Skip to main content
Category

Commentary

UCI MIND’s First-Ever Virtual Gala Warms Hearts, Opens Minds, Drives Donations Both On and Offline

By Carousel Slider, Commentary, Community Events, In the News
UC Irvine’s Institute for Memory Impairments and Neurological Disorders raised some $300,000 at its A December to Remember Gala on Dec. 5, 2020. The event took place virtually for the very first time, reaching over 850 viewers on multiple online channels including Facebook, Youtube and the UCI MIND website. A recording of the event is available to view on UCI MIND’s YouTube page. The online broadcast, co-hosted by UCI MIND Director Joshua Grill and auctioneer Zack Krone, included performances from Justin Willman, the star and creator of the hit Netflix series “Magic for Humans,” and Ashley Campbell, singer-songwriter and daughter of…
Read More

New Study Finds People with Dementia are Twice as Likely to Get COVID-19

By Commentary, COVID-19, In the News
Thomas Peipert/Associated Press A new study led by researchers at Case Western Reserve University who analyzed millions of medical records in the U.S. found that people with dementia had significantly greater risk of contracting the coronavirus, and they were much more likely to be hospitalized and die from it, compared to people without dementia. The findings highlight the need to prioritize and protect people with dementia as part of the strategy to control the pandemic.
Read More

ASK THE DOC on Down Syndrome & Alzheimer’s Disease this Thursday

By Commentary, Community Events
Do you have questions about Down Syndrome and Alzheimer's Disease? Ask the Doc! Join experts Dr. Ira Lott, Dr. Elizabeth Head, and Eric Doran this Thursday from 12-1 PM PT for a live virtual Q&A panel.   How to Ask the Docs: 1. Register here to pre-submit questions. 2. On Thursday at noon, click your preferred website below to view the live episode: - YouTube (ask & view) - Facebook (ask & view) - UCI MINDcast (view-only) 3. Participate in Q&A on YouTube or Facebook by typing your questions into the comments box.
Read More

COVID-19 Vaccine Community Information Panel

By Commentary, Community Events, COVID-19, In the News
Join UCI School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences on Thursday, February 11th for a community information session with their Scientists & Pharmacists to learn the basics about COVID-19 Vaccines and what to expect as they become more widely available. Registration links below! Can't make it on February 11th? Join them on March 1st for an encore presentation. February 11th Registration: https://bit.ly/2M6YQFc March 1st Registration: https://bit.ly/3pt8sIt
Read More

IMPACT-AD now accepting applications for the Class of 2021

By Commentary, Community Events
UCI MIND is now accepting applications for IMPACT-AD, a multi-day course on clinical trials in Alzheimer's disease and related dementias (ADRD). The training course, directed by Joshua Grill, PhD, Director of UCI MIND and Rema Raman, PhD, Director of Biostatistics at USC Alzheimer’s Therapeutic Research Institute, was launched in 2020 and is designed to educate and promote diversity among researchers and future principal investigators in the field of ADRD. The course will run from September 19-23, 2021. Applications close April 30, 2021. Learn more and apply at https://impact-ad.org 
Read More

Advance Directive for Dementia

By Commentary, In the News
(AP Photo/Jens Meyer) How much medical care would you want if you had Alzheimer's disease or another type of dementia? A dementia-focused advance directive developed by experts in neurology, geriatrics, and palliative care, allows people to plan ahead and communicate their wishes if they were to develop dementia, stage by stage. Standard advance directives (also known as living wills) do not typically cover dementia, and families are faced with difficult medical decisions for their loved ones. A dementia directive can help people make medical choices for themselves in advance, guiding family members and healthcare providers to take actions that reflect those…
Read More

UCI MIND presents Meet the Team

By Commentary, Community Events
UCI MIND presents Meet The Team, a video series where diverse staff members from UCI MIND discuss their unique roles in dementia research! In this first episode, meet Shirley Sirivong, Manager of Clinical Research Operations at UCI MIND. Shirley discusses her unique role in dementia research: mind.uci.edu/mindcast
Read More

