Washington D.C., Sept. 19, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Today, Global Alzheimer’s Platform Foundation® (GAP) and the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV), announced a memorandum of understanding (MOU) regarding a collaboration to accelerate research for neurodegenerative diseases. This includes establishing a state-of-the-art imaging and emerging technology program dedicated to the development and implementation of new and innovative biomarker and diagnostic solutions for central nervous system (CNS) research.
This public-private partnership was created out of the partners’ shared commitment to design and conduct fast and effective CNS clinical trials that include participants from throughout Southern Nevada’s richly diverse communities. With no cures and very few therapies for Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, and other CNS diseases, the need for increased clinical trials that are inclusive of patients from all walks of life is paramount.
The UNLV/GAP alliance intends to offer both brain health programs and scientific research opportunities, bolstering opportunities for Southern Nevadans clinically at risk for neurodegenerative diseases to have more access to high-quality clinical trials, research, and related programming.
“We are honored to work with UNLV, which is well known for its willingness to be a disruptive problem solver. It is our intention to work with UNLV to advance top-tier clinical research in Las Vegas, aiming to enhance brain health programs and prioritize access to cutting edge biomarker and therapeutic research for the region,” said John Dwyer, President of the Global Alzheimer’s Platform Foundation. “UNLV’s team of nationally renowned neurological researchers, combined with a growing medical school, are a perfect complement to our strategy for creating a state-of-the-art research center capable of developing novel solutions for the nearly intractable challenges CNS research presents.”
Elements of the collaboration are expected to include resources from UNLV’s Pam Quirk Brain Health Biomarker Laboratory to support clinical practice and clinical trials, and expanded access to GAP’s large biomarker data sets that make up the Bio-Hermes trials. The alliance also expects to integrate its portfolio of brain health and clinical research into the curriculum of the Kirk Kerkorian School of Medicine at UNLV.
These programs will catalyze the creation of jobs and support technology companies for the clinical research industry. An annual conference on the science and industrial use of biomarker technologies for the pharmaceutical and medical device industries is also expected to arise out of the collaboration.
“With nearly 7 million Americans living with Alzheimer’s today, new treatments can’t come soon enough,” said UNLV President Keith E. Whitfield, Ph.D. “This important collaboration with the Global Alzheimer’s Platform Foundation will give more Southern Nevadans access to clinical trials, enable researchers to boost the quantity and quality of trials, and offer students unique real-world experiences. It also further cements Southern Nevada’s growing reputation as a global hub for brain health research and innovation.”
About the Global Alzheimer’s Platform Foundation (GAP):
The nonprofit Global Alzheimer’s Platform Foundation was founded to speed the delivery of Alzheimer’s treatments with a commitment to promoting diversity in clinical research, as well as lowering the cost and duration of clinical trials to ensure that no one is left behind. As part of its mission, GAP supports more than 100 clinical research sites worldwide through study start-up and recruitment activities, promoting diversity in research studies, and giving attention to the citizen scientists who make research possible.
About UNLV
UNLV is a doctoral degree-granting institution of more than 31,000 students and 4,000 faculty and staff that has earned the nation’s highest recognition for both research and community engagement from the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching. UNLV offers a broad range of respected academic programs and is committed to recruiting and retaining top students and faculty, educating the region’s diverse population and workforce, driving economic activity, and delivering high-quality healthcare to Southern Nevadans. Learn more at unlv.edu.
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