Carolina Center on Alzheimer's Disease and Minority Research (CCADMR)

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OVERALL SECTION PROJECT SUMMARY/ABSTRACT Due to its tremendous human and financial burden, Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias (ADRD) have risen to the forefront of the United States (U.S.) public health agenda. Older African Americans are at an increased likelihood of having ADRD. South Carolina has the highest age-adjusted death rate from ADRD in the U.S. A better understanding of the role that sociocultural, behavioral, and environmental determinants have on ADRD outcomes among African-American communities in the Southeast is critically and immediately needed. The overall goal of the proposed Carolina Center on Alzheimer’s Disease and Minority Research (CCADMR) is to increase the diversity of the research workforce focused on population health and determinants of ADRD disparities through sustained infrastructure that will support underrepresented and minority (URM) faculty focused on the health and well-being of minority elders. The Specific Aims of the proposed AD-RCMAR are to: (1) increase the capacity of URM scholars to advance the science on the sociocultural, behavioral, and environmental factors that influence ADRD outcomes in order to reduce ADRD-related disparities, with a focus on African Americans, and (2) advance the science of ADRD research focused on population health and determinants of ADRD disparities through research education in population-based, secondary data analysis, interdisciplinary co-mentoring teams, well-established strategies for recruitment of AD-RCMAR Scientists, and education on Health Disparities and Minority Aging Research. The proposed CCADMR is a state-wide collaboration, providing mentorship and education on determinants of ADRD disparities using population-based datasets for URM faculty throughout South Carolina, at the three major research institutions, including University of South Carolina (UofSC), Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC), and Clemson University (CU), and three Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), including Allen University, Claflin University, and South Carolina State University. Interdisciplinary and partner-engaged research, with which the principal investigators (PIs) and research team have expertise, will be an effective strategy for addressing ADRD-related disparities. The proposed Center leverages the multiple PIs’ extensive leadership in providing critical training in aging and ADRD for URM Scientists and their research expertise in cognitive aging, minority health, and ADRD disparities. The PIs and Core Leads are well-established and collaborative scholars with substantial mentoring experience and content knowledge that will contribute to the success of the proposed CCADMR.