Michael Levy

Advances in molecular and cellular technologies have expanded the toolkit for biomarker discovery, yet distinguishing meaningful signals from background noise remains a central challenge. Fluid based, cellular and tissue level analyses offer new insight into disease biology, but their translational value hinges on careful validation and clear links to underlying mechanisms. This workshop will examine current strategies for identifying and validating biomarkers in neuroimmunology, the limitations of relying solely on RNA or protein based readouts, the role of patient samples, biobanks and computational approaches, and how the field is moving toward greater clinical relevance and impact.

Key Topics to Be Explored:

• Review strategies for identifying novel biomarkers in neuroinflammatory and neurodegenerative diseases using molecular, cellular, and fluid-based approaches
• Evaluate how potential biomarkers are validated experimentally, and the importance of functional studies in linking biomarker candidates to disease mechanisms
• Examine the limitations of RNA or protein-based biomarkers and the challenges of correlating molecular signals with disease outcomes
• Discuss the role of patient samples, biobanks and machine learning in advancing biomarker discovery
• Highlight current gaps in biomarker development and strategies to increase translational relevance and clinical applicability