President Biden Issues Executive Order on Racial Equity: Its impact on AAPI communities

By Commentary, In the News
ENGLISH | VIETNAMESE (Tiếng Việt)   Contributed by Hye-Won Shin, PhD Four executive orders signed by President Biden Tuesday, January 26, 2021 aim at promoting racial equity in the US. One specifically pinpointed fighting xenophobia against Asian American and Pacific Islanders (AAPI). Hye-Won Shin, PhD, Director of Asian American Outreach at UCI MIND Misinformation and stigmatization related to the COVID-19 pandemic provoked a surge in anti-Asian xenophobia. Thousands of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders have reported the pandemic-fueled hate crimes and physical attacks throughout the United States. These physical, social, and emotional challenges can cause profound damage to Asian Americans…
Read More

UCI to build world-class hospital on Irvine campus

By Commentary, In the News
The new hospital will join the previously approved UCI Health Center for Advanced Care to create UCI Medical Center Irvine-Newport, a full-service academic health complex that will bring a broad spectrum of sophisticated healthcare services to coastal and southern Orange County. Credit: UCI Contributed by UCI Health: Plans to build a world-class, acute care hospital on the northern edge of the University of California, Irvine academic campus advanced significantly last week, as the University of California Board of Regents granted approval of the project’s 144-bed acute care facility, ambulatory care center and cancer center. The hospital will focus on key…
Read More

UCI MIND presents Spotlight on Care

By Commentary, Community Events
  UCI MIND presents Spotlight on Care, the podcast where we share stories, experiences, tips and advice on caring for loved ones affected by Alzheimer’s and other dementias! Meet the Co-Hosts, Steve O’Leary and Virginia Naeve, in this first 20-min episode! They share their personal caregiving journeys, provide an overview of the series, and offer some initial caregiving tips: https://www.buzzsprout.com/1589794#
Read More

UCI researchers developing vaccine designed to prevent future coronavirus outbreaks

By Commentary, COVID-19, In the News
KABC - Jan. 15, 2021 (Video) Scientists at UC Irvine are developing a vaccine designed to prevent future coronavirus outbreaks. …UCI professor Lbachir BenMohamed, Ph.D. said it's not a matter of if another coronavirus will emerge, but when. …BenMohamed and his team at the UCI School of Medicine are working on a pre-emptive strike -- a universal vaccine that can protect against all forms of the coronavirus. … Early trials have produced promising results. Click here to watch the full video and learn more >
Read More

Reminder: Vaccine now available for anyone age 65 and up

By Commentary, COVID-19, In the News
State and county health officials have authorized COVID-19 vaccinations for anyone age 65+. Eligible people who live or work in Orange County can register online through www.Othena.com to view appointment times and track vaccine availability. Or consult your healthcare provider. UCI strongly recommends the vaccine as a safe and effective way to protect yourself and others. County vaccinations are by appointment only.
Read More

Helpful Vaccine Information for Older Adults

By Commentary, COVID-19
National Institute on Aging Orange County Phase 1A COVID-19 vaccine distribution now includes people age 65 and older, giving priority to those who are most vulnerable and with chronic health conditions.​ FAQs about the COVID-19 Vaccine UCI: https://uci.edu/coronavirus/testing-response/covid-19-vaccine.php OC Health: https://coronavirus.egovoc.com/covid-19-vaccine-faqs-0 General Vaccine Information for Older Adults CDC: https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/schedules/hcp/imz/adult.html NIA: https://www.nia.nih.gov/health/shots-safety
Read More

CARE Brain Trust Meeting

By Commentary, Community Events
Contributed by the CARE Registry: It's time for our very first annual CARE Brain Trust meeting! This is a special meeting for researchers and community partners who want to learn more about the CARE project. We will discuss everything from the importance of representation and our data access protocol! Come join us for an important and informative meeting that may change the course and improve clinical research! There will be raffles held throughout the meeting! Reserve your tickets today: https://tinyurl.com/CAREtrust 
Read More

