Administrative Core

Under the leadership of Director and Principal Investigator, John C. Morris, MD, the Administration Core manages the financial, personnel, and research-related resources of the Center. The Core coordinates grant-related activities, including annual reporting to the National Institute on Aging and other funding sources. All requests to utilize ADRC resources (clinical data, tissue samples, etc.) for research are processed initially through the Core. The Core also coordinates meetings of the ADRC Executive Committee and External Advisory Board

John C. Morris, MD
Director & Principal Investigator
Core Leader

Virginia D. Buckles, PhD
Executive Director

The Clinical Core supports the ADRC by recruiting and enrolling demented and non-demented subjects for comprehensive clinical and cognitive (psychometric) assessments at entry and annually thereafter, obtaining biological specimens and neuroimaging studies, and soliciting autopsy permission. The Core is not clinic-based and there is no billing of the subject or third party payers.  All assessments are done for research purposes only; rather than patients, we study subjects in our clinical research office, the Memory and Aging Project (MAP).  A particular strength of this Core is its emphasis and expertise in distinguishing the earliest symptomatic stages of dementia of the Alzheimer type (DAT) and related conditions (e.g., mild cognitive impairment, or MCI) from nondemented aging. Core data (including diagnosis, dementia staging, and clinical course) are entered by Core personnel into the ADRC database that is maintained by the Data Management & Statistics Core.  On a daily basis, the Clinical Core interacts directly or indirectly with virtually every facet of the ADRC.

Clinical Core Brochure (pdf)

John C. Morris, MD
Director & Principal Investigator
Core Leader

James Galvin, MD
Associate Core Leader

Martha Storandt, PhD
Associate Core Leader

Mary Coats, MSN
Assistant Director,
Memory & Aging Project

Data Management & Statistical Core

The Data Management & Statistical Core (DMSC) collects, stores, manages, and analyzes data generated by other ADRC components, especially the Clinical Core. The DMSC works closely with the Administration Core to facilitate access to ADRC-related data by investigators from Washington University and elsewhere. Educating investigators about our data and analytic methods is a particularly important function of the DMSC. The DMSC tracks research recruitment and retention statistics for the Center, providing monthly reports to the Director on progress and areas where more effort is needed.

Chengjie Xiong
Core Leader

The Education Core (EC) coordinates educational offerings for all ADRC stakeholders, from our own research participants and their family members, to medical students first learning about Alzheimer’s disease, to residents and fellows rotating through the Center, to faculty and staff of the University, to professionals in our community and beyond, and others (including an increasing number of trainees from outside of the United States). The EC also plays a critical bridging role linking the Center to the wider community and other organizations, such as the Alzheimer’s Association, that serve the needs of persons with dementia and their families. Much of the success of EC-related activities is derived from the active involvement of personnel from other Cores and components of the Center. For example, the EC works closely with the Clinical Core to recruit and retain participants for our various research studies.

* Thomas Meuser, Ph.D., former Education Core Leader 1999-2007.

James Galvin, MD
Core Leader

The Genetics Core (GC) is a repository for DNA, serum and plasma collected from ADRC participants. Blood is drawn on the subject’s first visit and every three years thereafter to enable longitudinal studies. These samples are routinely genotyped for the APOE polymorphisms associated with risk for AD. The GC also identifies and characterizes familial cases of dementia. These families are characterized in collaboration with other ADRC cores. The GC sequences known dementia genes in these families and has identified families with PS1 mutations and MAPT mutations. The GC works closely with the Administration and Data Management & Statistics Cores to provide genetic information and samples for use by approved investigators from Washington University and elsewhere.

View a talk about the Genetics of Alzheimer's Disease (pdf)

Alison M. Goate, D.Phil.
Core Leader

The Neuroimaging Core conducts state-of-the-art imaging studies on ADRC participants, employing structural (MRI), functional (fMRI) and molecular (PET) scanning methods. All ADRC participants undergo a standard set of scans called the Common Anatomical Protocol (CAP). Many also participate in specialized scans for particular studies. An important goal of the Core is to obtain multiple scans to allow comparisons of brain changes in the same individuals over time.

Mark A. Mintun, MD
Core Leader

Denise Head, PhD
Co-Leader

The Neuropathology Core (Neuropath Core) provides neuropathologic diagnoses on all new brain accessions from ADRC subjects using standard diagnostic criteria. The Core’s Tissue Resource (TR) component collect, stores and distributes fixed and frozen brain tissue in concert with the Administrative, Genetics, Biostatistics, and Clinical Cores, to support ADRC projects and investigators and outside collaborations that complement in-house research. The Neuropath Core maintains a neuropathology computerized database in concert with the Clinical and Biostatistics Cores. Information stored  includes demographic data, diagnoses, quantitative morphometric data, bibliographic information, and data relevant to tissue banking activities of the Tissue Resource component of the Core. The Neuropath Core assesses and quantifies lesion markers relevant to AD and related dementias using a combination of techniques and with review by clinical neuropathologists Robert Schmidt, MD, PhD, Arie Perry, MD, and Joseph Corbo, MD, PhD together generate a consensus neuropathologic diagnosis in each case.

Nigel J. Cairns, PhD, MRCPath
Core Leader

African American Satellite to the Clinical Core*

An important focus of the ADRC is the differentiation of mild dementia of the Alzheimer type (DAT) from normal aging.  The activities of the African American Satellite are designed to support this focus by ensuring that the participant pool for the ADRC is appropriately diverse.  In close cooperation with the Clinical Core, the African American Satellite seeks to identify and resolve barriers to research participation by African Americans, particularly those in the mildest stages of DAT. In addition, the Satellite works to provide new information about attitudes, perceptions, and beliefs regarding specific research activities (clinical trials, blood collection for genetic analysis, neuroimaging studies, lumber puncture for collection of cerebrospinal fluid, autopsy) to enhance understanding and promote committed research participation. The Satellite works closely with the Education Core in fulfilling these objectives.

Satellite Brochure (pdf)

* Dorothy Edwards, Ph.D., former Satellite Leader 1992-2007. Currently at University of Wisconsin.

Monique Williams, MD
Satellite Leader
African American Satellite
 

The Psychometric Core provides neuropsychological evaluation of a broad range of memory, thinking, and visuospatial skills. Like the Clinical Core, the Core uniformly assesses all research participants, providing expertise and relieving the individual project leaders from this effort. Performance on the psychometric measures allows cognitive skills to be evaluated and monitored over time.

Martha Storandt, PhD
Core Leader

Rural Education & Outreach Satellite to the Education Core

The Rural Education & Outreach Satellite (REOS) disseminates information about Alzheimer’s disease for the benefit of lay individuals and professionals residing in rural and semi-rural areas of Missouri and neighboring states. The cornerstone of the REOS is a 3-day mini-residency in dementia diagnosis, treatment and care, called the Clinician Partners Program (CPP). Physicians and other professionals practicing in rural areas are invited to participate in an all-expense-paid training experience. Another important component is the Alzheimer List, an e-mail based support group for family caregivers.

* Thomas Meuser, Ph.D., former Satellite Leader 1999-2007.

James Galvin, MD
Satellite Leader