The overall goal of this Academic Career Leadership Award is to develop an outstanding research and educational program on Alzheimer's disease (AD) and other neurodegenerative disorders at the State University of New York, Health Science Center at Brooklyn (Downstate). We plan to build upon the existing strengths at Downstate and the unique demographics of its surrounding community. These include the neuroscience program with its emphasis on hippocampal pathophysiology, the large population of Caribbean American, African American, and other minority groups in Brooklyn, and the special interests of the PI, including the overlap and heterogeneity of AD, Parkinson's disease and other neurodegenerative disorders.
Our specific aims are to (1) establish an infrastructure to support the development of an institutional research center on AD and related neurodegenerative disorders; (2) develop mechanisms that will bring new investigators to the field, enable established investigators to channel their expertise towards the field, encourage collaborations, and support pilot studies; (3) stimulate interest and collaborations in AD-related research within the scientific community through educational programs and related experiences; and (4) promote awareness of AD in the lay and professional community through outreach and educational programs. The candidate, Dr. Suzanne Mirra, is well qualified to lead this initiative. An experienced and respected neuropathologist working on AD and other neurodegenerative disorders, Dr. Mirra was the director and principal investigator of the Alzheimer's Disease Center at her former institution. She led the neuropathology arm of CERAD (Consortium to Establish a Registry for AD), the NIA longitudinal study, in standardizing the neuropathological evaluation of AD. A nationally recognized leader in neuropathology, she is Founding Chair of the Neuropathology Committee of the College of American Pathologists and President-Elect of the American Association of Neuropathologists. Dr. Mirra has forged strong ties in the lay community, such as her involvement with the national board and regional chapters of the Alzheimer's Association. Moreover, she is an outstanding communicator as well as a committed and innovative educator with a demonstrated track record of outreach to non-white minorities. This Academic Career Leadership Award, along with strong institutional commitment, will enable Dr. Mirra and collaborators to build a thriving research program on Alzheimer's disease and related neurodegenerative disorders at Downstate.
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