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Experts at AAIC 2026 discuss the changing Alzheimer’s care pathway

How new diagnostic approaches could help clinicians identify, triage, and monitor patients earlier and more effectively

21 Aug 2026

As Alzheimer’s disease becomes increasingly defined by biological markers rather than symptoms alone, the need for earlier, more scalable diagnostic approaches is growing. In this video, experts discuss how blood-based biomarkers could support earlier detection, better patient triaging, treatment monitoring, and broader access to Alzheimer’s diagnostics. The discussion, with Dr. Gaby Marquardt, Global Head of Clinical and Technology Innovation at Siemens Healthineers, and Prof. Charlotte Teunissen, Alzheimer Center Amsterdam, also explores the role of initiatives such as PREDICTOM and ACCESS-AD in advancing integrated care pathways and supporting the implementation of these tools in routine clinical practice.

Interview filmed at the 2026 Alzheimer's Association International Conference® (AAIC 2026).

Video transcript

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Speaker 1: Dr. Gaby Marquardt, Global Head of Clinical and Technology Innovation at Siemens Healthineers

One of the biggest changes in Alzheimer's disease today is that Alzheimer's disease has become a biologically characterized disease rather than a disease which is only diagnosed after symptoms occur. With disease-modifying therapies being available, the focus has shifted from diagnosing patients at a late stage to identifying and monitoring patients much earlier and across the entire care pathway. Therefore, the diagnostic demands are heavily increasing. But at the same time, many Alzheimer's patients are still diagnosed too late. Therefore, clinicians need more scalable and accessible diagnostic tools in order to take care of their patients all along the care pathway.

Blood-based biomarkers can help to address these challenges by offering a scalable and accessible diagnostic tool to enable early detection, better triaging, and, in the future, they could potentially also offer the potential to be a powerful tool to monitor patients during treatment. With that, blood-based biomarkers will offer an easy-to-use diagnostic tool, which can be used in clinical routine, and with that, will give Alzheimer's patients access to diagnostics, treatment and hope.

PREDICTOM and ACCESS-AD are addressing two different but complementary challenges across the Alzheimer's care pathway. PREDICTOM is combining body fluid-based biomarkers, digital tools and MRI imaging to identify patients at risk earlier. PREDICTOM's goal is to bring the diagnostics closer to the patients by using local infrastructure for early detection and diagnosis of Alzheimer's patients.

ACCESS-AD is trying to improve the monitoring of patients under treatment by combining imaging, blood-based biomarkers and digital tools in an integrated care pathway. With that, ACCESS-AD is generating the evidence needed in order to bring those integrated tools into clinical routine. And with that, ACCESS-AD is addressing another big challenge, the fragmentation of the healthcare system in Europe.

By combining diagnostic testing, imaging workflows and longitudinal patient monitoring, ACCESS-AD tries to equip clinicians with the diagnostic tools they need to take care of their patients all along the care pathway. We've said ACCESS-AD is improving access to care for Alzheimer's disease in Europe.

Speaker 2: Prof. Charlotte Teunissen, Professor, Neurochemistry Laboratory, Amsterdam UMC

The blood-based biomarkers have undergone an enormously accelerated development, but we're not ready yet for the full implementation. So besides the technical aspects, we need to address other aspects of the use of such biomarkers. So what are the costs and what's their position in the whole set of decision making? And a whole set of analysis that's being done. And we need also to guide the interpretation. We're not there yet. We are currently performing prospective studies so that we learn more and how to guide the full implementation.

ACCESS-AD is an enormously important project because there is a strong focus on the implementation of such novel tools, among which are the blood-based biomarkers, in clinical practice. And there is a focus on normal clinical practice. But there is also a strong focus on the use of those blood-based biomarkers in the area of treatment implementation. So how can the biomarkers, the blood tests, help us in the decision making, triaging or defining who is eligible for treatment?

And of course, again, it's not standalone. It's a whole... different types of information that need to be collected from the patient, but the blood test can have a role in that as well. And that's one of the strengths of ACCESS-AD. What I also really like about ACCESS-AD is this focus on treatment implementation, that they will develop registries so that we can follow what's happening with the patients, those that decide to move on with treatment, and those that don't. And from that we will learn a lot.

