Mayo Alzheimer's Disease Research Center

PROJECT SUMMARY/ABSTRACT - OVERALL The overall goal of Mayo Clinic Alzheimer's Disease Research Center (ADRC) is to provide a structured environment that supports innovative research and enables translation aimed at accelerating the development of effective treatment and prevention for AD patients at all stages of the disease. Our comprehensive ADRC is located in Rochester, Minnesota (MCR), and Jacksonville, Florida (MCF), and shares its operations in all of the Cores between the two geographic sites. The sites are linked electronically yielding a seamless operation. The ADRC will be comprised of seven cores: Administrative Core, Clinical Core, Neuropathology Core, Data Management and Statistical Core, Outreach, Recruitment and Engagement Core, Neuroimaging Core and a new Biomarker Core. In addition, the Center will have a Research Education Component. The Mayo ADRC focuses on both Alzheimer's disease (AD) and Alzheimer's disease related dementias (ADRD) such as frontotemporal lobar degeneration and Lewy body disorders. As such, the theme of the ADRC is Similarities and Differences among Neurodegenerative Diseases. This focus will expand on previous accomplishments of the ADRC across the neurodegenerative disease spectra. The acquisition and development of new biomarkers for the neurodegenerative diseases will be a major focus of the Center, and the recruitment of research participants in all three disorders will enhance randomized controlled trial studies. A major emphasis of the new grant period will be the development of the Research Education Component with activities for trainees at all levels. Mayo Clinic has extensive educational resources for both local and national impact and these resources will be leveraged to attract and retain early stage investigators and those who are new to dementia research with an emphasis on diversity. The Mayo ADRC will interact with other ADRCs on various collaborative efforts and will continue to be a major contributor to the field.