CA Governor Releases Master Plan for Aging

By Commentary, In the News
We are excited to announce that Governor Newsom along with many partners, including the California Department of Aging, has released the California Master Plan for Aging earlier this week. Irvine Health Foundation has been participating in the Master Plan along with other foundation partners. Please check out the California Master Plan on Aging and share this plan through your platforms using the hashtag #MasterPlanForAging California Master Plan on Aging: https://mpa.aging.ca.gov
Read More

HFC’s Science Advisory Board: Joshua Grill, PhD

By Commentary, In the News
"As part of HFC's Science Advisory Board, I will continue our great work in pairing students and faculty to research brain aging and Alzheimer’s disease. Excited for all that is to come from the partnership between HFC and UCI MIND!” - Joshua Grill, Director of UCI MIND To read more about our new program, in partnership with the nonprofit HFC led by Lauren & Seth Rogen, community philanthropist Dr. Loran Carlin, and the UCI School of Medicine, click here >
Read More

18 UCI MIND faculty members among top 2% of scientists worldwide

By Carousel Slider, Commentary, In the News
A recent report from Stanford identified the top 2% of the world's scientists based on their publications and citations. Out of millions of published scientists, including those who have passed away, a total of 445 from UCI, including Vice Chancellor for Research Pramod Khargonekar, and 18 UCI MIND faculty made the cut. We congratulate our faculty members, listed below, on this significant achievement: Neurology & Neurosurgery: Tallie Z. Baram, MD, PhD Ruth Benca, MD, PhD Emiliana Borrelli, PhD Gregory J. Brewer, PhD Carl W. Cotman, PhD David Cribbs, PhD Mark J. Fisher, MD Christine Gall, PhD Charles Glabe, PhD Alan…
Read More

Charles Glabe Named 2020 National Academy of Inventors Fellow

By Carousel Slider, Commentary, In the News
Contributed by Hal S. Stern, PhD and Frank M. LaFerla, PhD It is our pleasure to congratulate Charles Glabe, Distinguished Professor of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, on being named a 2020 fellow of the National Academy of Inventors. Among his achievements, Professor Glabe is being recognized for the creation of antibodies that bind to the four kinds of proteins forming the amyloid associated with Alzheimer's disease. The process enables scientists to detect individual forms of the disease more precisely. The antibodies can be used as a screening tool and could help develop immunotherapies that slow or even prevent Alzheimer's. Professor…
Read More

You’re invited! Join the 1st CARE Registry Korean Virtual Information Session! 

By Commentary, Community Events
  Did you know that Asians, including Korean Americans are among the least represented groups in health research? CARE stands for "Collaborative Approach for Asian Americans & Pacific Islanders Research & Education". The goal of the CARE Registry is to connect Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders to various types of research that may make a difference in improving the health of you, your family and future generations. Please join Dr. Hye-Won Shin, Director of Asian American Outreach of UCI Institute for Memory Impairments and Neurological Disorders (UCI MIND), and CARE Community Advisory Board member for the 1st CARE Registry Korean Virtual Information Session! This session will be offered…
Read More

VIDEO: Can stem cells treat Alzheimer’s disease and related disorders? with Mathew Blurton-Jones, PhD

By Commentary, Community Events

ASK THE DOC! UCI MIND Facebook LIVE Video Series This monthly series features short talks and Q&A with experts from the University of California, Irvine Institute for Memory Impairments and Neurological Disorders (UCI MIND), 1 of 32 congressionally designated Alzheimer’s Disease Research Centers in the nation. Join UCI MIND on Facebook (@UCIrvineMIND) to learn about advances in research to improve Alzheimer’s disease diagnosis, treatment, and prevention. Can stem cells treat Alzheimer's disease and related disorders?   About the Speaker: Dr. Blurton-Jones is an Associate Professor of Neurobiology & Behavior in the UCI School of Biological Sciences, and he leads the induced...

Read More

A December to Remember is tomorrow!

