Brown University has strong research programs in Alzheimer’s disease risk genes, neurodegeneration, biology of aging and neuron-glial cell interactions. Approximately 30 laboratories at Brown are investigating Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias. Below is information about academic and clinical units at Brown that have Alzheimer’s disease research groups.
Center for Alzheimer's Disease Research
Academic & Clinical Partners
Approximately 30 laboratories at Brown are investigating Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias.
Academic & Clinical Partners
Approximately 30 laboratories at Brown are investigating Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias.
Robert J. and Nancy D. Carney Institute for Brain Science
The Robert J. and Nancy D. Carney Institute for Brain Science is accelerating the pace of scientific discovery about the brain and helping to find treatments and therapies for some of the world’s most devastating diseases. With more than 180 affiliated faculty members, the institute is pursuing research that has real-life, human applications. Carney is home to seven research centers, including the Center for Translational Neuroscience, which integrates the expertise of the Carney Institute and the Brown Institute for Translational Science, and the Center for the Neurobiology of Cells and Circuits. The Center for Translational Neuroscience advances knowledge of the pathogenesis of brain disease and translates this knowledge to improved clinical outcomes for families affected by brain disease. The Center for the Neurobiology of Cells and Circuits advances the understanding of the function of neural circuits, building on a foundation of genetic, molecular and cellular approaches. Researchers produce vital knowledge to advance understanding and treatment of neurodegeneration, including Alzheimer’s disease, and other brain disorders and diseases.
Division of Biology and Medicine
The Division of Biology and Medicine (BioMed) is composed of The Warren Alpert Medical School and the Program in Biology. It is home to five basic biology departments, 14 clinical departments and two hybrid departments. The academic mission of BioMed encompasses undergraduate, graduate and medical education. Multidisciplinary research centers and institutes in the Division include the Center on the Biology of Aging, the Center for Translational Neuroscience and the Brown Institute for Translational Science. The unique structure of the Division provides opportunities for seamless collaboration among basic science researchers, clinicians and physician-scientists.
School of Public Health
The School of Public Health includes numerous faculty members conducting research related to Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias. Researchers in the School apply novel experimental and quasi-experimental methods to design and evaluate interventions and policies that aim to improve the quality of care for individuals with Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias and their caregivers. Research spans the continuum of care, from the community to long-term care facilities. Key projects include the National Institute on Aging Imbedded Pragmatic Alzheimer's Disease and Alzheimer's Disease-Related Dementias Clinical Trials IMPACT Collaboratory, which will support trials to test non-drug, care-based interventions for people living with dementia, develop best practices for implementing and evaluating interventions for Alzheimer’s and dementia care, and share them with the research community at large. Research centers in the School include the Center for Gerontology and Healthcare Research, which focuses on epidemiological research related to aging and health services research, and the Center for Long-Term Care Quality & Innovation, which conducts research to improve care for older adults.
The Warren Alpert Medical School
By attracting first-class physicians and researchers to Rhode Island over the past four decades, The Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University has radically improved the state's health care environment, from health care policy to patient care. The Warren Alpert Medical School is a component of Brown’s Division of Biology and Medicine. Together with Brown's seven affiliated teaching hospitals, the collective research enterprise in the life and health sciences attracts $195 million in sponsored research funding per year. More than 2,000 faculty members provide clinical excellence in psychiatry, neurology and neurosurgery, and are involved in the teaching of medical students and residents.
Butler Hospital Memory & Aging Program
The Butler Hospital Memory & Aging Program (MAP) is a worldwide leader in Alzheimer’s disease research. An affiliate of The Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University, MAP has a 25+ year history of excellence in clinical care, training and cutting-edge research aimed at developing new and better ways to detect, treat and someday even prevent Alzheimer’s. The program works hand in hand with health care providers, community groups, other research organizations and people with normal memory or some degree of memory loss who are willing to participate in the research needed to bring an end to Alzheimer’s disease.
Rhode Island Hospital Alzheimer’s Disease and Memory Disorders Center
The Alzheimer’s Disease and Memory Disorders Center at Rhode Island Hospital offers a full range of diagnostic and treatment services, including brain imaging, genetic testing and neuropsychological evaluation. The center is nationally known for its clinical services and research, including the clinical trials program that offers the latest in leading-edge new therapies aimed to treat, delay and ultimately prevent the symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease. Center researchers participate in the national Alzheimer’s Disease Neuroimaging Initiative, spearhead a patient registry for prevention studies, and they participate in the AHEAD study, a trial testing early intervention for patients at risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease.