URBANE2: Following AI/AN elders to understand Alzheimer’s and related dementias over time
Official title: URBAn Native Elders (URBANE2): Risk and Protective Factors for Alzheimer’s Disease and Related Dementias – Longitudinal Follow-up
Funded at Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center · NIH-11435010 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A long-term study in AI/AN adults 55+ in five cities will track brain health and cognitive changes to identify risk and protective factors for dementia.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Seattle, United States) |
| Project start | September 15, 2026 |
| Project end | June 30, 2031 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $5,178,384 |
| NIH project number | 1R01AG103407-01 |
| Project ID | NIH-11435010 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
AI/AN adults aged 55+ living in Seattle, WA; Anchorage, AK; San Bernardino, CA; Phoenix, AZ; and Oklahoma City, OK who are part of the URBANE cohort or eligible for re-enrollment.
✕Less likely to help
People outside the specified AI/AN urban populations or under the age threshold may not directly benefit.
What this research studies
This project builds on a previous urban AI/AN dementia study by re-engaging 1,001 participants and expanding to 1,350 individuals aged 55 and older. Researchers will follow participants over several years with biomarker-informed clinical profiling, repeated cognitive tests, and MRI measures to map how dementia develops in this population. The study aims to describe how brain injury, white matter changes, and functional brain connectivity relate to cognitive trajectories and ADRD risk. By focusing on urban AI/AN communities, the project seeks lessons that could improve early identification and prevention in real-world settings.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, findings could improve early detection and personalized care planning for AI/AN elders at risk for ADRD.
How similar studies have gone: Prior URBANE findings demonstrated feasibility of imaging and cognitive testing in AI/AN elders and informed risk profiles; URBANE2 aims to extend and refine these insights.
Where this research is happening
-
Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center
Seattle, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Nelson, Lonnie a. — Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center
- Study coordinator: Nelson, Lonnie a.
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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.