North Texas ADRC - This new application is to establish the North Texas Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center (NT-ADRC) which will serve North Texas, one of the most-populous catchment areas in the country. This application describes how we plan to build a unique and interconnected multidisciplinary center that will create an environment that enables and supports innovative research, training and eventually enhance the care and lives of those dealing with Alzheimer's Disease (AD) and related dementias (ADRD). It is built on a strong foundation of AD and ADRD research and will synergize and connect multiple AD/ADRD investigators and their programs at University of Texas (UT) Southwestern Medical Center, UT Dallas, and UT Arlington. The NT-ADRC will benefit from the strong institutional support to advance AD and ADRD research, our long history of studying cardiometabolic factors, particularly hypertension, in AD/ADRD, our recent expansion of the cutting-edge neuroimaging, informatics, machine learning, and artificial intelligence (ML/AI) capabilities in neurosciences, and the recruitment of multiple key leaders in the Neurocognitive space. The NT-ADRC thematic focus is on examining the roles and mechanisms of hypertension and other cardiometabolic factors in the early phases of AD/ADRD, developing innovative biomarkers for early detection, and identifying related therapeutic targets. We have an exceptional engagement in our diverse communities that is amplified by the participation of Parkland Health and its community ties. We also create novel ways to enhance inclusiveness in ADRD research particularly Lumbar Punctures acceptance and Brain Donation enrollment. These amplify the Center’s abilities to create a highly diverse UDS cohort representative of our diverse population as evidenced by our affiliated studies (Dallas Heart Study and the NIA-funded Post-COVID Neuro-Cognitive Manifestations in Older African Americans). The NT-ADRC Center addresses multiple elements in the National Alzheimer's Project Act (NAPA) and its Implementation Milestones by enabling ongoing and new research in the preclinical and prodromal stages centered around the discovery of novel disease mechanisms underlying the role of hypertension and other cardiometabolic factors in increasing the risk of AD/ADRD; implementing novel ML/AI approaches to biomarker developments; and paving the way for novel therapeutic developments. The NT- ADRC will enhance scientific and clinical collaborations by sharing of biosamples and data with local and national investigators, dissemination of research findings to professional and lay audiences and create education opportunities for researchers, clinicians, learners, and the general North Texas community focused on enhancing caregivers’ education and support. Our commitment to diversity, innovation and rigor to ADRD research will build a new local environment of cutting-edge research and training. It will also position us to make important contributions to the ADRC network and to advance the national agenda towards meeting the NAPA goals.
