UCSF Clinical Core for Dementia and Memory Disorders
Core B - Clinical Core
This program collects detailed medical and cognitive information and follows people with early‑onset or atypical Alzheimer's and related dementias to help improve diagnosis and care for diverse communities.
Quick facts
| Grant type | P30 center grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of California, San Francisco NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (San Francisco, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11378121 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
You would receive detailed cognitive testing, medical evaluations, imaging, and biosample collection and be followed over time so clinicians can track how symptoms change. The Core focuses on early‑onset and atypical Alzheimer's, frontotemporal dementia, prion disease, and traumatic encephalopathy and includes substantial Chinese and Latino participation to reflect San Francisco demographics. Collected data and samples are shared with researchers at UCSF and beyond to define molecular subtypes and predictors of disease trajectory. The Core also works to validate practical cognitive assessments and care models that can be used in everyday clinical practice.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal candidates are people with early‑onset, atypical, or frontotemporal forms of dementia (including suspected Alzheimer’s, prion disease, or traumatic encephalopathy) and their caregivers who can return for follow‑up visits.
Not a fit: People without cognitive concerns or those who cannot travel to UCSF for clinical visits are unlikely to receive direct benefits from participation.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this could lead to earlier, more accurate diagnoses and care tailored to specific dementia subtypes and to better tools for diverse patient groups.
How similar studies have performed: Other Alzheimer Disease Research Centers have successfully used deep phenotyping and longitudinal follow‑up to improve understanding of disease subtypes and diagnostic tools, so this approach is well established.
Where this research is happening
San Francisco, United States
- University of California, San Francisco — San Francisco, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Possin, Katherine Laurel — University of California, San Francisco
- Study coordinator: Possin, Katherine Laurel
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.