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This brain protein may put the brakes on Alzheimer’s

By Carousel Slider, Commentary, In the News
Considerable: “Scientists have known for a long time that inflammation is a driver of Alzheimer’s disease, but inflammation is complex and involves many factors,” said UCI MIND faculty member Dr. Frank LaFerla, dean of UCI School of Biological Sciences at the University of California, Irvine, where the research was conducted. “That’s why we decided to look at TOM-1.” … “You can think of TOM-1 as being like the brakes of a car, and the brakes aren’t working for people with Alzheimer's,” LaFerla said. “This research shows that fixing the brakes at the molecular level could provide an entirely new therapeutic…
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UCI scientists get ‘initial hit’ in developing drug to treat COVID-19

By Commentary, COVID-19, In the News
When the coronavirus pandemic hit, almost everyone at UCI – and colleges across the nation – had to abandon campus. But UCI MIND faculty member James Nowick, professor of chemistry, was not a part of that exodus. That’s because his lab, which designs and constructs chemical molecules, had the right equipment to help in the global push to find treatments for COVID-19. A synthetic molecule called a macrocycle created in the laboratory of UCI chemistry professor James Nowick binds onto coronavirus particles and won’t let go. Adam Kreutzer, Rene Gauthier-Butterfield / UCI
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Study: People don’t freak out over Alzheimer’s biomarker data

By Carousel Slider, Commentary, In the News
MedPage Today: Is it safe to share Alzheimer's disease biomarker results with older adults who don't have cognitive impairment? In the short-term at least, the answer appears to be "yes," according to a study of Anti-Amyloid Treatment in Asymptomatic Alzheimer's Disease (A4) clinical trial candidates. Older Adults who learned they had elevated amyloid levels didn't experience more short-term depression, anxiety, or suicidality than those who learned they didn't have elevated amyloid, reported Joshua Grill, PhD, of University of California, Irvine, and colleagues in JAMA Neurology. ... This may be the largest study to date about delivering Alzheimer's biomarker information to cognitively unimpaired…
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FDA: Beware hand sanitizers tainted with methanol

By Commentary, COVID-19, In the News
Hand sanitizer has become an integral part of the COVID-19 health toolbox, especially when soap and water is not available. However, some brands of hand sanitizers pose a new threat to our health. Increased demand during the pandemic has caused shortages of well-known U.S. brands, and now many new companies are selling hand sanitizer products that contain methanol, commonly known as wood alcohol. The U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA) has recalled and imposed import bans on dozens of brands found to contain the toxic chemical. It also is working with major retailers to pull those products off shelves. Methanol…
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UCI MIND awarded $14.4 million NIH grant to continue critical Alzheimer’s disease research, education

By Carousel Slider, Commentary, In the News
UCI MIND, the Institute for Memory Impairments and Neurological Disorders at UCI, has been awarded a $14.4 million grant from the National Institute on Aging, one of the National Institutes of Health, to sustain critical research and education as Orange County’s only Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center. The NIA funds only 32 of these centers at major academic institutions across the U.S. They conduct groundbreaking research to improve the understanding, diagnosis, care and treatment for people with Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias. “The value of the Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center is immeasurable to both the campus and the community,” said Pramod…
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Dr. Joshua Grill Selected to Serve on HFC Scientific Advisory Board

By Commentary, In the News
Composed of thought leaders in the areas of Alzheimer’s disease, research, and brain health prevention, education, and risk reduction, HFC’s Science Advisory Board members come from a variety of prestigious institutions. These experts are at the forefront of groundbreaking research and clinical practice in the field. Inaugural members of the board include Dr. Megan Jones-Bell, Annie Fenn, M.D., Lisa Genova, Ph.D, Joshua Grill, Ph.D, Dr. Lisa Mosconi, Ph.D, Amanda Smith, M.D.,Dr, Wendy Suzuki, Richard S. Isaacson, M.D.   Josh Grill, Associate Professor, Psychiatry & Human Behaviorphoto: steve zylius/UCI
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Free COVID-19 antibody testing

By Commentary, COVID-19, In the News
The UCI Blood Donor Center is now offering free COVID-19 antibody testing for qualified donors who donate blood or platelets. This is exclusively available at the donor center in Orange, not at mobile drives. Testing is open to all, not just UCI employees. Antibody testing does not diagnose a current case of COVID. It may help determine whether a person was previously infected, but not in all cases. Please read this Q & A to better understand the COVID antibody test. The blood donor center is located in Pavilion 3 next to Occupational Health. Hours are Mon., Tues., Thurs., Fri.…
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Call to action: Promoting Alzheimer’s Awareness to Prevent Elder Abuse Act

