Alzheimer's Genome Biomarker Data Made Available

An ongoing, US$60 million, six-year U.S. study is the most comprehensive effort to date to identify brain and other biologic changes associated with memory decline, and it will provide the most extensive and comprehensive dataset of its kind in the Alzheimer's disease field.

The Foundation for the [U.S.] National Institutes of Health (Bethesda, MD, USA), the convener of a US$60 million public-private partnership that was begun by the National Institute on Aging (NIA), and supported by the National Institutes of Health (NIH; Bethesda, MD, USA) and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), along with more than 20 private-sector companies and organizations, reported that the genome biomarker data for the Alzheimer's Disease Neuroimaging Initiative (ADNI) is ready to be shared with scientists world-wide for further analysis.

The identification of new biomarkers is an increasingly essential element of predictive, preventive, and personalized medicine. Within this context, the focus of the ADNI study is to validate new biomarkers related to Alzheimer's via developing a global database of factors, and thereby to accelerate the delivery of successful new technologies, medicines, and therapies for prevention, early detection, diagnosis, and treatment of this disease.

"The foundation is pleased to have facilitated this collaborative effort between the public and private sectors that holds promise to unlock the complex relationship between genetic differences and Alzheimer's disease," noted Dr. Charles A. Sanders, foundation chairman.

Investigators may apply for access to this data through the ADNI database website at: www.loni.ucla.edu/ADNI. The ADNI Project is the largest multi-modality longitudinal brain imaging study conducted for any disease. ADNI research is administered at 56 local study sites across the United States and Canada, with people ranging in age from 55 to 90. Early data has led to several international studies that are adopting parallel methods, thereby making this a global effort.

The Foundation for the National Institutes of Health was established by the United States Congress to support the mission of the National Institutes of Health--improving health through scientific discovery. The Foundation identifies and develops opportunities for innovative public-private partnerships involving industry, academia, and the philanthropic community.

The National Institute for Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering (Bethesda, MD, USA) is the newest of the research institutes at the NIH, established in 2000. Its mission is to improve health by promoting fundamental discoveries, design, and development, and translation and assessment of technologic capabilities. The Institute coordinates with biomedical imaging and bioengineering programs of other agencies and within NIH.

Related Links:
National Institutes of Health
ADNI database