Researchers at the Luxembourg Institute of Health (LIH) are moving ahead with BrainEXP, an artificial intelligence platform that seeks to obtain information on biomarkers linked to Alzheimer’s disease from standard MRI scans. The project is led by Olivier Keunen and Magali Perquin, from the institute’s brain imaging and neuroepidemiology group.
The main application, called BrainEXP-AD, is designed to estimate levels of beta-amyloid, tau protein and brain metabolic activity, data that normally require positron emission tomography (PET). That technique needs specialised infrastructure and radioactive tracers, whereas MRI is non-invasive, cheaper and far more widely available.
The Luxembourg National Research Fund is contributing €372,437, split into two 12-month phases starting in October 2026. The aim is to turn the current prototype into a minimum viable product, prepare for European regulatory requirements and define the market strategy, which could involve licensing or the creation of an LIH spin-off.
According to the institute, the tool could help with early diagnosis, patient monitoring and the selection of participants for clinical trials, and could later be extended to other neurological diseases. “BrainEXP aims to make valuable information about brain health more accessible,” said Olivier Keunen.
