Core G: Biomarker Core

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Core G: Biomarker Core Project Summary/Abstract Alzheimer's is a devastating, progressive disease that affects almost 6 million Americans and this number is expected to rise to almost 14 million in the next three decades. The cost to us is immense, both on a personal and on a financial level. Our National Plan to Address Alzheimer's Disease (https://aspe.hhs.gov/report/national-plan-address-alzheimers-disease-2018-update) sets us on a path with several concrete goals and strategies to cure and prevent AD. In particular, one goal we must achieve is the early diagnosis of AD and its related disorders (AD/ADRD). If we can detect the disease early, even before symptoms have started, efforts to slow or even halt the disease may be more effective and can lead to many more years with a high quality of life. A key to this early detection is to develop biomarkers for the disease – ways in which, through testing of blood or cerebrospinal fluid (CSF – collectively known as biofluids), brain scans, or even cognitive testing – we can detect and efficiently monitor the disease and assess treatment. The goal of the UCI Biomarker Core is to help researchers here and across the globe in both collecting and analyzing data from existing measures and by developing novel measures for the purposes of identifying, quantifying, and validating factors that influence the risk of AD across the lifespan. The UCI ADRC Biomarker Core is set to provide state-of-the-art biomarker data and analyses and we will apply these to both existing data in our ADRC and to new data we are collecting. We will collect not only traditional biomarkers (blood, CSF for amyloid beta and tau, structural MRI scans, PET scans, etc.), but develop novel biomarkers as well. Our researchers have several innovative potential MRI and cognitive / behavioral biomarkers that the Core will be assisting with that have the potential to advance our overall goal of effectively determining disease etiology, measuring progression, and assessing effectiveness of treatment. In addition, we know that curing and preventing AD is a monumental challenge and that our final goal will only happen through collaborative teams and over the course of academic generations. Part of our mission in the UCI ADRC Biomarker core is therefore to share data and techniques with the research community. As big a part, however, is to share our knowledge and expertise with the next generation of clinicians and researchers, providing them with training and mentorship needed to rise to this challenge.