By Commentary, Community Events, In the News
Tomorrow A December to Remember Gala, presented by UCI MIND and the Harris Taylor Family, is tomorrow! We look forward to an evening of music, magic, and memories for Alzheimer's research.   Pre-Show at 5:30 PM PST Live Program at 6:00 - 7:00 PM PST   Three Viewing Options: YouTube Live (watch on your Smart TV) Facebook Live (interact with other viewers) Gala Website (quick access to auction items)   Live Stream Link   Silent Auction The gala auction is now live and closes Monday, December 7 at 12:00 PM PST. Two Ways to Bid: Visit mind.uci.edu/bid Text MIND to 61094   View Auction   Presenting Sponsor Harris…
Read More

We need the power of our community

By Commentary, Community Events
Today is Giving Tuesday, a celebration of generosity and philanthropy, and a global movement to harness the power of community for the greater good. At UCI MIND, we rely on the support of our community to advance life-changing research and continue the fight against Alzheimer’s disease, a debilitating illness that impacts more than 5.8 million Americans and their families. This Giving Tuesday, we hope you will expand our capacity to conduct promising research and accelerate progress toward a world without Alzheimer’s disease by supporting the Alzheimer’s Disease Excellence Fund. Our goal is to rid the world of Alzheimer’s disease. We…
Read More

Today is Giving Tuesday!

By Commentary, Community Events
Today is Giving Tuesday, and UCI MIND could use your help during this year’s international day of philanthropy. We hope you will support us by: Staying connected! Visit this link for ways to follow UCI MIND and keep informed of brain health, Alzheimer’s disease and related dementia research. Making a gift! Click here to donate to the Alzheimer’s Disease Excellence Fund. Your donation of any amount will help advance research into the treatment, prevention, diagnosis and care for Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias. At UCI MIND, our goal is to rid the world of Alzheimer’s disease. We need the power…
Read More

UCI Spearheads $109M Down Syndrome, Alzheimer’s Study

By Carousel Slider, Commentary, In the News
Alzheimer’s Biomarker Consortium – Down Syndrome (ABC-DS) Award The University of California, Irvine is undertaking a five-year, multi-million dollar project to expand research on Alzheimer’s disease in people with Down syndrome. The National Institute of Health awarded a $109 million grant to the Alzheimer’s Biomarkers Consortium-Down Syndrome in late October. The international team, led by UCI principal investigators Elizabeth Head and Mark Mapstone, aims to identify biomarkers that indicate the progression of Alzheimer’s disease in adults with Down syndrome. Subscribers to the Orange County Business Journal can read more here >          
Read More

Governor’s Task Force on Alzheimer’s Prevention and Preparedness

By Commentary, In the News
Dear friends of UCI MIND, Last week, Maria Shriver and the Governor's Task Force on Alzheimer's Prevention and Preparedness presented a report describing their 10 recommendations to Governor Gavin Newsom. Click here to view the report. The Governor was extremely receptive to the recommendations. We anticipate movement in the coming months to years on these important initiatives to improve the lives of Californians living with dementia and their families and to increase Alzheimer’s awareness, risk reduction education, and research. We would like to thank the many UCI MIND stakeholders who participated in the Task Force listening session as part of…
Read More

Holidays during COVID-19

By Commentary, COVID-19, Participants
Contributed by UCI MIND Nurse Practitioner, Catherine McAdams-Ortiz, MSN, RN, A/GNP Have you noticed the Holiday decorations popping up at shopping malls already? Yes, the Holiday Season is upon us. This year, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, we all need to carefully plan our social gatherings, meals, and guests in our homes. Hopefully, you will find some helpful hints here so you can safely navigate all the Holidays you will celebrate this year.   The very best gift you can give yourself, your loved ones and your friends is to make sure you get your flu vaccine as soon as possible.…
Read More

