Goizueta Alzheimer's Disease Research Center

Emory University, Atlanta GA

Investigators

Linked publications, trials & patents

Abstract

PROJECT SUMMARY/ABSTRACT: OVERALL The Goizueta Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center (GADRC) at Emory University provides Georgia and the region with comprehensive clinical, research, and educational programs. Leveraging our local environment that promotes and supports innovative projects and a central theme of mixed etiology dementia, our studies will enable greater precision in early identification, intervention, and ultimately, prevention of Alzheimer’s Disease (AD) and related disorders (ADRD). The GADRC aims to 1) catalyze research for precision medicine in AD/ADRD that contributes to the discovery and understanding of pathogenic mechanisms, risk and resilience (including genetic, environmental, lifestyle, and social determinants), disease subtypes, and new biomarkers and therapeutic targets; 2) promote diversity in research, with a special emphasis on AD/ADRD in African Americans; 3) facilitate the translation of research discoveries into clinical practice, leveraging primary care and specialty care at Emory, and statewide memory assessment clinics (Georgia Memory Net); 4) collaborate to advance high-impact AD/ADRD research, care, and education initiatives nationally and globally; and 5) attract and train the next generation of AD/ADRD researchers, addressing areas of need including under-represented minorities and the shortage of new investigators, especially clinician scientists and data scientists. Eight cores work in a concerted manner to effectively recruit, evaluate, and engage a diverse cohort of participants in a variety of research studies. The Outreach, Recruitment and Engagement Core aims to sustain 50% African American participation and expand disease heterogeneity in the Clinical Core cohort. The Clinical Core provides detailed phenotyping with the Uniform Data Set 4, and numerous supplementary measures. The new Imaging Core will provide advanced brain MRI and PET, and the new Lifestyle & Empowerment Core will facilitate research, education, on the understanding, and translation to clinical practice of lifestyle as a risk factor for AD/ADRD. The Biomarker Core provides state-of-the-art proteomic and genetic data complemented by a large repository of blood, CSF, and DNA samples, and a large bank of well- characterized postmortem brains and spinal cords is supported by the Neuropathology Core. The Data Management and Statistics Core hosts an integrated database to facilitate analyses and sharing of data. All GADRC resources will continue to be distributed widely, including for research Developmental Projects and to support local and national collaborations. Generous non-federal support is used to seed a large base of innovative research. The GADRC educational programs reach a broad audience from trainees to the public. The Research Education Component cultivates and trains the next generation of scientists. With a strong commitment to diversity and inclusiveness, we benefit from the engagement of a large, multidisciplinary, core of training faculty from institutions throughout the greater Atlanta area. Collectively, the GADRC is poised to continue to make important contributions to the national strategy for AD/ADRD treatment and prevention.