Improving statistics to better understand Alzheimer's disease
Statistical Methods for Alzheimer's Research
This project builds new statistical tools to help researchers track Alzheimer’s risk, timing, and repeated health events in older adults, including people from underrepresented groups.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of California-Irvine NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Irvine, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11297533 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
From a patient's point of view, the team is creating better mathematical methods to make sense of data from long-term aging studies so we can know when Alzheimer’s might start and how often related health events happen. They are handling common problems like missing or partly known information, repeated hospital visits or symptoms, and the fact that death can stop follow-up. The researchers will also make user-friendly software so other scientists can use the methods. The work focuses on U.S. aging groups and pays special attention to people who are often underrepresented in research.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal candidates for related data collection are older adults at risk for Alzheimer's or living with early signs of cognitive decline, particularly those enrolled in long-term aging cohort studies and including people from underrepresented backgrounds.
Not a fit: People without ties to aging or Alzheimer's cohort studies, or those with conditions unrelated to Alzheimer's disease, are unlikely to see direct benefits from this work.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, these methods could lead to more accurate prediction of Alzheimer's onset and better-designed studies and care plans for older adults, especially those from underrepresented communities.
How similar studies have performed: Existing statistical approaches for single-time survival events have been used successfully, but extending these methods to recurrent events and partially observed risk sets is newer and less tested.
Where this research is happening
Irvine, United States
- University of California-Irvine — Irvine, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Nan, Bin — University of California-Irvine
- Study coordinator: Nan, Bin
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.