neuGRID is a collaborative R&D project funded by the European Commission within the Seventh Framework Programme. neuGRID is led by Dr. Giovanni B. Frisoni, Vice Scientific Director of the Scientific Institute "San Giovanni di Dio Fatebenefratelli" in Brescia, Northern Italy, and Director of the Neuroimaging Laboratory.

"Grid-computing", Dr. Frisoni stated, "can help to create and improve tools facilitating drug development for chronic brain diseases. As far as the Alzheimer's Disease is concerned, there is still no biomarker showing whether a drug works or not. Grid computing can aim at developing markers which are based on images, such as the progressive cortical shrinkage during aging. This will allow to monitor the progression of the disease and thus the effectiveness of a drug, significantly reducing the number of patients to be followed, on a shorter period of time."

Since neuGRID works on medical data of real patients, special attention has been paid to data protection and privacy: the development of ethical standards and data protection protocols in accordance with European emerging standards for Grids in health sector falls within the project activities too.

neuGRID ultimate purpose is to supply clinical research centres on Alzheimer's Disease with access to three key elements for modern research in this medical field: powerful computational resources, sophisticated algorithms which are necessary to process brain images, and access to huge databases which are currently being collected worldwide. In addition, it will be possible to expand neuGRID functionalities to other medical applications.

Further information on the activities of the neuGRID consortium, documentation and explanatory videos can be found on the official site of the project at www.neuGRID.eu .