New insights from study of people age 90 and above

By Carousel Slider, Commentary, In the News
CBS: Six years after our initial report, Lesley Stahl visits surviving members of the 90+ Study and finds out what scientists have learned from following the study's participants. We're a nation living longer and longer. Over the next 30 years, the number of Americans age 90 and above is expected to triple, and an NIH-funded research study called 90+ at the University of California Irvine is trying to learn all it can right now from a group of men and women who've already managed to get there. Six years ago, we first reported on their first set of findings. Factors…
Read More

The 90+ Study on 60 Minutes this Sunday

By Commentary, In the News
The 90+ Study, co-led by UCI MIND faculty members Drs. Claudia Kawas and Maria Corrada, will be featured in the show “60 Minutes” this Sunday, November 22 on CBS. The episode will be a follow-up of the study participants who were featured on the show six years ago and an update on research findings since then. Learn more about the feature in the articles below: Lesley Stahl follows up with nonagenarians from landmark study on aging Is there a secret to living well into your 90s?
Read More

Cartographers of the brain

By Carousel Slider, Commentary, In the News
Contributed by UCI News: UCI’s Center for Neural Circuit Mapping is redrawing our understanding of mechanisms underlying several common disorders by Ian Anzlowar, UCI | November 18, 2020 “Our goal is to reveal the molecular changes that occur during the course of Alzheimer’s, impacting learning and memory, and identify a route toward early detection and new drug therapies for the disease,” says Xiangmin Xu, director of UCI’s Center for Neural Circuit Mapping. Steve Zylius / UCI Thanks to Xiangmin Xu and his team at the UCI School of Medicine’s Center for Neural Circuit Mapping, lazy eye, Alzheimer’s and other neurological…
Read More

Deep Sleep Protects Against Alzheimer’s Disease, Growing Evidence Shows

By Commentary
Commentary on NPR article, contributed by Bryce Mander, PhD Numerous studies now show that multiple forms of sleep disturbance increase risk for developing dementia. Emerging work continues to demonstrate that the way in which the brain expresses sleep may be tied to how much Alzheimer’s disease (AD) pathology there is in the brain even prior to AD symptom onset. Both sleep restriction and suppression of high amplitude, low frequency brain waves - called slow waves - during deep sleep increase beta amyloid and tau, the two hallmark pathologies of AD. It is unknown how this occurs, though there is evidence of two potential mechanisms: increased production of AD…
Read More

UCI C2C Registry now live in multiple languages

By Commentary, In the News
UCI Consent-to-Contact (C2C) Registry In 2016, UCI MIND launched a local recruitment registry – the UCI Consent-to-Contact (C2C) Registry – to raise awareness of research participation opportunities at UCI (c2c.uci.edu). We are excited to announce that this fall, the UCI C2C went live in Spanish, Korean, Chinese, and Vietnamese to allow more people to access this online tool. Together with our diverse community, we will improve our understanding of Alzheimer's disease and related dementias in diverse populations and find solutions for people of all backgrounds. To learn more about enrolling in C2C, visit c2c.uci.edu > To read more in our latest newsletter, click here…
Read More

MIND Matters | Quarterly Newsletter | Fall 2020

By Commentary, Community Events, COVID-19, In the News, Participants
Message from the Director   Dear Friends of UCI MIND, As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to impact our lives this fall, the fight to solve Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias (ADRD) must charge forward. This November, the U.S. FDA will convene an advisory committee to assess potential approval of Biogen’s aducanumab, a monoclonal antibody in development for treatment of early AD. We will watch closely as aducanumab could be the first new approved drug for AD since 2005. Regardless of the outcome of the meeting and subsequent FDA decision – anticipated in March 2021 – this represents a milestone for…
Read More

FDA Advisory Panel Recommends Against Approval of Aducanumab for the Treatment of Alzheimer’s Disease

By Commentary, In the News
Many of us listened intently today as the US Food and Drug Administration convened a panel of expert members of an advisory committee to review the submitted materials for potential approval of Biogen’s candidate treatment for early Alzheimer’s disease, aducanumab. The meeting was notable on many levels. Advocates made clear and compelling demonstrations of why new therapies are so desperately needed for this disease. The experts, however, were equally clear that the available data from a still limited number of studies, only one of which was actually positive, do not meet the current standards for drug approval in the United…
Read More

