NeuRo Symposium 2026

The NeuRo Symposium took place at the Novotel Barcelona City in Barcelona, on March 13, 2026. Kicked off by Sraboni Sarkar, the Medical Lead for Alzheimer’s disease, and Matt Sause, CEO of Roche Diagnostics, the event brought together 130 participants, including world-renowned speakers and leading experts in the field of neuroscience.

Hosted by Roche, NeuRo Symposium 2026 provided a premier platform to discuss the latest scientific breakthroughs in neurological diagnostics. The comprehensive program spanned patient perspectives, clinical utility, real-world implementation, and technical performance of blood-based biomarkers (BBBMs) in Alzheimer’s disease (AD), while also exploring critical advancements in multiple sclerosis (MS) and traumatic brain injury (TBI).

The NeuRo Symposium 2026 highlighted a pivotal moment in neurology: the transition of blood-based biomarkers from clinical research into routine clinical practice. Over the course of the event, experts explored the urgent need for scalable diagnostics to address the growing global burden of dementia. 

Key discussions focused on operationalizing these tests across diverse healthcare systems, utilizing specific diagnostic thresholds, and the critical importance of preparing primary care to handle early detection and prevention. Furthermore, the symposium expanded its lens beyond Alzheimer's disease to showcase how biomarker panels are revolutionizing the management of multiple sclerosis and traumatic brain injury.

Living with early-onset Alzheimer's disease, Peter Berry & Deb Bunt (United Kingdom):

In an insightful opening session, Peter Berry and Deb Bunt shared a profound look at the lived experience of early-onset Alzheimer's. They highlighted the deep relief that patients experience when receiving a definitive, biomarker-backed diagnosis, which validates symptoms often misattributed to stress, and empowers patients to plan for their future and seek out clinical trials.

From clinical trials to population health, Craig Ritchie (United Kingdom):

Prof. Ritchie discussed the implementation of the Scottish Brain Health Service Model, emphasizing that blood-based testing allows for early AD detection directly in primary care. He drew a compelling analogy between checking cholesterol to prevent heart disease and utilizing "Brain Statins" in the preclinical stages of AD to maintain brain health.

Integrating BBMs into clinical workflows. A European perspective, Kristian Frederksen (Denmark):

Dr. Frederksen addressed the complexities of integrating BBMs into clinical pathways, noting the challenges primary care physicians face in diagnosing early-stage dementia. He explored different use-cases for BBMs in secondary care settings, evaluating how these tests can reduce the reliance on advanced, invasive diagnostics and lower patient burden.

Plasma biomarker reality check. Data that drove implementation decisions, Mari DeMarco (Canada):

Dr. DeMarco presented data from the Canadian IMPACT-AD initiative and a multi-platform comparison of plasma p-tau assays. She revealed that fully-automated pTau217 assays offer superior analytical precision, high-throughput capabilities, and resilience to matrix interferences, making them the leading choice for clinical laboratory integration.

Utility of blood biomarkers compared to PET and CSF in different care settings, Chris Rowe (Australia):

Prof. Rowe highlighted that while PET and CSF remain highly accurate, plasma pTau217 offers a highly accessible alternative with 85-90% accuracy. He stressed that a test's predictive value is highly dependent on disease prevalence in the tested population, underscoring the critical need for primary care upskilling and team-based dementia care.

Evaluating the utility of tau biomarkers, Henrik Zetterberg (Sweden):

Prof. Zetterberg explained the biological nuances of tau biomarkers, pointing out that while CSF tau is almost entirely brain-derived, blood contains a mix of peripheral and brain tau. Although he highlighted that the development of brain-derived pTau217 assays can slightly improve diagnostic specificity, the current pTau217 is a robust biomarker and should be implemented in clinical practice. 

A plasma biomarker panel for detecting early amyloid-β accumulation, Marc Suarez-Calvet (Spain):

Dr. Suarez-Calvet presented findings from the ALFA study, demonstrating that plasma biomarkers increase in cognitively unimpaired individuals with subtle amyloid deposition. This capability allows clinicians to detect Alzheimer's pathology years before symptoms emerge, shifting the paradigm from late-stage diagnosis to early prevention.

Clinical and analytical performance of pTau217: The Mayo Clinic post-launch experience, Alicia Algeciras-Schimnich (United States): 

Dr. Algeciras-Schimnich shared real-world data from the Mayo Clinic's routine clinical practice. She demonstrated the robust performance of the pTau217 assay and highlighted important clinical considerations, such as the effect of renal function (eGFR) on patient result classification.

Blood biomarkers in prevention: Patient journeys in Alzheimer’s disease, Giovanni Frisoni (Switzerland):

Prof. Frisoni detailed the Geneva Brain Health Service model, which focuses on risk assessment, communication, and reduction. He showcased how implementing a double-threshold approach for pTau217 helps accurately categorize patient risk and avoids the need for confirmatory CSF or PET testing in over 70% of cases.

Beyond the raw number: Personalized care in MS using NfL, Sharmilee Gnanapavan (United Kingdom):

Dr. Gnanapavan discussed the transformative role of neurofilament light chain (NfL) in multiple sclerosis (MS). She highlighted how longitudinal monitoring of NfL enables personalized MS care by detecting underlying inflammation, stratifying risk, and monitoring treatment response.

From ER to ICU: S100’s role in TBI decision pathways, Alfonso Lagares (Spain): 

Dr. Lagares provided an expert perspective on the use of biomarkers like GFAP, UCH-L1, and S100B in traumatic brain injury (TBI). Referencing the European BRAINI study, he discussed how an automated blood test can support clinicians in the ER by predicting the need for CT scans and providing vital prognostic information.

Unleashing the power of the NeuroToolKit, Marc Suarez-Calvet (Spain) & Henrik Zetterberg (Sweden):

In a collaborative session, the experts explored the impact of the Roche NeuroToolKit (NTK), a panel of automated exploratory assays. They discussed how the unified measurement of biomarkers across plasma and CSF is generating robust clinical evidence and driving scientific advancement globally.