By Happiness E. Aigbogun | Karikari Lab
From October 13–15, 2025, leading scientists, clinicians, and biotechnology innovators who were early adopters of the ARGO HT platform from Alamar Biosciences convened in Napa, California, for the inaugural ARGOnaut Club Voyager Summit 2025 – an annual event dedicated to advancing biomarker science and translational innovation in healthcare.
Representing the Biofluid Biomarker Lab (Karikari Lab) at the University of Pittsburgh, Dr. Thomas K. Karikari, PhD, served as one of the distinguished keynote speakers. As Director and Principal Investigator of the Karikari Lab, Dr. Karikari delivered an engaging presentation on biofluid biomarkers for neurodegenerative diseases, focusing on developing precise and accessible tools for diagnosing and monitoring Alzheimer’s disease.
“Our goal,” Dr. Karikari explained, “is to bridge the gap between laboratory discoveries and real-world clinical applications. By developing reliable biomarkers from blood and other biofluids, we can make early diagnosis and disease tracking more accessible to patients globally.”
His keynote emphasized the lab’s current research efforts, including the validation of plasma biomarkers that accurately reflect brain pathology, the optimization of assay performance, and a strong commitment to ensuring equitable diagnostic applications across diverse populations.
“Equity in science and healthcare is central to what we do,” Dr. Karikari added. “We are working not just to create accurate tests, but to ensure they are effective across different ancestry groups, locations, and health settings. This is how we make science truly global.”
Joining Dr. Karikari at the summit were James Emanuel and Marissa Farinas, members of the Karikari Lab who actively participated in discussions and networking sessions throughout the event. Their presence highlighted the lab’s collaborative spirit and its dedication to mentoring emerging scientists in biomarker research.
Reflecting on her experience, Marissa Farinas shared valuable insights into the summit’s focus and impact:
“Presenters discussed biomarker discovery, translational and clinical research, the implementation of biomarkers in the clinic, and future directions for aging and health monitoring.” said Farinas. “I met with several Alamar R&D scientists to not only learn about their assay development process but also to provide feedback on my experience with NULISA. It was intriguing to hear how the NULISA technology is being used in both academic and industry settings for a range of conditions, including Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, obesity, and traumatic brain injury. After attending the summit, I’m inspired to explore specific protein targets in our datasets and look into unique cohorts of participants, such as presymptomatic individuals and pre-/peri-/post-menopausal women.”
Dr Thomas K. Karikari giving his presentation at ARGOnaut Club Voyager Summit 2025.
“Conferences like this remind us that science thrives through collaboration,” noted Dr. Karikari. “It’s not just about presenting our data, it’s about learning from others, challenging assumptions, and finding shared paths toward better diagnostics and treatment strategies.”
The ARGOnaut Club Voyager Summit provided a dynamic platform for connecting academic researchers with biotechnology partners, fostering dialogue that drives translational breakthroughs. Discussions across the three-day meeting covered critical areas such as biomarker discovery, clinical validation, and the future of aging and health monitoring.
The Biofluid Biomarker Lab (Karikari Lab) continues to play a pivotal role in advancing biomarker research for Alzheimer’s disease and other neurodegenerative disorders. Its participation in this year’s summit underscores the lab’s leadership in the field and its dedication to scientific excellence, inclusivity, and innovation.
As the summit concluded, Dr. Karikari expressed optimism about the direction of biomarker research:
“The progress we’ve seen in recent years is just the beginning. With continued teamwork and innovation, we’re moving closer to a world where early, accurate, and accessible diagnosis of neurodegenerative diseases becomes the norm.”
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