Enhanced early Alzheimer's detection with the novel SPEAR UltraDetect pTau 217 Assay
Friday, January 30 at 15:00 GMT | 16:00 CET | 10:00 EST | 07:00 PST
This SelectScience webinar will highlight how the SPEAR UltraDetect™ platform enables ultra-sensitive and highly specific detection of plasma pTau 217 for enhanced accuracy of early Alzheimer’s detection.
Attendees will gain an overview of how SPEAR UltraDetect pTau 217 performance compares with leading commercial assays in the BioFINDER and WRAP cohorts, including classification of amyloid positivity and correlations with CSF biomarkers.
The session will also underscore the clinical implications of measuring pTau 217 at sub-clinical and early disease stages. Join to explore how advances in analytical sensitivity and specificity can help shape the future of blood-based Alzheimer’s detection.
Key learning objectives:
- Identify the analytical challenges of measuring plasma pTau 217 at low concentrations and understand why enhanced sensitivity and specificity are critical for Alzheimer’s disease research.
- Understand the principles behind the SPEAR UltraDetect™ assay workflow, including how two-factor authentication technology improves biomarker specificity.
- Learn how to interpret high-level performance metrics commonly used to evaluate blood-based biomarkers, such as assay concordance and disease discrimination.
- Recognize how next-generation plasma biomarker platforms can support study design, cohort stratification, and future clinical development in Alzheimer’s disease.
Who should attend?
This SelectScience webinar is ideal for scientists and decision-makers involved in neurodegenerative disease research, biomarker development, clinical study design, and analytical validation of diagnostic assays. Professionals in pharma, biotech, CROs, academic research centers, and clinical laboratories seeking to advance plasma pTau 217 detection will find this session particularly valuable.
Certificate of attendance
If you attend the live webinar, you will automatically receive a certificate of attendance, including a learning outcomes summary, for continuing education purposes. If you view the on-demand webinar, you can request a certificate of attendance by emailing editor@selectscience.net.
Speakers
Dr. Nicholas Ashton is an internationally recognized expert in fluid biomarkers for Alzheimer’s disease and related neurodegenerative disorders. He serves as Senior Director of the Banner Research Fluid Biomarker Program, where he leads efforts to develop and validate cerebrospinal fluid and blood-based assays that support research, clinical studies, and diagnostic development. With more than a decade of experience in biofluid analysis and assay development, Dr. Ashton has authored over 400 research publications and has received multiple awards for his contributions, including recognition as a Clarivate Highly Cited Researcher.
Laurel Provencher is Vice President of Product Development at Spear Bio, where she leads the advancement of next-generation ultra-sensitive assay technologies. She previously served as Sr. Director of Technical Operations at CATALOG, overseeing process development for their DNA-based computing platform. Laurel brings extensive senior leadership experience from Quanterix, PerkinElmer, and Caliper Life Sciences, where she supported development and applications for protein and nucleic acid assays. She holds a Ph.D. in Plant Molecular Biology from UC Davis and a B.A. in Biology from Cornell University.
Moderator
