The breadth and depth of research on Alzheimer's Disease and Related Dementias (ADRD)
does not currently match the urgency or significance of the issue worldwide. While funding
represents one limiting factor, a second is the need for more interdisciplinary interest, expertise,
and collaboration, particularly for early stage investigators. The Alzheimer's Association (AA)
has a 30 plus year history of increasing awareness, supporting research, and providing
dementia education and training to a variety of constituents. Our headquarters in Chicago offer
state-of-the-art conference space and communication technologies. In line with the AA's 10-year
vision to accelerate scientific progress toward the national goal of preventing and effectively
treating Alzheimer's by 2025, we therefore propose to develop and offer an annual Alzheimer's
Association Summer Interdisciplinary Research Institute (AA-ISRI) on ADRD for emerging
independent researchers (MD, PhD, or other doctoral level degree). In response to expert and
public calls for greater research emphasis on the psychosocial and public health aspects of
dementia, the course will include group didactics and a dual track portion, in which attendees
will learn more intensively about their chosen track: psychosocial (encompassing psychological
and sociological aspect of ADRD research), and public health (encompassing health services
research and health care policy in relation to ADRD). To accomplish this, we will develop the
training, mentoring, recruitment, evaluation, modification, dissemination, and sustainability plans
and materials for the course (Aim 1); implement the AA-ISRI annually for five years (Aim 2);
regularly evaluate the curriculum, faculty, and ongoing mentoring via surveys and emailed
questionnaires and make modifications where needed (Aim 3); and facilitate dissemination and
sustainability (both the sustainability of the mentoring/networks created via course attendance
and the sustainability of the course itself past the 5-year grant mechanism) (Aim 4). A mix of
didactic, small group discussion, and one on one mentoring will be offered, with an emphasis on
networking and career building opportunities. Our short term goals are to provide attendees the
tools and resources needed to enter, expand upon, and succeed in the field of dementia
research. Our long-term goal is to encourage more early stage investigators from a broad range
of backgrounds to include dementia-related research in their research career plans, thereby
increasing the overall number and interdisciplinary breadth of the research workforce in
dementia science, facilitating a faster pace of discovery.
