UCI School of Biological Sciences to host lecture on Alzheimer’s
Five experts will discuss past, present and future of the disease
Irvine, Calif., Nov. 10, 2022 –
On Tuesday, Nov. 15, five Alzheimer’s disease experts will convene at the Arnold & Mabel Beckman Center of the National Academies of Sciences & Engineering in Irvine to talk about research, recent advancements, community challenges and next steps. The event, which is open to the public and will take place from 4 to 5:30 p.m., will begin with an overview of the state of Alzheimer’s disease research by world-renowned Alzheimer’s researcher Frank LaFerla, Ph.D., dean of the School of Biological Sciences at the University of California, Irvine. There will also be a panel discussion, an audience Q&A and a special presentation featuring real brain tissue.
“Alzheimer’s disease is major health crisis now and for the future. In fact, the issue goes beyond finding treatments and cures; there is a very real societal and financial impact from managing the disease and caring for those affected. It is going to require the expertise of everyone from long-term care providers to researchers to meaningfully confront this disease,” LaFerla said. “We are at an inflection point in Alzheimer’s disease research and care where we have the opportunity to double our efforts and truly make a difference for patients and their families.”
He will be joined on the panel by Joshua Grill, Ph.D., director of the UCI Institute for Memory Impairments and Neurological Disorders and professor of neurobiology and behavior and psychiatry & human behavior; Elizabeth Head, Ph.D., vice chair for research and professor in the Department of Pathology & Laboratory Medicine; David Sultzer, M.D., clinical research director at UCI MIND and professor of psychiatry & human behavior; and Deborah Levy, executive director of the Orange County chapter of the Alzheimer’s Association.
UCI has long been at the forefront of Alzheimer’s disease research. A team of researchers co-directed by LaFerla; Andrea Tenner, Distinguished Professor of molecular biology and biochemistry and professor of pathology & laboratory medicine and neurobiology and behavior; and Kim Green, professor of neurobiology and behavior, was recently awarded $47 million from the National Institute on Aging to study late-onset Alzheimer’s. This recent grant builds upon numerous awards and philanthropic gifts that UCI Alzheimer’s researchers have received for their groundbreaking work.
To learn more about the event and to register, visit https://www.bio.uci.edu/event/deans-distinguished-lecture-looking-to-a-future-without-alzheimers.
About UCI’s Brilliant Future campaign:Publicly launched on Oct. 4, 2019, the Brilliant Future campaign aims to raise awareness and support for UCI. By engaging 75,000 alumni and garnering $2 billion in philanthropic investment, UCI seeks to reach new heights of excellence in student success, health and wellness, research and more. The School of Biological Sciences plays a vital role in the success of the campaign. Learn more by visiting https://brilliantfuture.uci.edu/school-of-biological-sciences/.
About the University of California, Irvine: Founded in 1965, UCI is a member of the prestigious Association of American Universities and is ranked among the nation’s top 10 public universities by U.S. News & World Report. The campus has produced five Nobel laureates and is known for its academic achievement, premier research, innovation and anteater mascot. Led by Chancellor Howard Gillman, UCI has more than 36,000 students and offers 224 degree programs. It’s located in one of the world’s safest and most economically vibrant communities and is Orange County’s second-largest employer, contributing $7 billion annually to the local economy and $8 billion statewide. For more on UCI, visit www.uci.edu.
Media access: Radio programs/stations may, for a fee, use an on-campus ISDN line to interview UCI faculty and experts, subject to availability and university approval. For more UCI news, visit news.uci.edu. Additional resources for journalists may be found at communications.uci.edu/for-journalists.
