💰 Congratulations to Dr. Marek Kubicki and fellow researchers for securing their recent grant to Investigate Mechanism-based Biomarkers of Schizophrenia.

This is a translational study that proposes to use a combination of newly developed magnetic resonance imaging measures and a promising neuroinflammation and oxidative stress-related blood biomarker (MMP-9) to test and validate those measures against a novel mechanistic model of schizophrenia. First, we will harmonize and use a large, already-collected multisite dataset to establish a relationship between neuroimaging, blood biomarkers and cognition, following which we will test the validity of this relationship in an animal model. Our research will vastly improve knowledge about the nature and biological specificity of neuroimaging biomarkers related to schizophrenia which will lead to development of new treatment and treatment monitoring strategies.