Cynthia Sandoval, PhD
Senior Director, Clinical Biomarker Development Eli Lilly
Cynthia P. Sandoval, Ph.D., is a Senior Director of Clinical Biomarker Development at Eli Lilly, with extensive experience in translational research, clinical studies, and diagnostic innovation. Dr. Sandoval holds a Ph.D. in Cancer Biology from the University of Arizona, where her research focused on cancer cell-ECM interactions leading to cohesive collective migration and invasion. She has led biomarker strategies for early and late-phase clinical trials, notably supporting studies such as MonarchE, postMONARCH, as well as ongoing diagnostic clinical utility studies in Alzheimer’s disease.
Her career spans roles in diagnostic medical affairs and biomarker development at Eli Lilly, Loxo Oncology, and Genoptix, where she has driven cross-functional collaborations, scientific data disclosures, and educational initiatives for healthcare professionals. Dr. Sandoval’s research has resulted in multiple peer-reviewed publications and presentations at major international conferences. She is recognized for her expertise in oncology and neuroscience biomarkers and strategic vendor partnerships, and is an active member of several oncology and neuroscience professional societies.
Seminars
- Advancements in Alzheimer’s Diagnostics: The presentation explores the multi-step process of diagnosing Alzheimer’s Disease (AD), emphasizing the role of various clinicians and the use of CSF testing and PET neuroimaging, and the overall importance of biomarkers in evaluating AD pathology
- Biomarker Innovations and Applications: The presentation delves into the progress towards a biological definition of AD, categorizing biomarkers into amyloid plaques, tau, and neurodegeneration. It discusses the emerging use of blood-based biomarkers (BBMs) for evaluating AD pathology, including their advantages, challenges, and the need for standardization in plasma biomarker testing
- Future Directions and Recommendations: The presentation outlines the rationale for focusing on specific plasma markers like P-tau217, the performance recommendations for BBMs, and the dual cut-point approach to achieve high sensitivity and specificity. It also presents data on commercially available plasma P-tau217 tests and recent updates to guidelines