By Commentary, In the News
The Alzheimer’s Impact Movement and Alzheimer’s Association need your advocacy support: The Promoting Alzheimer’s Awareness to Prevent Elder Abuse Act (H.R. 6813/S.3703) is critical legislation which would require the Department of Justice to develop training materials to assist professionals who support victims of abuse living with Alzheimer’s and other dementia in order to improve the quality of their interactions with this vulnerable population and help protect them from elder abuse. Support for this legislation has been growing, but to keep up the momentum, it is critical that your Senators hear from you today. Please ask your Senators to co-sponsor and pass…
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Commentary on Flu and Pneumonia Vaccination and Reduced Risk of Alzheimer’s Dementia

By Commentary, In the News
Contributed by Hayk Davtyan, PhD Vaccines have become one of the most discussed topics during the COVID-19 pandemic. From development to distribution, the whole world has their eyes on a new vaccine. However, promising new data has now brought common vaccines even to the forefront of discussion in the study of Alzheimer’s disease (AD). At the 2020 Alzheimer’s Association International Conference this week (#AAIC20), newly presented data shows how flu and pneumonia vaccines may lower the risk for Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Hayk Davtyan, PhD Previous studies have shown the possible connection between vaccination and reducing cognitive decline. Yet, there has…
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Dr. Ahmad Sajjadi Joins ACTC Early Career Project Evaluation Committee

By Commentary, In the News
Dr. Ahmad Sajjadi UCI MIND faculty member, Ahmad Sajjadi, MD, PhD, was recently named a member of the Alzheimer’s Clinical Trials Consortium (ACTC) Early Career Project Evaluation Committee (PEC). The ACTC is a clinical trials network designed to accelerate and expand studies for therapies in Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias. UCI MIND has been a member of the ACTC network since its inception in 2018. The PEC of the ACTC is an important early first step in determining what trials the network will take on and in this initiative will provide mentorship for early career members. Dr. Sajjadi is an Assistant…
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Will your brain stay sharp into your 90s? Certain factors are key

By Carousel Slider, Commentary, In the News
HealthDay - July 22, 2020 Maria Corrada, a professor of epidemiology at the Institute for Memory Impairments and Neurological Disorders at the University of California, Irvine (UCI MIND), said, "Some of the characteristics found to be related to resistance and resilience to Alzheimer's pathology can be changed or modified -- pulse pressure, smoking, paid work and life satisfaction." … "We believe that there are things we can do with our lifestyle that can help us maintain good cognitive health," she said.
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UCI MIND leading new training for scientists on Alzheimer’s clinical trials

By Commentary, Community Events, In the News
The University of California, Irvine Institute for Memory Impairments and Neurological Disorders (UCI MIND) is leading a new annual multi-day course on clinical trials in Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias. Josh GrillPhoto: Steve Zylius/UCI The course will be directed by Joshua Grill, PhD, Director of UCI MIND and Rema Raman, PhD, a professor of neurology at the Keck School and the Director of Biostatistics at USC Alzheimer’s Therapeutic Research Institute (ATRI). Other course faculty members include UCI MIND researchers Daniel Gillen, PhD and David Sultzer, MD. The launch of the training program, called IMPACT-AD, is designed to educate and promote…
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New discovery reveals brain network mechanism that causes spatial memory impairment in Alzheimer’s disease

By Carousel Slider, Commentary, In the News
Contributed by UCI MIND faculty member Kei Igarashi, PhD. In a paper recently published in Neuron, our lab found for the first time that “remapping” of hippocampus place cells, a brain circuit function to distinguish distinct environments, is disrupted in an Alzheimer’s disease mouse model. Our work suggests that remapping impairment is a circuit mechanism causing spatial memory impairment in Alzheimer’s disease. We hope that, by developing methods to reactivate remapping, we can develop new treatments for spacial memory impairment in Alzheimer’s disease patients in a near future.
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UCI receives record $529 million in research funding for fiscal 2019-20

