Penn Alzheimer's Disease Clinical Program
Clinical Core
This program follows people from normal memory to mild dementia to collect brain scans, blood and spinal fluid and learn how Alzheimer’s shows up differently across individuals.
Quick facts
| Grant type | P30 center grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Pennsylvania NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Philadelphia, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11126823 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
You would join a long-term program that follows people across the full Alzheimer’s spectrum, from cognitively normal older adults to those with mild dementia. Visits include medical and cognitive exams, blood draws, optional lumbar punctures for spinal fluid, and MRI and PET brain scans. The program intentionally recruits a diverse group of participants, including African Americans and people with different dementia types like frontotemporal or Lewy body disease. Data and samples are used over time to understand different disease patterns and to support future clinical trials.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal participants are adults across the Alzheimer’s continuum — cognitively normal older adults, people with mild cognitive impairment or mild dementia, and people with atypical or early-onset presentations, especially those from underrepresented groups.
Not a fit: People with advanced dementia, those unable to undergo MRI/PET or lumbar puncture, or those looking for immediate therapeutic changes may not receive direct benefit from joining.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could improve earlier detection and help tailor diagnosis and treatments for different patient groups.
How similar studies have performed: Similar long-term biomarker and clinical cohorts (like other Alzheimer’s Disease Research Centers and ADNI) have improved understanding of disease progression, and this program builds on that work with a focus on diversity and heterogeneity.
Where this research is happening
Philadelphia, United States
- University of Pennsylvania — Philadelphia, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Wolk, David a — University of Pennsylvania
- Study coordinator: Wolk, David a
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.