The University of Kentucky Alzheimer's Disease Center (UK-ADC) was founded in 1985, prior to the advent of biomarker initiatives that continue to grow in size and scope. We propose the development of a Biomarker Core to enrich the UK-ADC and provide an infrastructure that will allow us to contribute significantly to the discovery of antemortem biomarkers. The UK-ADC has focused on the early transitions from normal cognitive aging to the development of cognitive impairment. The shift of focus in the AD field to earlier, pre- clinical stages of disease ideally positions our center, which has had a focus on subjects with normal cognition and early detection and tracking of changes associated with degenerative disease states for the last 30 years. As a result, our center has collected over 700 plasma samples, 100 CSF samples, and 250 MRI batteries from cognitively intact individuals. Further, we have over 350 plasma samples, 150 CSF samples and 300 MRI batteries from individuals with mild cognitive impairment. In establishing a biomarker core, we will build an infrastructure that allows us to analyze, distribute and track these valuable current and future biomarker samples. The infrastructure will also provide the means for us to support intramural, extramural, and national biomarker initiatives such as NACC, ADGC/NCRAD, ADNI, ADCS/ATRI and other NIH/NIA initiatives. We will also establish a trial-ready, biomarker-characterized, subject cohort, facilitating enrollment into intramural and extramural clinical translational studies to eliminate recruitment and screen fail bottlenecks. Finally, our center has been at the forefront of research on AD-mimics including hippocampal sclerosis (HS-Aging), primary age- related tauopathies (PART), cerebral age-related TDP-43 and sclerosis (CARTS), and vascular contributions to cognitive impairment and dementia (VCID). As such, the addition of a biomarker core will allow us to continue to contribute to these fields and the rapidly growing interest in biomarker development in these areas. Overall, the bolus of support for our new biomarker core will allow us the increased infrastructure needed to support NIH/NIA initiatives and our researchers needs in the 21st century and beyond.
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