By Commentary, In the News
20 percent more than last year, the total reflects strong support for campus mission Irvine, Calif., July 20, 2020 — From cutting-edge research and clinical trials focused on cancer care to creating a new center devoted to protecting personal data privacy, University of California, Irvine scholars, scientists and physicians are blazing new paths to help change the world. And their impact keeps growing. In fiscal 2019-20, which ended June 30, UCI researchers received the most funding in campus history: $529 million in grants and contracts. Awards from federal and state agencies, leading foundations and forward-thinking companies increased by 20 percent…
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UCI MIND awarded $14.4 million Alzheimer’s research grant

By Carousel Slider, Commentary, In the News
National Institutes of Health grant helps local researchers continue work on cause and treatment of dementia. The National Institutes of Health has awarded $14.4 million to the UCI MIND institute at UC Irvine to continue its crucial work in the study of Alzheimer’s disease, for which there remains no cure or prevention. UCI MIND, formally known as the Institute for Memory Impairments and Neurological Disorders, is one of only 32 Alzheimer’s Disease Research Centers around the country funded by the National Institute on Aging, an arm of the NIH. UC Irvine is one of the original half-dozen research centers established…
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Biogen and Eisai submit aducanumab for FDA approval

By Commentary, In the News
Contributed by Joshua Grill, PhD, Director of UCI MIND This morning (July 8, 2020), Biogen and Eisai announced that the two companies had together completed submission to the FDA for regulatory and marketing approval of aducanumab, the monoclonal antibody against the beta amyloid protein that accumulates in the brain of people with Alzheimer’s disease. We’ve previously written about the unique set of circumstances under which Biogen is submitting their application. Two large Phase 3 clinical trials were halted for futility in 2019, only for later assessments of the study data to lead to the sponsors to conclude that the drug…
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Alzheimer’s biomarkers in Down syndrome parallel late-onset disease

By Carousel Slider, Commentary, In the News
Dr. Elizabeth Head (left) studies Down syndrome and Alzheimer's disease at UCI.   In an accompanying editorial, Elizabeth Head, PhD, of University of California Irvine, and Beau Ances, MD, PhD, of Washington University St Louis, wrote, "Fortea and colleagues noted similarities between biomarkers reflecting Alzheimer disease pathogenesis in individuals with Down syndrome and individuals with late onset and autosomal dominant Alzheimer disease. These results provide strong evidence that studies of people with Down syndrome can inform research on late-onset and autosomal dominant Alzheimer disease." Read more here >
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Breaking News from CA Governor Newsom, and UCI In The News about COVID-19

By COVID-19, In the News
Breaking News from CA Governor Newsom:     COVID-19 cases are spreading at alarming rates in some CA counties. Effective immediately, California Department of Public Health is requiring counties that have been on the County Monitoring List for at least 3 days to move certain sectors outdoors or close. In addition, all brewpubs, breweries, bars, and pubs in these counties must close immediately, both indoor and outdoor. Visit covid19.ca.gov for more information.   UCI In The News: State puts Orange County on coronavirus watch list: Orange County Register: Bernadette Boden-Albala, dean of University of California, Irvine’s public health program and…
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Updated OC Health Officer Orders & Recommendations as of Jul 1

By COVID-19, In the News
AMENDED ORDERS AND STRONG RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE COUNTY OF ORANGE HEALTH OFFICER REVISED July 1, 2020 In light of the recent increased COVID-19 hospitalization rate in Orange County, the placement of Orange County on the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) County Monitoring List, and further CDPH guidance, these AMENDED ORDERS AND STRONG RECOMMENDATIONS revise the prior AMENDED ORDERS AND STRONG RECOMMENDATIONS, issued by the Orange County Acting Health Officer on June 19, 2020.  The June 19, 2020 Amended Orders and Strong Recommendations are no longer in effect as of the effective date and time of these AMENDED ORDERS AND…
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Two sisters wanted to lift lonely seniors’ spirits. Here’s what happened next

By COVID-19, In the News
Shreya and Saffron Patel usually FaceTime their grandparents in England every weekend, but during the novel coronavirus pandemic, they have typically reached out each day. Their grandmother on their mom’s side hasn’t left her apartment in nearly four months. She lives alone and can no longer socialize at the gym. Some of her younger friends have stopped by, and she leans out her kitchen window to chat. One friend sends handwritten letters. When the Patel sisters, who live in Boston, spoke to their grandmother, they noticed her mood improve. She texted them about the cards and showed them to her…
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How can we ensure Alzheimer’s is a national priority?

