Alice Chen-Plotkin, MD

2026 CURE ONE, CURE MANY AWARD IN LEWY BODY DEMENTIA

Alpha-Synuclein Strain-Based Biomarkers for Lewy Body Dementia 

Institution: University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 

Co-Principal Investigators and Institutions: Kelvin Luk, PhD, University of Pennsylvania; Miranda Lim, MD, PhD, Oregon Health and Science University; David Walt, PhD, Brigham and Women’s Hospital/Harvard Medical School; George Kannarkat, MD, PhD, University of Pennsylvania

Lewy body dementia (LBD) and Parkinson’s both develop because of the accumulation of alpha-synuclein (αSyn) proteins, which ultimately destroy brain cells related to memory, motor control, behavior, cognition, mood, sleep, and more. 

Dr. Chen-Plotkin’s team has developed two prototype tests for detecting elements of LBD. The first test, referred to as an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) uses antibodies to differentiate plasma affected by Parkinson’s disease from plasma affected by LBD. The second test, called a single-molecule αSyn seed amplification assay is used to measure accumulations of αSyn in biofluids from individuals with LBD. The team will refine these two tests to develop usable blood biomarkers so that blood can be analyzed to diagnose Parkinson’s and LBD, differentiate them, and quantitatively determine the burden of disease based on measured levels of αSyn.  

Dr. Chen-Plotkin was also a recipient of an American Brain Foundation Next Generation Research Grant for ALS in 2008 and currently serves on the Foundation’s Research Advisory Committee. 

This $1 million award is funded in collaboration with the Alzheimer’s Association and the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research.