Advancing our understanding of neuroinflammation: Driving a systems biology approach to re-classify brain disease

Neuroinflammation is a complex, highly coordinated communication network that has an important role following peripheral and central nervous system (CNS) infection or injury yet can be both a driver and consequence of CNS diseases. A better understanding of the pathophysiological mechanisms underlying neuroinflammation is needed to explicate complex disease states and translate from neuroinflammation to the development of novel therapeutics.

Technologies and analytical platforms for profiling cells at the genomic, epigenomic, metabolomic, proteomic, and transcriptomic level are transforming our ability to study brain disease. In this webinar, we will discuss multi-omics approaches to advance our understanding of neuroinflammation in the context of a systems biology framework, with the potential to identify common and distinct mechanisms and pathways shared across neuropsychiatric conditions.

Dr. Andreas Jeromin will introduce current research employing a mechanisms-based framework as a basis for the characterization of brain diseases. A primary goal of these efforts is to apply a transdiagnostic approach to the reclassification and stratification of brain disease, which can enable the discovery, replication, and validation of biomarker pathways, with a focus on neuroinflammatory systems.

Deep phenotyping is believed to require multi-omics data integration and biomarker identification and replication, facilitated by employing high precision validated assay platforms and pipelines. To this end, Cohen Veterans Bioscience has conducted a cross-platform comparison study involving five immunoassay platforms to evaluate their ability to detect fluid-based biomarkers, specifically cytokines in plasma and serum samples from clinical and control populations. Dr. Lasseter will highlight findings from this recent study and their importance for enabling future biomarker discovery.

Through a case study leveraging samples from trauma-exposed individuals with and without posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), Dr. Jennifer Sumner will then discuss current evidence for bi-directional regulation of inflammation based on recent longitudinal studies. Dr. Sumner will integrate findings in a multi-dimensional framework, bringing together genetic, epigenetic, and gene expression data to understand the role of inflammation in PTSD and other neuropsychiatric disorders.

Through this webinar you will learn how optimizing multi-omics analytical techniques paired with a systems biology approach can allow for reclassification of brain diseases and provide insight into the future of biomarker discovery and replication.

Learning Objectives:

• Discuss how biomarker-driven multi-omics approaches are informing our mechanistic understanding of neuroinflammation and potentially allow for a re-classification of these dieases.
• Discuss why current biomarker findings in the literature are discordant and the factors that contribute to a lack of replicability in published findings.
• Discuss current progress in comparing technical assays for measurement of inflammation markers and how these may inform future research endeavors.
• Discuss the evidence for a bi-directional regulation of inflammation by integrating findings from epigenetics and gene expression studies with a systems biology approach.