By Commentary, COVID-19, In the News
June is Alzheimer’s & Brain Awareness Month. While COVID-19 and systemic racism continue to profoundly affect our nation, it is important to reflect on the role of Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias in these unprecedented times. COVID-19 disproportionately impacts people with dementia and their caregivers, and both conditions disproportionately impact people of color. Wall Street Journal | Source: CDC According to figures from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recently highlighted in a Wall Street Journal article, approximately 100,000 people died from Alzheimer’s dementia from February through May alone – 18% higher than average. Moreover, the article discusses the pandemic’s abrupt halt to…
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Advocate for Alzheimer’s Research & Care Today!

By Commentary, In the News
Local Supportive Service Families impacted by Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias in California need your help! Advocate to conserve Community-Based Adult Services (CBAS)/Adult Day Health Care (ADHC) programs statewide. You can voice your support by using the elected official contact list and talking points provided by our community partner, Alzheimer’s Orange County. DOWNLOAD ELECTED OFFICIALS LIST DOWNLOAD TALKING POINTS TIMELINE OF CBAS/ADHC CUTS National Research Funding As the current COVID-19 pandemic has shown, continued research is absolutely critical to understanding and responding to diseases, and Alzheimer's is no different. Please take a stand today. Send a message to your members of Congress urging them…
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Want to Live to 100? These Centenarians Are Sharing Their Secrets to Long Life

By Carousel Slider, In the News
Social engagement while drinking may be why long-lifers tend to have one to two drinks per day, says University of California, Irvine’s Claudia Kawas, M.D., whose 90+ Study found this sweet spot. … We asked our four longevity experts how studying the oldest of the old had changed their lives. Here are eight changes they’ve made—that you can make too. … Claudia Kawas, M.D., of UC Irvine. Cut back a little on coffee. “I’m a big coffee drinker, and our study showed that 200 to 400 mg of caffeine  a day is the sweet spot.” Tries to take the stairs and park…
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Reflecting on Juneteenth in 2020

By Commentary, Community Events, In the News
Today is Juneteenth, the commemoration of the end of slavery in the United States. On this day in 1865, two and a half years after President Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation, Union soldiers landed in Galveston, Texas. They brought news that the war had ended and the enslaved were now free. American and Juneteenth flags | Wikimedia Commons Today, the fight for Black equality continues. Systemic racism continues to affect healthcare, nutritional access, education, and socioeconomic status in Black communities, all of which increase risk for Alzheimer’s disease. This Juneteenth occurs amid the historic Black Lives Matter movement. It reminds…
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California orders statewide use of face coverings

By Commentary, COVID-19, In the News
Your cloth face covering may protect them. Their cloth face covering may protect you. (CDC) Face coverings must now be worn statewide in indoor public spaces, workplaces, outdoor lines, public transportation and other high-risk settings under guidance issued today by Gov. Newsom and the California Department of Public Health. “We are seeing too many people with faces uncovered – putting at risk the real progress we have made in fighting the disease,” Newsom said. “California’s strategy to restart the economy and get people back to work will only be successful if people act safely and follow health recommendations.” The new…
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Could I have immunity to the COVID-19 virus?

By Carousel Slider, Commentary, COVID-19, In the News
As COVID-19 cases spread across the state and nation, demand is growing for blood tests to identify people who may have been exposed to the novel coronavirus and developed antibodies to it. Such antibodies may mean these individuals have at least some immunity to the virus, formally named SARS-CoV2, and therefore may be able to return to work and school — and help jump-start the flagging U.S. economy. Results may also help identify COVID-19 antibody-positive people whose blood donations could be used to make convalescent plasma, an investigational treatment for seriously ill COVID-19 patients, according to the U.S. Food & Drug…
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What’s next: The future of summer vacation

By Carousel Slider, COVID-19, In the News
Epidemiology professor Karen Edwards, department of Public HealthSteve Zylius / UCI UCI epidemiologist offers advice on healthy travel, recreation during the pandemic Despite the all-encompassing disruption of the coronavirus pandemic, time marches on, with summer just around the corner. For many, June signals the beginning of vacation season. But as COVID-19 continues to spread, where does summer travel stand? States are reopening and inviting tourists – and their dollars – to return. But is it safe to take a trip? What do we need to know about hotel or Airbnb lodgings? About eating in restaurants? About large public gatherings? Karen…
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June 15 is World Elder Abuse Awareness Day