VIDEO: How does heart health impact the brain? with Daniel Nation, PhD

By Commentary, Community Events
ASK THE DOC! UCI MIND Facebook LIVE Video Series This monthly series features short talks and Q&A with experts from the University of California, Irvine Institute for Memory Impairments and Neurological Disorders (UCI MIND), 1 of 32 congressionally designated Alzheimer’s Disease Research Centers in the nation. Join UCI MIND on Facebook (@UCIrvineMIND) to learn about advances in research to improve Alzheimer’s disease diagnosis, treatment, and prevention. How does heart health impact the brain?   About the Speaker: Daniel Nation, PhD is an Associate Professor of Psychological Science in the UCI School of Social Ecology. He earned his PhD in clinical…
Read More

FDA meets today to review aducanumab for the treatment of Alzheimer’s

By Commentary, In the News
The FDA will today convene an advisory committee to review and discuss the application submitted by Biogen Inc. for aducanumab for the treatment of early Alzheimer's disease. Though mixed opinions remain about whether the FDA should approve aducanumab at this time, the submission of a new treatment entity for Alzheimer’s disease is nonetheless good news and an important milestone. It has been nearly two decades since a new drug was approved for Alzheimer’s disease and no approved drug can effectively slow or stop the debilitating progression of this fatal neurodegenerative disease. Regardless of the outcome of this specific submission, we…
Read More

New findings in Down syndrome and Alzheimer’s disease research

By Commentary
Contributed by Alessandra C. Martini, PhD, Associate Project Scientist at UCI MIND Researchers have discovered that the majority of people with Down syndrome will have the pathology of Alzheimer’s disease – amyloid plaques and neurofibrillary tangles - in their brains by 40 years of age. In this new study, conducted with colleagues at the University of Kentucky, we used autopsy tissue donated by research participants to analyze the role of microglia (the brain’s immune cells) in the development of Alzheimer’s disease in people with Down syndrome across different ages and disease stages. What we found is that people with Down…
Read More

Cognitive decline distorts political choices, UCI-led study says

By Carousel Slider, Commentary, In the News
“Our findings suggest that older individuals experiencing cognitive decline have relatively stable ideological preferences, but these preferences lose their connection to political policy details. Future studies conducted during an election year may shed additional light on how this group of Americans is casting their ballot,” said UCI MIND faculty member Mark Fisher, MD. Study participants were 190 members of The 90+ Study (LINK), a UCI-led longitudinal investigation of the oldest-old, who are those aged 90 and older.
Read More

FLASH radiation therapy can help treat cancer without neurocognitive side effects, study finds

By Carousel Slider, Commentary, In the News
Charles Limoli FLASH radiation therapy, also called FLASH-RT, can eliminate the debilitating side effects associated with traditional radiation therapy by delivering the same dose in tenths of seconds, and can remove tumors, according to a study published in Clinical Cancer Research. … Charles Limoli, PhD, a researcher and professor of radiation oncology at University of California Irvine It's not unreasonable to expect that in 10 years, this may become a widespread option for radiotherapy patients worldwide."
Read More

(VIDEO) UCI MIND researchers use human stem cell models to understand immunity in Alzheimer’s disease

By Commentary, In the News
Amanda McQuade, graduate student in Mathew Blurton-Jones’ lab at UCI MIND, discusses findings from their new study using induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSC), donated from participants at the UCI Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center, and CRISPR gene editing to improve understanding of the role of immunity in Alzheimer’s disease. Click below to view the video, and access the publication at this link: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-020-19227-5     Amanda McQuade, MS Amanda McQuade is a graduate student in the department of Neurobiology and Behavior working with Dr. Mathew Blurton-Jones. Her graduate work focuses on using CRISPR to study risk mutations for Alzheimer’s disease in human…
Read More

Join us for a live Q&A on “Caring for the Caregiver”

