Structure

EU-FINGERS is coordinated by Prof. Miia Kivipelto at Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.

The project’s work is organised in different Work Packages (WPs), which are interconnected. All EU-FINGERS partners work together to achieve the WPs’ objectives.

WP1. Project coordination

Description: professional management of EU-FINGERS.

Objectives:

To ensure timely and successful implementation of the project, by coordinating the scientific, clinical, technical, and financial activities
To conduct risk monitoring and management within the project’s activities
To set up and manage communication systems for internal and external communication
To guarantee compliance with ethical and legal requirements.

Leads: Karolinska Institutet

WP2. Disease models and tools for accurate prediction of risk and prevention potential

Description: development of tools for assessing different risks related to Alzheimer’s disease and dementia, and evaluating an individual’s potential for prevention.

Objectives:

To define multifactorial models for individual risk prediction of brain pathology, cognitive decline, and dementia, using machine-learning analytical methods
To define multifactorial tools for the assessment of an individual’s potential for risk reduction and prevention of Alzheimer’s disease and dementia, taking advantage of machine-learning analytical methods
To identify and validate novel biomarkers to assess risk and prevention potential for Alzheimer’s disease and dementia.

Co-Leads and contributors: Barcelonaβeta Brain Research Center, CITA-Alzheimer Foundation, Combinostics, Finnish Institute of Health and Welfare, National Institute of Clinical Neurosciences Budapest, Saarland University, University of Luxembourg

WP3. Real-life testing of disease models and prediction tools: assessing response to preventive interventions and cost-benefit aspects

Description: testing of models and tools developed in WP2, within multimodal trials for the prevention of Alzheimer’s disease and dementia, to predict response to the interventions and assess cost-benefits.

Objectives:

To predict short- and long-term responses to multimodal interventions for the prevention of Alzheimer’s disease and dementia, also by using novel statistical methodology
To assess cost-effectiveness aspects of multimodal interventions for precision prevention of Alzheimer’s disease and dementia.

Co-Leads and contributors: CITA-Alzheimer Foundation, Combinostics, Finnish Institute of Health and Welfare, Karolinska Institutet, Saarland University, University of Luxembourg

WP4. EU-FINGERS trial master protocol and multimodal preventive trials combining pharmacological and non-pharmacological interventions

Description: developing master protocols for multimodal prevention trials, integrating pharmacological and non-pharmacological interventions, for more efficient and accelerated development of preventative solutions for Alzheimer’s diseases and dementia.

Objectives:

To prepare a Master protocol for multimodal, non-pharmacological interventions for Precision Prevention of Alzheimer’s disease and dementia, to ensure harmonised methodology on a large scale
To prepare a protocol for the first multimodal intervention for the prevention of Alzheimer’s disease and dementia, based on the combination of pharmacological and non-pharmacological interventions
To define main aspects of data harmonisation to facilitate joint analysis among multimodal preventive trials.

Co-Leads and contributors: Barcelonaβeta Brain Research Center, CITA-Alzheimer Foundation, Karolinska Institutet, VU University Medical Center

WP5. Patients’ perspective, and Public and Patient Involvement

Description: this WP includes two main sections. One section involves qualitative studies to assess how to best disclose information related to increased risk of Alzheimer’s disease in very early stages, identify strategies for shared decision making in terms of diagnostic testing and preventive measures, and optimisation of adherence to preventive interventions. The second section of the WP entails organising Public and Patient Involvement activities.

Objectives:

To formulate best-practice recommendations for disclosing results of biomarker testing and for findings defining an individual’s increased risk for Alzheimer’s disease or dementia
To develop strategies for shared decision-making, where clinicians and patients jointly contribute to decisions on diagnostic testing for the detection of early stages of Alzheimer’s disease, as well as initiating preventive interventions
To define methods for optimising the long-term adherence to multimodal precision prevention interventions for Alzheimer’s diseases and dementia
To conduct Public and Patient Involvement activities, through the Advisory Board which can guide and influence relevant decisions on how the EU-FINGERS research activities are conducted.

Co-Leads and contributors: Alzheimer Europe, National Institute of Clinical Neurosciences Budapest, University of Luxembourg, VU University Medical Center

WP6. EU-FINGERS Online Registries

Description: analyse core features of existing online brain health registries led by EU-FINGERS consortium partners, to promote the development of new registries across Europe, which can inform and engage citizens and optimise recruitment in clinical trials for prevention of Alzheimer’s disease and dementia.

Objectives:

To analyse the structure and performance of existing European online brain health registries and identify features supporting the engagement of at-risk populations in preventative interventions for risk reduction of Alzheimer’s disease and dementia
To harmonise data and define core features for online brain health registries which can be used to optimise engagement of European citizens in studies for the prevention of Alzheimer’s disease and dementia
To coordinate the development of new online registries across Europe, for developing better-phenotyped cohorts and streamlining recruitment into clinical trials for precision prevention of Alzheimer’s disease and dementia.

Co-leads and contributors: Barcelonaβeta Brain Research Center, Finnish Institute of Health and Welfare, National Institute of Clinical Neurosciences Budapest, University of Luxembourg, VU University Medical Center

WP7. Results dissemination and planning of EU-FINGERS trials

Description: coordinate and implement activities of outreach and scientific dissemination to a portfolio of relevant stakeholders and define a sustainability plan for future research building on EU-FINGERS findings.

Objectives:

To develop and update material and tools supporting the project’s dissemination to stakeholders and general public
To carry out dissemination activities, optimising the visibility of the project among relevant stakeholders and the community
To develop a plan for short and long-term sustainability of the activities beyond the project timeline and securing opportunities for EU-FINGERS multimodal prevention trials.

Co-Leads and contributors: Alzheimer Europe, Karolinska Institutet, Barcelonaβeta Brain Research Center, CITA-Alzheimer Foundation, Combinostics, Finnish Institute of Health and Welfare, National Institute of Clinical Neurosciences Budapest, Saarland University, University of Luxembourg, VU University Medical Center

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EURO-FINGERS is an EU Joint Programme –
Neurodegenerative Disease Research (JPND) project.

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The project is supported through the following funding organisations under the aegis of JPND – www.jpnd.eu: Finland, Academy of Finland; Germany, Federal Ministry of Education and Research; Hungary, National Research, Development and Innovation Office; Luxemburg, National Research Fund; The Netherlands, Netherlands Organisation for Health Research and Development; Spain, National Institute of Health Carlos III; Sweden, Swedish Research Council.