By Commentary, Community Events, In the News
Resources and information from the UCI School of Medicine Center of Excellence on Elder Abuse and Neglect, the USC Center for Elder Mistreatment, and the National Center on Elder Abuse. Today is World Elder Abuse Awareness Day (WEEAD). The International Network for the Prevention of Elder Abuse and the World Health Organization at the United Nations launched the first WEAAD on June 15, 2006 in an effort to unite communities around the world in raising awareness about elder abuse.  Elder abuse is widespread, and older adults living with Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias are especially vulnerable. According to the National…
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A Call to Advocate: Help Protect Critical Services for CA Seniors

By Commentary, COVID-19, In the News
Attendees at Acacia Adult Day Services center in Garden Grove play a game after breakfast. The center provides low-income elderly and disabled people meals, medical care, occupational therapy and social programs. Gov. Gavin Newsom has proposed eliminating funding for Adult Day Services programs to help cover a $54 billion gap for the 2020-21 fiscal year. (Lauren M. Whaley/Center for Health Reporting) A recent article from the OC Register highlights the critical need for advocacy to save Orange County's senior services. State budget cuts could end adult day care that helps thousands of local families. What can you do to help?…
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Phone pals? For UC Irvine med and nursing students, and older people dodging the virus, a call can be a lifeline

By COVID-19, In the News
ASSIST Program pairs future health workers with homebound to address needs and loneliness. Once she starts talking, Geraldine Buchanan admits, she can keep right on going. About to turn 91 on Friday, Buchanan, for now, is a prisoner of the pandemic, stuck inside her Westminster home in an effort to stay safe from the spread of coronavirus. Talking on the phone is an escape. Buchanan’s loquaciousness is OK with Ryan Batten, a 22-year old UC Irvine nursing student who calls her at least once a week. Batten, set to graduate in June, is a good listener, something that figures to…
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Confronting the pandemic of racism: A call to action

By Commentary, In the News
Contributed by Christian Salazar, PhD, UCI MIND Project Scientist Racism is once again thrust into our national spotlight by the death of yet another unarmed Black American at the hands of police. Lamentably, the structures that create racism are deeply embedded in our society and have a direct impact on creating and maintaining health inequities. Indeed, numerous studies over decades have shown dramatic and persistent differences in health across racial groups. These disparities are in no small measure byproducts of racism. To combat racialized health disparities, we cannot ignore the multifaceted ways in which racism manifests in our society. We…
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Black Lives Matter

By In the News
The recent murders of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery, and too many other people in the Black community are atrocities that both warrant and demand the current national and global response.  Sadly, these recent events also serve as a reminder of historical atrocities done to Black people and other diverse communities in the name of science. Researchers, like political leaders, must use this time to further open our minds, our ears, and our hearts to combat racism. Racial and ethnic health disparities permeate our society and Alzheimer’s is no exception. Risk for Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias is higher…
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Congrats to UCI MIND researchers on highly accessed AD vaccine paper

By Commentary, In the News
The journal Alzheimer’s Research & Therapy, in celebrating the 10th Anniversary of the journal included a list of their 10 most accessed papers of the last year. A manuscript by UCI MIND researchers Hayk Davtyan, Morgan Coburn, David Cribbs, and Mathew Blurton-Jones made the list. Their article, “Testing a MultiTEP-based combination vaccine to reduce Aβ and tau pathology in Tau22/5xFAD bigenic mice” had been accessed by researchers more than 14,000 times! Congratulations to their team.   To read more, Dr. Davtyan spoke about the manuscript on page 7 of the Winter 2020 Newsletter.  
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UCI Giving Day Postponed

By Commentary, Community Events, In the News
Dear Friends of UCI MIND, In light of the current events, UCI has decided to postpone its annual UCI Giving Day - scheduled for today, June 3 -  to ensure we are giving space to the important messages that need to be communicated during this uncertain time. On behalf of the faculty and staff at UCI MIND, thank you for your ongoing support in the fight against Alzheimer's disease and related dementias. Sincerely, Joshua D. Grill, PhD Director of UCI MIND
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MIND Matters | Quarterly Newsletter | Spring 2020

