A gene expression signature for Alzheimer’s from finger prick blood spotted on a filter paper card

There is an unmet need for a minimally invasive clinical test using samples collected by medical staff or by self‐collection to screen persons at risk for Alzheimer’s disease (AD) for initial diagnosis as well as for monitoring progression. Addressing this need is even more challenging for underserved and rural populations. Currently, use of whole blood has required venipuncture and RNA extraction. None‐the‐less, AD gene expression signatures using RNA extracted from whole blood have been reported by a number of groups. We have developed a direct, extraction‐free TempO‐Seq® assay of gene expression using blood from a finger prick spotted on filter paper. This novel method is perhaps the simplest and least invasive method of obtaining a blood sample and performing a test that can be used to identify a diagnostic Alzheimer’s signature.