Project/Description | Researcher(s) | Funding |
Alzheimer’s Genome ProjectTM Initiative
The core research effort currently funded by Cure Alzheimer’s Fund is the Alzheimer’s Genome ProjectTM (AGP) initiative, an estimated 3 year, $3+ million project led by Dr. Rudy Tanzi, with four main components. |
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| | Alzheimer’s Genome Map
Genotyping, analysis, follow-up, and confirmatory studies to identify more than 95% of all remaining AD genes, thereby providing many more targets for the development of effective therapeutic intervention. | Dr. Rudy Tanzi
Massachusetts General Hospital | Funding to date:
$2,503,400 |
| | Alzheimer’s Brain-Genetic Study
Comparing the pathological features of autopsied brains of deceased AD patients with those of non-demented subjects to link AD pathology to genetic factors. | Dr. Bradley Hyman
Massachusetts General Hospital
| November, 2006:
$150,000 |
| | Alzheimer’s Clinical-Genetic Study
Tracking patients with “benign forgetfulness”, mild cognitive impairment and AD using imaging and cognitive tests to link clinical features of AD to genetic factors. | Dr. Deborah Blacker
Massachusetts General Hospital
| November, 2006:
$100,000
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| | Alzheimer’s Gene Database
Internet database and forum available on the web at www.AlzGene.org , the project gathers and analyzes all published studies and data relating to AD genetics, and provides weekly updates regarding ongoing attempts to identify novel AD genes. | Dr. Lars Bertram
Massachusetts General Hospital | November, 2006:
$142,000 |
ACAT Inhibitor Study
This two-part study focuses on the effect of a particular drug targeted at a cholesterol-related enzyme (ACAT I), with the objective of preventing or decreasing the production of neurotoxic Abeta in the brain. | Dr. Dora Kovacs
Massachusetts General Hospital | September, 2004:
$100,000
June, 2005:
$100,000
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Alzheimer’s Gene Discovery Project
This study is characterizing the ability of a novel AD candidate gene for the ability to regulate the enzyme, beta-secretase involved in Abeta production. | Dr. Rudy Tanzi
Massachusetts General Hospital | March, 2005: $138,00 |
Cure Alzheimer’s Fund Oligomer Collaborative
A collaboration of five of the members of the Research Consortium and a member of the Cure Alzheimer’s Fund Science Advisory Board hypothesize that an abnormal increase in levels of synaptic Abeta and particularly, Abeta oligomers may lead to synaptic dysfunction, cognitive decline, and eventually dementia. This highly innovative collaborative project will readdresses the amyloid hypothesis by asking which types of Abeta oligomers detrimentally impact synaptic dysfunction and neuronal survival in the brain. As a result of promising results from the first year of work, the original members of the collaborative were re-funded for a second year in August, 2007. Two more researchers, Sam Gandy of Mount Sinai Medical School and Tae-Wan Kim of Columbia University, joined the Oligomer Collaborative and were also funded in August. | Dr. Charles Glabe,
University of California at Irvine
The Role of Oligomeric Abeta in Alzheimer’s Disease | June, 2006: $100,000 August 2007:
$100,000 |
Dr. Virginia M.-Y. Lee,
University of Pennsylvania
Abeta Oligomers in Mouse Models of Alzheimer’s Disease | June, 2006: $100,000 August 2007:
$100,000 |
Drs. Rudolph Tanzi and Robert Moir,
Massachusetts General Hospital
Identification of agents that inhibit the generation and neurotoxicity of cross-linked Beta amyloid protein species (CAPS) | June, 2006: $100,000 August 2007:
$100,000 |
Dr. Sangram Sisodia,
University of Chicago
Molecular Analysis of Abeta*56 Structure and Function | June, 2006: $100,000 August 2007:
$100,000 |
Dr. Paul Greengard,
The Rockefeller University
The Role of Oligomeric Abeta in Synaptic Transmission and Plasticity | June, 2006: $100,000 August 2007:
$100,000 |
Dr. David Holtzman,
Washington University
Role of Synaptic Activity and Neurotransmitter Modulation in the Dynamic Regulation of Interstitial Fluid Abeta and Oligomer Formation | June, 2006: $100,000 August 2007:
$100,000 |
Dr. Sam Gandy
Mount Sinai Medical School
Elucidation of the biology of Abeta oligomers by performing quantitative characterizations of mice of four distinct genotypes for use by members of the Cure Collaborative.
| August 2007:
$100,000
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Dr. Tae-Wan Kim
Columbia University Medical Center
Role for phosphoinositides in Abeta oligomer-associated synaptic dysfunction. | August 2007:
$100,000 |
Core Facility for Optimal Management of Amyloid-beta Microdialysis Drug Discovery Program
In collaboration with an anonymous funder, Cure Alzheimer’s Fund is supporting development of a facility to measure the concentration of Amyloid-beta in real time in the brain of living, behaving mouse models that develop features of AD. The model enables screening for drugs that lower Amyloid-beta directly in the brain in relatively high throughput.
| Dr. David Holtzman
Washington University | May, 2007
$100,000 |
Oligomer Toxicity
In collaboration with Dr. Tanzi and other members of the Cure Alzheimer’s Fund Research Consortium Collaborative, Dr. Greengard will characterize the effects of specific Abeta oligomers on synaptic function in neuronal cells and brain slices. | Dr. Paul Greengard
The Rockefeller University
| May, 2007
$100,000
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Dr. Rudy Tanzi
Massachusetts General Hospital | May, 2007
$ 50,000
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Alzheimer's Disease Neuroimaging Initiative (ADNI), National Institutes of Aging
Cure Alzheimer's Fund is part of a funding consortium supporting collaborative biomarker investigation of the elevation of Tau and decreased concentrations of Amyloid beta 42 in the Central Spinal Fluid as evidence of the presence of the Alzheimer's disease pathology. | Leslie M Shaw
John Q. Trojanowski
University of Pennsylvania | December, 2007
$100,000 |
