The mission of the Biomarker Core (BC) is to support Alzheimer's disease and Alzheimer's disease related disorders (AD/ADRD) research projects by collecting, storing, tracking, sharing and analyzing biospecimens and associated clinical, genetic, biomarker data. The collected clinical, genetic and biomarker data on a variety of human biospecimens will contribute to the understanding of AD/ADRD heterogeneity by cataloging the progression, onset and disease symptoms of patient biospecimens currently stored in Cleveland Clinic Lou Ruvo Center for Brain Health (CCLRCBH) Aging and Neurodegenerative Disease Biobank (CCLRCBH- Biobank) and future Cleveland Alzheimer's Disease Research Center (CADRC) collections. This information will contribute to improving diagnosis in unique understudied populations as well as the population as a whole. Toward this mission, we have previously established and integrated biospecimen collection and research collaborations between Case Western Reserve University (CWRU), MetroHealth, University Hospitals (UH), and the Cleveland Clinic Foundation (CCF).
The aims of the BC are to; 1) Facilitate research by leveraging and expanding our large existing CCLRCBH-Biobank infrastructure and biospecimens linked with subject clinical data in the integrated database and continue to include longitudinal biospecimen collection. 2) Provide basic biomarker characterization to facilitate AD/ADRD research, 3) Provide basic genetic information to facilitate AD/ADRD research. 4) Distribute biospecimens to neurodegenerative disease consortiums and coordinating centers as well as to internal and external investigators. To these aims, we have assembled a team of experts that together will contribute to biospecimen collection for the CADRC. We anticipate that establishing CADRC and BC will provide further essential infrastructure to facilitate and integrate the independent projects of unique and understudied populations, such as African Americans as well as understudied neurodegenerative disorders, including rapidly progressive AD, traumatic brain injury (professional fighters) and dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB). Standard clinical data (the Uniform Data Set, or UDS) from these diverse understudied populations will be linked with generated biomarker and genetic data. Genetic and biomarker data linked to relevant clinical data in accordance with goals of the National Alzheimer's Project Act (NAPA) will be shared with the scientific community including with the; Alzheimer's Disease Genetic Consortium (ADGC), National Alzheimer's Coordinating Center (NACC), National Institute on Aging Genetics of Alzheimer's Disease Data Storage (NIAGADS). The already established CCLRCBH-Biobank and highly trained personnel will insure seamless creation of the CADRC BC and importantly facilitate future innovative AD/ADRD research projects that will enhance our understanding of the heterogeneity of AD and ADRD pathology.