In five to ten years, I expect that the blood-based biomarkers have replaced the use of CSF analysis that's measured through lumbar puncture, obtained through lumbar puncture, or amyloid PET analysis for the timely diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease, and that will be a clear proportion. But we will probably also use them more and more in other settings, but then we have to be a little bit more cautious. And I don't think that the current configuration of the blood-based biomarkers as they are now is sufficient for that. So I think we need to collect additional data, additional biomarkers, because, if you have wider testing, then there is also a higher risk of false positives. And so there it's important to put a lot of effort into solving that problem. And again, ACCESS-AD will help us with solving that problem as well.

What does this video cover?

Topics covered in this video

  • Earlier detection and diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease
  • The role of blood-based biomarkers in clinical care
  • Patient triaging and treatment monitoring
  • Integrated diagnostic pathways using biomarkers, imaging, and digital tools
  • Implementation challenges in routine clinical practice
  • Improving access to Alzheimer’s diagnostics across Europe

Tags

Clinical ChemistryBiochemistry (or clinical chemistry) involves the analysis of bodily fluids using chemical tests. Techniques used include HPLC, chromatography, spectroscopy, mass spectrometry, immunochemical, electrophoresis, turbidometric / spectrophotometric assay, MRI and ISE analysis. Tests are often carried out on plasma or serum but urine (urinalysis) and fecal specimens are also processed.ImmunologyImmunological techniques measure and characterize immune responses. Immunology kits and analysis systems often use techniques such as ELISA, radioimmunoassay (RIA) and immunodiffusion assays, Immunohistochemistry, and flow cytometry. Immunologists use equipment such as flow Cytometers, plate readers, plate washers and fluorescent microscopes.Cellular PathologyCellular Pathology deals with the microscopic analysis of tissue samples and cells. Sample preparation and processing includes fixation, staining, sectioning and slide mounting, using equipment such microtomes and cryostats. In choosing immunohistochemistry and immunocytochemistry kits, consider chromogens, staining method, antibodies, microscopes and imaging.BiomarkersBiomarkers are biological markers which can be measured and evaluated to indicate a biological state. The use of biomarkers in research and diagnosis can indicate a normal or disease state or drug response of cells / tissues. Biomarkers include genetic markers, cell surface markers such as antigens, antibodies or receptors and secreted molecules such as cytokines. An assay system is required for identification of biomarkers. :Alzheimer's diseaseAlzheimer's researchAlzheimer's disease is a neurodegenerative condition characterized by progressive memory loss and cognitive decline. Research focuses on understanding the molecular and cellular mechanisms of the disease, as well as developing effective treatments and diagnostic tools. Browse our peer-reviewed product directory to find the best Alzheimer's research products, compare options, check reviews, and get pricing directly from manufacturers.NeurodegenerationNeurodegeneration refers to the progressive deterioration of the structure and function of the nervous system, often seen in diseases like Alzheimer's and Parkinson's. Research focuses on early detection and potential therapies. Explore neurodegeneration research tools in our peer-reviewed product directory; compare products, check reviews, and get pricing directly from manufacturers.

Frequently asked questions

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What is the focus of this video?
The video explores how Alzheimer’s disease diagnosis is shifting towards earlier, biology-based detection, with a focus on blood-based biomarkers, imaging, digital tools and integrated care pathways.

Why are blood-based biomarkers important for Alzheimer’s disease?
Blood-based biomarkers could offer a more scalable and accessible way to support earlier detection, patient triaging and future treatment monitoring, helping clinicians identify and manage patients across the care pathway.

What role is Siemens Healthineers playing in this area?
Siemens Healthineers is involved in advancing research into blood-based biomarkers and integrated diagnostic approaches that could support earlier Alzheimer’s disease detection and monitoring.

What are PREDICTOM and ACCESS-AD?
PREDICTOM and ACCESS-AD are collaborative initiatives discussed in the video. PREDICTOM focuses on combining biomarkers, digital tools and MRI imaging to identify patients at risk earlier, while ACCESS-AD focuses on improving monitoring and implementation within integrated care pathways.

What challenges remain before wider clinical implementation?
Further evidence is still needed around interpretation, cost, clinical decision-making and the risk of false positives before blood-based biomarkers can be fully implemented in routine practice.

How could these approaches improve access to Alzheimer’s diagnostics?
By bringing testing closer to patients and reducing reliance on more invasive or less widely available methods, blood-based biomarkers and integrated workflows could help improve access to timely Alzheimer’s diagnosis and care.

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