Belen Pascual, PhD

My work is centered on the use of advanced neuroimaging to better understand, detect, and track neurodegenerative diseases. With training in both neuropsychology and multimodal imaging, I have developed a strong focus on integrating structural and molecular imaging techniques—particularly MRI and PET—to characterize disease processes in vivo and link them to clinical outcomes.

Over the course of my career, I have gained extensive experience applying imaging methods to study Alzheimer’s disease and frontotemporal lobar degeneration (FTLD). My work emphasizes the use of PET tracers targeting key pathological processes, including tau and neuroinflammation, alongside high-resolution MRI to map patterns of neurodegeneration. This multimodal approach allows for a more precise understanding of disease heterogeneity, progression, and underlying biology.

At the Nantz National Alzheimer Center, I lead neuroimaging efforts that combine advanced acquisition, processing, and quantitative analysis techniques to generate high-quality, standardized datasets. A central goal of my work is to bridge imaging with clinical and biomarker data, enabling more accurate diagnosis and improving the ability to monitor disease over time.

More broadly, my research aims to advance neuroimaging as a tool for precision medicine in neurodegeneration—supporting early detection, refining disease staging, and contributing to the development and evaluation of targeted therapies.