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Dear colleagues, friends, and supporters,
I am delighted to share the latest news and accomplishments from the Buffalo Neuroimaging Analysis Center, where innovative research continues to drive advancements in the field of neuroimaging, all with the goal of helping people.
First, we should note that BNAC has relocated to the University at Buffalo’s stunning Downtown Gateway Building at 77 Goodell Street. This new state-of-the-art facility is a dynamic environment that fosters collaboration, innovation, and scientific excellence. The move comes at a moment of growth for BNAC clinical trials and potentially game-changing acceleration in the value of assets and insight that, literally, have been years in the making.
In a recent Grand Rounds presentation to my UB colleagues and students, I introduced a new perspective on the convergence of research “workstreams” that are now advanced and integrated as never before. The title of my presentation summarizes this exciting progress: “Unlocking the Predictive Potential of Imaging Data in Multiple Sclerosis: A Translational Approach Using Large Databases, Synthetic MRI, and Artificial Intelligence.”
Today at BNAC, we are focused on translational research using our large databases and analytical insights in conjunction with the dramatic power of Artificial Intelligence (AI). Together, this convergence of data, technology, and analytics is unlocking the predictive potential of imaging in MS. It points not only to the future of synthetic MRI, but also to translational research that will dramatically impact clinical care, including our ability to predict and ultimately manage disability.
Put very simply: 1. We are constantly learning more about MS pathology. 2. We are harnessing 20 years of high-quality scans representing millions of useful data points for understanding disease and disability. 3. We are applying the exponential power of AI to turn a previously overwhelming trove of information into powerful new insights and hypotheses.
We call it IMPACT-AI®, which stands for Innovative MS Prognosis, Analysis, and Customized Treatment via Artificial Intelligence. It describes the powerful integration of our own exhaustive database of scans, the vast multi-center databases known as BUFFALO-MS, NeuroSTREAM, and many clinical trials we participated in as Core Lab, each elevated to unprecedented levels of utility and value through the application of AI.
We are on a path toward a goal to collect 100,000 MRIs from 10,000 MS patients and 1,000 controls, followed over almost two decades, and assessed with clinical, cognitive, imaging, and other biomarkers. In doing so, we can create the world’s most predictive models of neurodegeneration and disease progression on the individual patient level.
There is much work to be done. It is complex and demands extraordinary scientific rigor along with precious time and effort. Yet the result will be worth the investment: early detection and diagnosis, predicting disease progression, identifying new biomarkers, personalizing treatment plans, developing new therapies, and improving clinical trial design.
As we progress, this work becomes more patient-centered than ever. And thanks to our Advisory Council, led by Chairperson Larry Montani, BNAC researchers will remain focused on what’s most important to the people who suffer from neurological diseases and disorders: that our work is relevant, valid, and pursued with urgency.
Over the last six months, members of our remarkable and talented team have published numerous papers and presented scores of posters and presentations at leading conferences including ACTRIMS, and ISMRM, and won recognition from respected organizations. More importantly, they have advanced our understanding of MS, imaging itself, and how all of this comes together to benefit mankind. I invite you to see some of those highlights below and to follow our progress in the future.
Thank you for your collaboration, your support, and your enduring interest.
Sincerely,
Robert Zivadinov, MD, Ph.D.
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