In this revision application, we seek increased funding for our Alzheimer's Disease Training Program (ADTP), ?Neurobehavior, Neuropathology, and Risk Factors in Alzheimer's Disease.? Our program focuses on translational research in Alzheimer's disease (AD) and related dementias. The objective of our research training program is to provide interdisciplinary training for basic science, clinical, and translational researchers so that they will be well equipped to advance clinical hypotheses about the etiology, pathophysiology, and treatment of AD. Our training program is the only formal program at the University of Washington (UW) that focuses on training investigators to carry out basic, clinical, and translational research in AD. We propose now to expand our research foci to include AD-related dementias (ADRD); this expansion will include the addition of relevant training topics, participating mentors, and trainee slots. Our program is supported by the rich and interactive research environment of the UW and Veterans Affairs Puget Sound Health Care System, where a critical mass of faculty conduct research across the spectrum of AD and ADRD. We propose to add 4 postdoctoral trainee slots and 1 predoctoral trainee slot for a total of 7 postdoctoral trainee slots and 4 predoctoral trainee slots.
We aim to recruit ~40% clinical postdoctoral trainees (i.e., MD, MD/PhD, or PhD in clinical psychology) and ~60% research postdoctoral trainees (i.e., PhD). Incoming MD candidates are expected to have completed a residency, usually in psychiatry, neurology, neuropathology, radiology, internal medicine, or geriatric medicine. Incoming PhD candidates are expected to come from a broad range of disciplines, including clinical psychology, neuropsychology, biochemistry, genetics, neurobiology, and pharmacology. Basic science trainees typically join the program during their first year of postgraduate training and then remain for three years. MD and clinician PhD fellows are expected to remain for a two-year period and will be strongly encouraged to remain for a third year. Special recruitment efforts have been made to enlist under-represented minority (URM) mentors to increase diversity of the ADTP and assist in the recruitment of underserved minority trainees.
Alzheimer's disease and related dementias affect a growing number of people as the population ages. With this increase in the number of Alzheimer's patients, there is a corresponding growing number of family members and other caregivers affected by this devastating disease with dramatic social and economic costs. The goal of our research training program is to prepare a new generation of investigators who translate scientific discoveries into effective tools for diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of Alzheimer's disease and related dementias.
