THIRUVALLA: American University awarded a $3.9 million (Rs 32.56 crore) grant to a Malayali professor for research into the early detection of Alzheimer's disease. The big recognition fell upon Dr Mathews Jacob, a professor at the University of Virginia. Mathews is a native of Muthoor in Thiruvalla and is the son of Pathanamthitta Catholic College Ret. Prof. Jacob and Alice.

After getting a major in electrical and computer engineering, Mathews Jacob worked with researchers at the University of Iowa and the University of California-San Francisco to bypass the limitations set by the imaging technology that tracks metabolic changes in the brain.

The goal is to develop Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopic Imaging (MRSI). MRSI can help reveal subtle shifts that can signal early signs of Alzheimer's and dementia. Low resolution and sensitivity are proving hindrances to the scope of treatment with current MRSI technology. Efforts are being made to improve this technology, aiming for clearer images and more accurate data.

“The aim is to detect subtle changes in brain metabolism early in the disease and give doctors a powerful tool for early intervention. This can prove to be a big difference,” said Dr Mathews Jacob.