National Centralized Repository for Alzheimer's Disease and Related Dementias (NCRAD)

Indiana University Indianapolis, Indianapolis IN

Investigators

Linked publications, trials & patents

Abstract

PROJECT SUMMARY/ABSTRACT The National Centralized Repository for Alzheimer’s Disease and Related Dementias (NCRAD) is the National Institute on Aging’s (NIA)-funded Cooperative Agreement that serves as the primary resource for sample sharing for all NIA-funded dementia studies. Because of its role as a central banking resource for NIA- funded studies, NCRAD plays a key supportive and collaborative role in NIA’s large collaborative ADRD efforts. This competitive revision places at the center of its efforts increased diversity in the research participants and ADRD diagnoses/phenotypes available at NCRAD. We are committed to supporting the US National Plan for AD and NIA in their goal of preventing and effectively treating AD through innovative research focused on AD etiology, early detection, and therapeutics. A key aspect of this competitive revision is the support of new technologies that will inform the design and interpretation of research and clinical trials. This includes innovation in genomic technologies which will identify new AD risk variation that was previously undiscoverable. In parallel, NCRAD is preparing for the demand for αSyn-SAAs, which will improve the ability to distinguish synucleinopathies, and thereby reduce undetected etiological heterogeneity. The emergence of blood-based biomarkers, which are much easier to obtain than CSF or imaging, has allowed ATN to be evaluated on an unanticipated scale across the continuum of prodromal to advanced disease; however, many studies do not have access to laboratories with rigorous quality assurance that can run commercial assays. This competitive revision will increase biomarker capacity and ensure that NCRAD can support research on a broad scale across the ADRCs, individual studies and national and international collaborations. NCRAD is expanding its scope to meet the new opportunities of innovative ADRD research and thereby support the development of new ADRD therapeutics. The specific aims of this competitive revision are: Aim 1: Provide a state-of-the-art central biospecimen repository for all NIA-funded dementia studies. 1.1 Address disparities in ADRD research by expanding the number of diverse studies banking samples 1.2 Advance the value of NCRAD samples and their use for novel genomic technologies in ADRD research 1.3 Enhance the value of iPSCs through centralization and standardization 1.4 Support the development of novel biomarkers in different tissues and specimens Aim 2: Facilitate and foster sample sharing to all qualified investigators. 2.1 Expand the capacity to generate high-quality biomarkers for ADRD research 2.2 Advance plasma biomarker research through improved quality control and assurance