Worcester State Alum Honored For Alzheimer’s Research

WORCESTER, MA — A Worcester State University graduate has received a national award for Alzheimer's disease research.

Jacob Labonte, a 2022 Worcester State graduate and member of the university's Alumni Association Advisory Board, was named a recipient of the 2026 Alzheimer Award from the Journal of Alzheimer's Disease, the school announced on Thursday.

Labonte and Michael L. Alosco, PhD, received the award for the article "Sex differences on tau, astrocytic, and neurodegenerative plasma biomarkers." The paper was selected by the journal's Editorial Board from about 800 papers published in the journal's 2025 volume, according to the Journal of Alzheimer's Disease.

The award includes the Alzheimer Medal and a $7,500 cash prize.

Labonte earned a Bachelor of Science in biology from Worcester State and works at the Boston University Alzheimer's Disease and CTE Research Centers, where he is now a research program manager. The winning article was his first publication as first author.

The study examined sex differences in blood-based biomarkers among 567 participants from the Boston University Alzheimer's Disease Research Center. Researchers found distinct sex-related differences in biomarkers associated with tau, neuroinflammation, and neuronal injury, according to the journal.

Labonte said in a statement published by the journal that he was honored to receive the award and thanked his co-authors, the National Institute on Aging, Boston University ADRC and research participants.

Labonte's Alzheimer's disease research is in honor of his grandfather, Michael Cellere, who died in 2025 with early-onset Alzheimer's disease.

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