Grant: DRA : Canada Graduate Research Scholarship - Doctoral Program (CGRS D)

Alzheimer's disease and schizophrenia are two devastating brain disorders that disrupt thinking, learning, and memory. Dementia affects 7% of Canadians over 65 and is most often caused by Alzheimer's disease, which is twice as common in women. Schizophrenia affects about 1% of the population. Despite their enormous toll on patients, families, and society, both conditions remain poorly understood and have limited treatment options. Alzheimer's disease is marked by a buildup of plaques and tangles that can be seen in the brain on autopsy. These hallmark changes are rarely found in schizophrenia, leaving the cause of its cognitive symptoms unclear. A promising clue may lie in the blood vessels of the brain: vascular damage is common in both disorders and is itself known to impair cognition. Studying vascular health alongside other brain changes could therefore reveal how thinking and memory break down across diseases. My research addresses this using state-of-the-art "spatial proteomics" technology to directly compare Alzheimer's disease and schizophrenia. With access to the only platform in the province, I can capture molecular "snapshots" of the human hippocampus, the brain region responsible for learning and memory, revealing how brain cells, immune cells, and blood vessels interact differently in each disease. By linking these microscopic changes to the symptoms people experienced in life, I aim to uncover the biological pathways driving the decline we see in each disease and explore sex differences, which may help explain why Alzheimer's disproportionately affects women. This is the first study to directly compare molecular signatures of cognitive impairment across diseases. By uncovering disrupted pathways and clarifying the role of the cardiovascular system, my work could reveal new drug targets, inspire more personalized and effective treatments, and ultimately improve the lives of the millions affected by cognitive decline worldwide.