New Haven, Conn., Apr 03: A recent international conference at Yale University brought together leading researchers to explore groundbreaking developments in brain waste clearance and its role in cerebral amyloid angiopathy (CAA), a condition marked by the accumulation of amyloid-beta proteins in the brain’s blood vessels.
Hosted by the Yale School of Medicine’s Department of Anesthesiology, the Leducq Foundation Transatlantic Network of Excellence on Brain Clearance convened from March 11–13, 2026, at the Greenberg Conference Center. The event gathered experts from across the globe to examine whether impaired clearance of waste solutes in the brain contributes to the development of CAA.
Unlike Alzheimer’s disease, where amyloid-beta and tau proteins accumulate within brain tissue, cerebral amyloid angiopathy is characterized by deposits in the brain’s vasculature, leading to distinct clinical and pathological outcomes.
The conference opened with remarks from Helene Benveniste, vice chair of research for Yale’s Department of Anesthesiology, who emphasized the importance of collaboration in advancing understanding of complex neurological disorders.
“The Leducq network is inherently collaborative, which makes regular meetings essential for our success,” Benveniste said. “Each partner site conducts specialized research that is foundational to the work of the others.”
The three-day program featured participation from prominent institutions including the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, the Universities of Edinburgh, Leiden, and Toulouse, fostering a multidisciplinary exchange of ideas and findings.
Keynote speaker Laura Lewis, associate professor at MIT, presented research on cerebrospinal fluid dynamics and its relationship with sleep—an emerging area of interest in brain health and disease prevention. Additional sessions explored topics such as hydrocephalus, pharmacological approaches, and therapeutic strategies related to CAA.
Beyond formal presentations, the conference provided opportunities for networking and collaboration, reinforcing the importance of in-person engagement in accelerating scientific progress.
“These in-person gatherings are invaluable,” Benveniste added. “They provide a crucial forum not only for in-depth discussion of recent findings, but also for strategic planning of future research directions.”
The conference underscores the growing global effort to better understand brain clearance mechanisms and their implications for neurological diseases, paving the way for future innovations in diagnosis and treatment.
