Michigan Alzheimer’s Disease Center announces developmental project research funds

The Michigan Alzheimer’s Disease Center (MADC) in the U-M Department of Neurology has announced the availability of developmental project research funds ($50,000 in direct costs over 2 years) to investigators at U-M, Michigan State University and Wayne State University to test new ideas about the causes and treatment of dementing disorders. 

The MADC invites members of the scientific community from these partner institutions to submit applications for developmental project funding.

The application deadline is Dec. 3 at 5 p.m.

The MADC is committed to funding at least three developmental projects. The MADC, the U-M Claude D. Pepper Older Americans Independence Center and possibly other U-M Aging Centers will consider joint funding for a promising application addressing research issues shared by the centers.

As we seek to understand and cure Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias (ADRD), the MADC considers among its highest priorities to support innovative, high impact research. The MADC Developmental Project Program is partially supported by the NIH/NIA-funded Michigan Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center (MADRC) grant (P30 AG072931), which links U-M, Michigan State University and Wayne State University in a regional dementia initiative. The MADRC’s central theme focuses on identifying, understanding, and modulating the numerous non-?-amyloid factors that contribute to brain dysfunction and neurodegeneration.

The proposed research must be relevant to ADRD and/or non-?-amyloid related dementias. 

Developmental projects should emphasize one or more of the following:

• Center’s thematic focus on non-?-amyloid factors contributing to neuronal dysfunction and degeneration in dementia
• Leveraging of resources available through the MADRC and its Cores, and/or co-enrollment of participants in the MADRC’s longitudinal cohort
• Utilization of databases available through the MADRC: the Michigan Brain Bank via the Neuropathology Core, longitudinal cohort data via the Clinical, Data Cores and the National Alzheimer’s Coordinating Center (NACC), the Alzheimer’s Diseases Neuroimaging Initiative (ADNI), National Centralized Repository for Alzheimer’s Disease (NCRAD), or Laboratory of Neuro Imaging (LONI)
• Mechanisms of neurodegenerative dementias
• Novel methods of detecting or treating cognitive changes in age-related diseases
• Emphasis on studying cognition and challenges to diagnosing and treating age-related dementia in underrepresented minorities
• Frailty and cognitive changes due to aging in older adults
• Health disparities in underrepresented populations and ADRD
• Impact of COVID-19 on older adults with ADRD
• Caregiver burden and stress in ADRD  

Applications should be submitted through the U-M Medical School Office of Research Competition Space portal: https://umms.infoready4.com/#manageCompetitionsDetail/1852500applying. 

Applicants will be notified by March 2022 if their project was selected for funding. 

For questions, please contact Arijit Bhaumik: arijit@med.umich.edu and Yvonne Sturt: ysturt@med.umich.edu