The Role of GFAP and Its Clinical Use Cases
Originally recorded Sept. 17, 2026
Overview
This webinar examines the expanding role of glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) as advances in biomarker research continue to transform the evaluation and management of neurological diseases. The session highlights the growing body of evidence supporting GFAP as a marker of central nervous system injury and reviews its emerging clinical applications in neurodegenerative and neuroinflammatory disorders, including multiple sclerosis, neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (NMOSD), and others. Participants will gain a better understanding of how GFAP testing may enhance diagnostic evaluation, support disease monitoring and assessment of treatment response, and provide prognostic insights that can inform clinical decision-making.
Presenter
Eoin Flanagan, M.B., B.Ch.
Professor of Neurology
Division chair, MS and Autoimmune Neurology
Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology
Division of Clinical Biochemistry
Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota
Learning objectives
Upon completion of this activity, participants should be able to:
- Describe the clinical utility of GFAP as a biomarker of central nervous system injury across neurodegenerative and neuroinflammatory diseases.
- Interpret GFAP test results within the clinical context to support diagnosis, disease monitoring, and assessment of treatment response.
- Identify the opportunities and current limitations of GFAP testing when incorporating this biomarker into neurological practice.
Intended audience
This webinar is intended for neurologists, pathologists, laboratory directors and managers, clinical laboratory scientists/medical laboratory scientists, clinical chemists, healthcare professionals involved in the diagnosis and management of neurological diseases, residents, fellows, and other healthcare providers interested in neurologic biomarkers.
Faculty disclosure
Course director(s), planning committee, faculty, and all others who are in a position to control the content of this educational activity are required to disclose all relevant financial relationships with any commercial interest related to the subject matter of the educational activity. Safeguards against commercial bias have been put in place. Faculty members also will disclose any off-label and/or investigational use of pharmaceuticals or instruments discussed in their presentations. Disclosure of this information will be published in course materials so those participants in the activity may formulate their own judgments regarding the presentations.
Questions
Contact us: mcleducation@mayo.edu