By Commentary, Community Events
  UCI MIND & UCI School of Nursing present a live Q&A panel: Caring for the Caregiver Tuesday, November 10, 2020 4:00 - 5:30 pm PDT Live on Facebook & YouTube   Join us for a virtual discussion and Q&A with experts on the unique challenges facing dementia caregivers during the COVID-19 pandemic. Panelists include Dr. Joshua Grill, director of UCI MIND, Drs. Alison Holman and Jung-Ah Lee, faculty in the UCI School of Nursing, and Dr. Lisa Gibbs, medical director of UCI Senior Health Center. Register online to receive live viewing instructions.
Read More

Death certificates may not adequately report dementia as cause of death

By Commentary, In the News
The actual number of deaths linked to dementia may be about three times greater than what is reported on U.S. death certificates, according to a recent NIA-supported study. The findings were published online August 24, 2020, in JAMA Neurology. Previous studies have established that doctors and medical examiners may be underreporting Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias as an underlying cause of death on death certificates. To investigate whether the impact from the underreporting was substantial, a research team led by investigators at Boston University compared dementia-related deaths determined by a nationally representative study to what is reported on death certificates.…
Read More

UCI MIND, UCSF, UC Davis, NAPCA, ICAN Launch Research Registry for Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders

By Carousel Slider, Commentary, Community Events, In the News
UC San Francisco, UC Davis, UC Irvine, National Asian Pacific Center on Aging (NAPCA), International Children Assistance Network (ICAN) in partnership with over twenty community partners serving diverse Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders (AAPI) communities in California and nationwide, is pleased to announce the launch of the Collaborative Approach for AAPI Research and Education (CARE) research registry. The CARE registry team reflect multiple diverse AAPI cultures and languages. CARE is an opportunity for AAPI to participate in important research that may affect ourselves, our parents, children and grandchildren. Some of the important research may contribute to finding cures for and/or ways to…
Read More

NIH Awards Over $100 Million to Examine Biomarkers of Alzheimer’s Disease in Adults with Down Syndrome

By Carousel Slider, Commentary, In the News
Congratulations to UCI MIND investigators, Drs. Elizabeth Head and Mark Mapstone, on earning a 5-year $100 million grant to study biomarkers for Alzheimer’s disease in people with Down syndrome. The  Alzheimer’s Biomarker Consortium – Down Syndrome (ABC-DS) evolved from the longstanding contributions of Dr. Ira Lott and Eric Doran who had the insight to include older people with Down syndrome in Alzheimer’s disease research.  People with Down syndrome are at very high risk for Alzheimer disease as their extra copy of chromosome 21 leads to accelerated amyloid buildup with aging. The new grant will help researchers improve understanding of the unique disease progression…
Read More

Today is #ResearchDiversity Day! Follow the Conversation on Twitter

By Commentary, Community Events
Contributed by Franklin Garcia, PhD, UCI MIND Postdoctoral Fellow   “On this Research Diversity Day, I would like to share my early undergraduate experience that paved the way for my interest in aging research. Franklin Garcia, PhD, UCI MIND Postdoctoral Fellow The concept of pursuing a career in scientific research was new to me since, as a first-generation university student, I didn’t have mentors or older peers that could shed some insight or guidance. Fortunately, during my last two years as an undergraduate student at UC Irvine, I received mentorship from my research advisor, Prof. Frank LaFerla and the faculty…
Read More

Dr. Joshua Grill discusses Alzheimer’s clinical trials during the pandemic with NPR

By Carousel Slider, Commentary, COVID-19, In the News
Alzheimer syndrom screening.The presentation is made by me based on real scientific knowledge in the public domain. (3-minute listen) After cases began emerging worldwide, thousands of clinical trials unrelated to COVID-19 were paused or canceled amid fears that participants would be infected. But now, some researchers are finding ways to carry on in spite of the coronavirus. "It's been a struggle of course," says Joshua Grill, who directs the Institute for Memory Impairments and Neurological Disorders at the University of California, Irvine. "But I think there's an imperative for us to find ways to move forward."
Read More