Earlier Diagnosis of Alzheimer’s Disease” in Bonn (Germany) that marked the end of the ADIS project. ADIS stands for “Early Diagnosis of Alzheimer’s Disease by Immune Profiling of Cytotoxic Lymphocytes and Recording of Sleep Disturbances”, an interdisciplinary initiative coordinated by Fraunhofer SCAI. The meeting brought together leading researchers from across Europe to share insights from the project and beyond as well as to explore future collaboration opportunities. The first day reviewed current research into the early diagnosis and biological characterisation of Alzheimer’s disease (AD), covering clinical, biological and computational approaches. Taking a technology-agnostic view, the project has integrated a range of methods, from blood-based and immune biomarkers to digital tools for remote monitoring of sleep, cognition and behaviour.
The programme was structured around four sessions, addressing perspectives on early diagnosis, immune profiling and single-cell sequencing, artificial intelligence and agent-based modelling, and digital biomarkers. Speakers included representatives from ADIS and related EU-funded projects such as PROMINENT, AD-RIDDLE and PREDICTOM. The second day focused on prevention strategies and future directions. It opened with presentations on initiatives such as the Barcelona Brain Health Initiative and PatternCog, as well as a talk from Alzheimer Europe on involving the public to develop strategies to reach young adults to motivate them to improve their brain health. Participants then took part in two in-depth round table discussions. The first explored challenges such as closing knowledge gaps in AD research, evaluating early biomarkers and developing prevention pathways. In the second, groups presented their findings to all attendees and reflected on next steps. The meeting marked the conclusion of the ADIS project, while also opening the door to continued collaboration. The organisers gratefully acknowledged the Fritz-Thyssen Foundation for supporting the event.