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Indiana University School of Medicine
Indiana University School of Medicine
Expertise in Alzheimer's Disease

TREAT-AD: Drug discovery

There are currently no treatments to prevent or slow the progression of Alzheimer’s disease. Building on Indiana University School of Medicine’s well-established expertise in Alzheimer’s disease research, the Target Enablement to Accelerate Therapy Development for Alzheimer’s Disease (TREAT-AD) drug discovery center aims to address challenges in discovering new therapeutic targets and drugs for the disease and accelerate development of promising new treatments. IU School of Medicine is one of only two institutions in the United States selected by the National Institute on Aging to improve, diversify and reinvigorate the Alzheimer’s disease drug development pipeline.

Learn More

Learn more about TREAT-AD and its mission across both funded U.S. research centers at the TREAT-AD website.

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Discovering new treatments for Alzheimer's disease

There are currently no treatments to prevent or slow the progression of Alzheimer’s disease. TREAT-AD at IU School of Medicine will bring innovative approaches to discovering new therapeutic targets and drugs for the disease and accelerate development of promising new medicines.

By the numbers

2
NIH-funded drug discovery centers in the U.S.
$36
million in NIH grant dollars
13
targeted proteins to investigate

Leveraging partnerships in science and medicine

Led by Alan Palkowitz, PhD, TREAT-AD has partnered with researchers from Purdue University to leverage the extensive expertise of both institutions in Alzheimer’s disease biology and pharmaceutical drug discovery and development. Researchers identify the best drug targets—typically proteins in the body that may contribute to Alzheimer’s disease—from a list of potential candidates compiled by researchers nationwide, and discover new molecules that bind to those targets to control their function. In early stage laboratory research, scientists test these molecules to determine if they have potential to be further developed and evaluated in patients. TREAT-AD researchers also regularly collaborate with the Indiana Biosciences Research Institute, a not-for-profit institution.

Capitalizing on New Understandings of Alzheimer’s Disease

The team will initially focus on proteins related to the neuroimmune system. There is a growing body of evidence that neuroinflammation may be linked to Alzheimer’s disease, opening a new avenue for research and drug discovery.

Collaborating to Bring New Drugs to Patients

Through partnerships with pharmaceutical and biotech companies, the most promising molecules will advance to the next stage of research. These companies often have greater resources to lead extensive testing required for a drug to win regulatory approval.

Sharing Data to Enable Global Research

The data, methods and tools generated by the drug discovery center will be available to researchers from academia, non-profit research organizations, biotech and the pharmaceutical industry for use in drug discovery and basic biology research.

treat-ad investigators
42911-Palkowitz, Alan Alan Palkowitz, PhD

Alan Palkowitz, PhD

Senior Research Professor of Medicine

23627-Lamb, Bruce Bruce T. Lamb, PhD

Bruce T. Lamb, PhD

Executive Director, Paul and Carole Stark Neurosciences Research Institute

48160-Richardson, Timothy Timothy Richardson, PhD

Timothy Richardson, PhD

Senior Research Professor of Medicine

latest treat-ad news
Portrait of Bruce Lamb and Alan Palkowitz
Fall 2020

The Search

Over the last 25 years, hundreds of clinical trials for drugs treating Alzheimer’s disease have failed. As the field takes stock, a team at IU School of Medicine hunts for new targets—and hope for patients.

Increased expression of gene improves Alzheimer's disease symptoms

IU researchers identify new gene mutation that alters Alzheimer’s disease risk

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

IU researchers identify protein that contributes to tau neurotoxicity in Alzheimer’s disease

Alzheimer’s disease research programs at IU School of Medicine collaborate on disease models, drug discovery of gene

IU School of Medicine awarded $36 million NIH grant for Alzheimer's disease drug discovery center

Interview an IU School of Medicine 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.