Administrative Core

PROJECT SUMMARY/ABSTRACT - Administrative Core The mission of the UC Davis Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center (UCD ADRC) is to advance the science of healthy brain aging while caring for those affected by dementia. To accomplish this mission, we have created a highly integrated and collaborative environment with extensive resources to support studies

on the heterogeneity of cognitive aging and progression to dementia among diverse populations. The Administrative Core (AC) supports this mission through overall direction and optimal utilization of center resources with emphasis on strategies that encompass 1) development of new research initiatives, 2)

leveraging available resources through integration of research effort and pursuit of research funding, 3) program growth through local, national and international collaborations and initiation of new programs, and, finally, 4) pursuit of funding sources for training of junior scientists so as to expand and provide continuity for

our program of research on aging and ADRD. Our approach addresses a number of milestones set by the National Alzheimer’s Project Act by 1) evaluating disparities among ethnic and racial minority populations that are at higher risk for AD to mitigate risk and improve cognitive outcomes, 2) fully characterizing mixed

pathologies and identifying unique risk factors,3) accelerating the development of treatments that would prevent, halt, or reverse the course of Alzheimer’s disease (AD), 4) improving early diagnosis through discovery of novel imaging and serum biomarkers, 5) developing novel dementia treatment strategies, and 6)

supporting caregiving through funded caregiver research. The AC also has a long tradition of supporting the overall NIA ADC Network to achieve NAPA goals “…through increasing flexibility and collaboration by leveraging resources, capabilities and research participants across the network”. Consistent with our overall

approach, the AC also has historically contributed to efforts to “…unify goals, ensure that resources are most efficiently utilized, and is suitably flexible to facilitate the ability of the ADC network to respond to a dynamic scientific environment while incorporating the needs of all stakeholders…” As such, the AC provides

outstanding leadership along with the infrastructure and the administrative support needed to meld the various Cores and geographically dispersed units of the UCD ADRC into a true, coherent and effective research center. Specifically, the AC will direct and strategically plan to utilize the full complement of resources and

expertise of the UCD ADRC, incorporating the developmental projects, our community based research approach and extensive research training program to fulfill the milestones of NAPA.