ALZHEIMER’S ASSOCIATION AWARDS PRESTIGIOUS GRANTS TO
THREE NATHAN KLINE INSTITUTE & NYU SCHOOL OF MEDICINE DEMENTIA RESEARCHERS

NEW YORK, NY - July 30, 2007 - Three research scientists at the Nathan S. Kline Institute for Psychiatric Research (NKI) and New York University School of Medicine  have been awarded grants totaling $ 720 thousand over three years from the Alzheimer’s Association, the nation’s leading voluntary health organization in Alzheimer’s care, support and research. The prestigious investigator-initiated awards were made to Drs. Stephen Ginsberg, Efrat Levy, and Paul Mathews, who conduct cutting-edge prevention and treatment research on Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and related dementias at the NKI Center for Dementia Research (CDR) and NYU School of Medicine (NYUSOM).

Stephen D. Ginsberg, PhD, Assistant Professor of Psychiatry and Physiology and Neuroscience, will use a microarray-based molecular screening approach to identify why certain hippocampal neuronal populations are vulnerable in mild cognitive impairment (which precedes Alzheimer's disease in some patients) and in Alzheimer's disease. The study hopes to identify and develop biomarkers to track the progression of dementia that can pave the way for new treatments to delay the onset of cognitive impairment and other symptoms of the disease.

Efrat Levy, PhD, Associate Professor of Psychiatry and Pharmacology, will study a novel approach to reduce Abeta amyloidogenesis by keeping it in a soluble form that prevents its deposition. This approach builds upon Dr. Levy’s expertise in the biochemistry of the cysteine protease inhibitor cystatin C. A small sequence of cystatin C will be made so that it binds Abeta and keeps it from forming aggregates. This approach could lead to new therapies.

Paul Mathews, PhD, Assistant Professor of Psychiatry will investigate the use of immunotherapy to reduce Abeta levels in the brain. Abeta is one of the primary problems in Alzheimer’s disease, and Dr. Mathews has developed an innovative strategy to use a vaccination approach to reduce Abeta. Using mice models, the approach will be tested and mechanisms associated with Abeta deposition and clearance will be investigated.

 “An important criterion for these awards was the likelihood that these studies would have a high impact on the field of Alzheimer’s research in terms of understanding the underlying disease mechanisms or leading the way to treatment,” says Ralph Nixon, PhD, MD, Director of the CDR at NKI, Director of the Pearl Barlow Center for memory Evaluation and treatment, and Professor and Vice-chair at the NYU Department of Psychiatry. 

“We are very fortunate to obtain this support and recognition from the Alzheimer’s Association,” said Harold Koplewicz, MD, Director of NKI, Chair of the NYU Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, and the founder and director of the NYU Child Study Center. “These investigator-initiated awards are highly competitive and rarely do multiple awards go to investigators at the same institutions. We are fortunate to have these and other talented scientists at NKI and NYUSOM who are at the forefront of dementia research.“

“All of the Alzheimer’s Association’s research efforts are aimed at some aspect of improving the quality of life of people with Alzheimer’s disease and their families,” said Maria Carrillo, PhD, director of medical and scientific relations for the Alzheimer’s Association. “In that spirit, we’re very pleased to fund these three NKI scientists and their projects that seek to discover innovative ways to detect, treat and perhaps prevent Alzheimer’s disease.”

More than 5 million Americans now have Alzheimer’s. Although symptoms can vary widely, the first problem many people notice is forgetfulness severe enough to affect their work, lifelong hobbies or social life.

About the NKI Center for Dementia Research

The Center for Dementia Research (CDR) is a consortium of independent laboratories and research programs at the Nathan Kline Institute. Directed by Ralph A. Nixon, PhD, MD, the CDR comprises over 15 principal investigators and 60 staff and is dedicated to studies on the pathogenesis, diagnosis, and treatment of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and other major neurodegenerative diseases. Affiliated with New York University School of Medicine, NKI is one of two major institutes for psychiatric research supported in part by the Office of Mental Health of the State of New York.

A major emphasis of the CDR is "translational" research, which is aimed at understanding the molecular basis of Alzheimer’s disease and other neurodegenerative states (e.g. Parkinson's disease (PD), Huntington disease (HD), Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS), stroke, etc.) in order to develop accurate animal models, which are then used to devise new strategies for early diagnosis (e.g. neuroimaging, biomarker identification) and treatment. The Center’s pre-clinical research activities interface with the NKI Geriatric Research Program (directed by Nunzio Pomara, MD) focusing on the development of more effective pharmacological strategies for the treatment of Alzheimer's disease and the identification of neurobiological predictors of therapeutic response.

About the Alzheimer’s Association

The Alzheimer’s Association’s grants program supports its mission to eliminate Alzheimer’s disease through the advancement of research; to provide and enhance care and support for all affected; and to reduce the risk of dementia through the promotion of brain health. The Association is the largest private, nonprofit funder of Alzheimer’s research.

The Nathan Kline Institute for Psychiatric Research is a facility of the New York State Office of Mental Health. Affiliated with New York University School of Medicine, NKI is known nationally and internationally for its pioneering contributions to psychiatric research. 

On the web at http://www.rfmh.org/nki