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Work
Plan:
This
core is planning and facilitating the
formation of collaborative scientific teams
to leverage existing talents and areas of
strength within the Commonwealth. The
participating investigators and
professionals will determine the particular
topics and areas of exploration, e.g., drug
discovery, clinical trials initiative or new
models of care etc.
The
generation of newly validated knowledge in
the medical, scientific, and health services
arenas is essential to achieve the
long-range goals of the Comprehensive
Virtual Center, i.e., extend independent
functioning as much as possible.
The core activated a model of collaboration
during spring 2003 in assisting Dr. David
Geldmacher of the University of Virginia in
the preparation of a research grant proposal
(P50) to the National Institute on Aging/NIH
to create an Alzheimer’s Disease Research
Center.
CO-CHAIRS:
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Patricia Slattum, PharmD, PhD (Virginia
Commonwealth University)
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Carol Manning, MD (University of
Virginia)
Progress Report:
This core is in the process of building a
statewide registry of children of
Alzheimer's patients. With most
ambitious goals, the project will enroll
3000 adult children of Alzheimer's disease
sufferers in a decade-long study aimed at
finding ways to prevent people like them
from developing the memory-robbing illness.
The idea of the project is to take this
group of people, study them at regular
intervals over many years, compare ones that
have certain lifestyle habits or are taking
certain medications/dietary substances to
those who do not, and use scientific methods
to analyze results. This database will
become a tremendous resource for basic
science, clinical and social-behavioral
research in Virginia.
This group will develop a strategy
for funding and will identify alternative
sources of funding.
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RESEARCH CORE
MISSION: Mobilize all of the relevant
scientific and professional expertise within
the Commonwealth to plan and establish a
network of collaborating investigators or
laboratories/clinics to conduct multi-site,
multi-disciplinary researches, development
and demonstration projects. The objective is
to create a unique research and development
infrastructure that would serve as magnet to
attract external funds for R & D through
federal grants and contracts, foundations,
or other sources. 