Alzheimer's Disease

IU School of Medicine is committed to ending the suffering of Alzheimer's disease.

Pioneering Global Collaboration

There has never been a more critical or dynamic time for Alzheimer’s disease research. More than 50 million people worldwide have dementia, a number that is expected to nearly double every 20 years. In the United States alone, an estimated 5.8 million people are suffering from Alzheimer’s disease or related dementias.

Researchers at Indiana University School of Medicine are exploring the causes of Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias, searching for new methods to detect the disease early and discovering the latest advances to slow and prevent Alzheimer’s disease. Neuroscience experts throughout the school collaborate through well-funded national studies with partners in industry and other academic institutions in order to end the suffering caused by Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias.

Interview an Expert

Schedule an interview with an IU School of Medicine faculty member or request materials and resources about Alzheimer’s disease research by contacting the IU School of Medicine media relations team.

Contact Media Relations

Explore

IU School of Medicine is a national leader in Alzheimer’s research and a driver of local and global collaboration.

Education

Research

Faculty

FAQ

A National Resource for Alzheimer’s Research

Beyond conducting leading-edge research in its own laboratories, IU School of Medicine is a valuable national resource that supports research on Alzheimer’s disease throughout the United States. The school provides critical expertise and infrastructure used by scientists at other institutions to discover how to prevent and effectively treat Alzheimer’s disease.

Pipeline to Accelerate Drug Discovery

IU School of Medicine is one of only two institutions selected by the National Institute on Aging to improve, diversify and reinvigorate the Alzheimer’s disease drug development pipeline. The Alzheimer’s disease drug discovery center works to identify the best drug targets, discover and optimize new molecules for these targets, and conduct early testing to determine if the molecules have potential to be further developed and evaluated in patients.

Drug Discovery

National Biobank for Alzheimer’s Disease Samples

The Federal government has designated IU School of Medicine as the national site to collect blood, DNA, tissue, spinal fluid and other samples from tens of thousands of people with Alzheimer’s disease across the country. The National Centralized Repository for Alzheimer’s Disease and Related Dementias (NCRAD) is a central biobank in the United States that enables scientists from around the world to access critically important biological samples for new and ongoing research.

Biobank
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Advanced Laboratory Models to Test New Therapies

The Model Organism Development and Evaluation for Late-Onset Alzheimer’s Disease (MODEL-AD) consortium is developing the next generation of laboratory models used by scientists throughout the United States to study genetic contributors to Alzheimer’s disease and test potential treatments. MODEL-AD animal models represent human Alzheimer’s disease more closely than existing mouse models and accelerate the development of effective therapies for the disease.

Laboratory Models
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Expertise in Early-Onset Alzheimer’s Disease

IU School of Medicine is leading a nationwide study of a rare and particularly devastating early-onset form of Alzheimer’s that afflicts patients younger than 65 years of age. The Longitudinal Early-Onset Alzheimer’s Disease Study (LEADS) seeks to understand why some people develop Alzheimer’s disease so early, look for genetic determinants of the disease and track the disease’s progression.

Early-Onset Alzheimer’s Disease

Clinical Research and Patient Support Hub

At the forefront of Alzheimer’s disease research for almost 30 years, the Indiana Alzheimer Disease Center is one of only 32 centers in the United States solely committed to Alzheimer’s research. This multidisciplinary program works to translate research advances into improved diagnosis and care for people with Alzheimer’s disease. The center offers resources and information for patients, caregivers and the broader community.

Indiana Alzheimer Disease Center

Research Training in Alzheimer's

Indiana University School of Medicine is training the next generation of researchers specifically focused on discovering new ways to understand, diagnose and treat Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias.

Training Programs

Alzheimer’s Disease News

Tatiana Foroud NCRAD

IU School of Medicine receives $30 million NIA grant for Alzheimer's, related dementia research

IU School of Medicine  |  Jun 29, 2021

IU neuroscientists lead new study laying groundwork for Alzheimer’s disease precision medicine

Alzheimer’s disease researchers study gene associated with the brain’s immune cells

Neuroscience researcher Debomoy Lahiri, PhD, elected to National Academy of Inventors

New $3.5 million grant to aid in identification of new neurodegenerative diseases

IU researchers study relationship between epilepsy drug and Alzheimer’s disease