The Last Word: UNT Health FW Gets $6.8M for Alzheimer’s Study on Adults With Down Syndrome

“It’s critical that we increase awareness of the high prevalence of Alzheimer’s disease among adults with Down syndrome… ”

Melissa Petersen, Ph.D.
Associate Professor
UNT Health Fort Worth
.…on being UNT Health’s lead scientific investigator for the Alzheimer’s Biomarker Consortium-Down Syndrome (ABC-DS) study.

UNT Health Fort Worth’s Institute for Translational Research is set to become the first site in Texas to join a national study on Alzheimer’s disease in adults with Down syndrome.

The Alzheimer’s Biomarker Consortium-Down Syndrome (ABC-DS) study, a national research initiative supported by the National Institutes of Health, explores how Alzheimer’s disease develops in adults with Down syndrome and aims to identify early biological markers of the disease. UNT Health’s site will begin enrolling participants in June. Read more in our story.

 

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R E A D   N E X T

  • Studies show the lifetime incidence of Alzheimer’s disease among adults with Down syndrome is 90%. Researchers called the national ABC-DS study "especially timely" as more treatment options for Alzheimer’s disease are found and more clinical trials are launched for adults with Down syndrome.

  • Participants at the Pegasus Park event had 48 hours to turn early-stage concepts and functional prototypes into actionable solutions "to improve health outcomes, expand access, improve patient experience, and drive system-wide efficiency," Health Wildcatters said.

  • The Trailblazer Tuition Trust will cover full tuition and mandatory fees for up to four years — or eight consecutive semesters — for eligible graduating Texas high school seniors enrolling at UNT Dallas to pursue their first bachelor’s degree. Funding comes from a combination of federal, state, and institutional grants, and scholarships, helping eligible students complete their degree without the burden of tuition costs.

  • ThinkDTM founder Tij Bedi and his team will help lead the strategic expansion, scaling, and transformation of the IKS Health patient access suite of solutions, including patient scheduling, registration, demographic capture, insurance eligibility verification, and prior authorizations, IKS Health said.

  • The funding consists of two $1 million grants to the Child Poverty Action Lab and to the Parkland Health Foundation. Each organization will receive $250,000 annually over the next four years to provide solutions and clinical care in underserved communities.

  • With 30 years of hospital pharmacy leadership experience, Rick Couldry’s deep expertise will help ensure Omnicell’s solutions reflect real-world clinical and operational needs with the goal of improving outcomes in complex care environments, the Fort Worth-based company said.