Homework

Week 1 HW: Principles and Practices
Question 1 I would like to develop a biological engineering tool that helps slow the onset or progression of Alzheimer’s disease, ideally by detecting risk early and enabling preventive intervention before major neurodegeneration occurs. This matters to me personally because my grandpa has Alzheimer’s despite maintaining a very healthy lifestyle (daily exercise, a diet focused on vegetables and whole grains, consistent sleep). His situation makes me think that for many people, Alzheimer’s risk is not simply the result of lifestyle choices, but also involves ageing-related biology and other non-behavioral factors. If we had better tools for early detection and prevention, we might reduce suffering and preserve independence for patients and families even when lifestyle isn’t the primary driver. Alzheimer’s is usually caused by build of protein plaques and neurofibrillary tangles (https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/alzheimers-disease/symptoms-causes/syc-20350447), therefore I was thinking of developing a tool that could combine using biomarkers detection, such as certain types and levels of proteins with an intervention