Goodes Prize Recipient Dr. Miranda Orr’s Lab Earns First-of-Its-Kind Bruker Designation as Spatial Biology Center of Excellence

The lab of Goodes Prize recipient Dr. Miranda E. Orr, Associate Professor of Neurology and Co-Director of the SILQ Center at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, has been designated as Bruker’s first-ever Spatial Biology Center of Excellence. This milestone recognition by Bruker, a global leader in scientific instruments, underscores the impact of Dr. Orr’s groundbreaking work to advance Alzheimer’s science by unlocking new insights into the biology of aging.

Dr. Orr’s lab is the only one in the world equipped to analyze panels of more than 1,100 proteins, which her team aims to use to pair biomarkers in blood and cerebrospinal fluid with what’s happening region by region in the brain – illuminating the cellular mechanisms behind aging and Alzheimer’s disease in unprecedented detail. This pioneering research, made possible through the support of the ADDF’s Melvin R. Goodes Prize, is opening new avenues for Alzheimer’s drug development.

“The ADDF’s Goodes Prize, paired with Bruker’s technologies, enabled us to explore high-plex spatial biology in ways that were previously impossible,” said Dr. Miranda E. Orr. “As Bruker’s first Spatial Biology Center of Excellence, we can now push the limits of our science, linking biomarkers to specific brain regions and uncovering the cellular mechanisms of aging and Alzheimer’s disease. By deepening our understanding of the biology of aging, we will pave the way for precision medicine.”

Aging remains one of the leading risk factors for Alzheimer’s, and Dr. Orr’s research provides critical insights into the brain’s biology that are essential for developing more precise, targeted therapies. This is particularly timely as over 70% of the current Alzheimer’s drug pipeline is focused on novel, non-amyloid pathways.

“The Goodes Prize was created to fund innovative, out-of-the-box science like Dr. Orr’s that is changing the course of the field,” said Dr. Howard Fillit, ADDF Co-Founder and Chief Science Officer. “Alzheimer’s is a complex disease that cannot be addressed with a single target; its future lies in precision combination therapies tailored to each patient’s unique biomarker profile. Being able to map the aging brain at a cellular level will provide the insights needed to develop these next-generation therapies and redefine Alzheimer’s care, just as precision medicine did for cancer treatment.”

About the Melvin R. Goodes Prize

Established in honor of Melvin R. Goodes, former CEO of Warner-Lambert Company who channeled his unique knowledge of the drug industry into Alzheimer's advocacy after being diagnosed with the disease, the Melvin R. Goodes Prize for Excellence in Drug Development celebrates groundbreaking innovation and perseverance in the quest for effective treatments for Alzheimer’s. The award recognizes individual researchers whose work has greatly advanced our understanding of Alzheimer’s mechanisms, biomarkers, or therapeutic strategies, paving the way for potential breakthroughs in treatment and prevention.