By Commentary, Community Events, COVID-19, In the News, Participants
Message from the Director   Dear Friends of UCI MIND, Since writing my last message for our Winter 2020 issue, we have all had our worlds turned upside down by COVID-19. At UCI MIND, we have faced challenges and have had to temporarily adapt our research programs. But, I know these challenges pale in comparison to those faced by members of our community. I’m especially concerned about the additional challenges faced by caregivers of people living with dementia, as well as the social isolation physical distancing can bring to older people who are living alone. We are eager to help…
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The Alzheimer’s-Air Pollution Link

By Carousel Slider, Commentary, In the News
UCI MIND faculty member Masashi Kitazawa, PhD comments for Scientific American: "In a field where scientists have spent decades focused on genetics and the buildup of damaged protein fragments called beta-amyloid as causes of the disease...now many experts agree that air pollution plays a major role. This assessment is echoed by Masashi Kitazawa, a toxicologist at the University of California, Irvine, and an expert on environmental toxins. “Genetics is huge in Alzheimer's research, and for years almost no one wanted to look beyond genes,” he says. “But in the past three or four years the number of papers linking air pollution and cognitive decline…
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UCI to take part in clinical trial of drug for critically ill COVID-19 patients

By Commentary, COVID-19, In the News
  “If successful, we hope that treatments such as Aviptadil may change the chances of survival for these patients,” says Dr. Richard Lee, who is leading the trial at UCI. Carlos Puma for UCI Health UCI Health will initiate a clinical study of a drug to treat critically ill COVID-19 patients who face a high mortality rate because of acute inflammation that fills their lungs with fluid, a grave condition that even mechanical ventilation cannot improve. Aviptadil, which has a 20-year history of use in human clinical trials for lung ailments, will be employed in a phase 2b/3 clinical study…
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Research team awarded $3.8 million to study molecular changes in the brain caused by Alzheimer’s disease

By Carousel Slider, Commentary, In the News
Irvine, CA - May 12, 2020 - A team of researchers from the University of California, Irvine and San Diego have been awarded $3.8 million by the National Institute on Aging to conduct an epigenomic analysis of neural circuits in the brain. By revealing molecular changes that occur during the course of Alzheimer's disease (AD), the team hopes to identify new therapeutic targets and molecular biomarkers for early detection and better treatment. The interdisciplinary research team is led by multiple principal investigators, including Xiangmin Xu, PhD, a professor of anatomy and neurobiology and director of the Center for Neural Circuit…
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Racing to deliver COVID-19 testing

By Commentary, Community Events, In the News
  Dr. Edwin S. Monuki watches microbiology lab scientist Jeanie Garcia process a patient's COVID-19 test sample. Photo Credit: Carlos Puma Read how through the efforts of the UC Irvine Health team, under the leadership of UCI MIND Faculty Member, Dr. Edwin Monuki, the medical center became the first hospital in Orange County to provide in-house COVID-19 testing on March 19 – more than two weeks ahead of schedule. http://www.ucihealth.org/…/racing-to-deliver-covid19-testing Dr. Monuki recently commented on antibody testing for the UCI MIND Blog and will participate in a virtual panel discussion tonight, May 14 at 7 PM PST. Click HERE to register.
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New partnership will give nursing home staff extra training to prevent coronavirus spread

By Commentary, COVID-19, In the News
CalOptima, which provides health insurance to Orange County’s low-income residents, announced on Friday, May 8, it is working with UC Irvine and the county Health Care Agency to provide intensive training on infection control to staff at 12 nursing homes. … Dr. Susan Huang, who teaches about infectious diseases at UC Irvine, is working with researchers and clinicians to develop the tools and training, and will measure their effectiveness with diagnostic and antibody testing.
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APOE4 carriers show early breakdown to blood-brain barrier, before cognitive impairment

By Commentary, In the News
Contributed by Daniel Nation, PhD, UCI MIND Faculty Member, Associate Professor of Psychological Science at UCI   APOE4 is the strongest known genetic risk factor for Alzheimer's disease, the most common cause of dementia characterized by the accumulation of amyloid plaques and tau tangles. Although the predominant view has been that APOE4 conveys risk for Alzheimer’s dementia primarily through its effects on amyloid levels, prior work has also shown that APOE4 has adverse effects on the blood vessels of the brain.   In a recent study published in Nature, colleagues at University of Southern California and I demonstrated that APOE4…
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Stuck at home? Help UCI Researchers Cure Diseases

By Commentary, COVID-19, In the News
During this time of uncertainty, communities, businesses and families are being impacted like never before. People are also coming together to help others in unprecedented ways. And while we all are spending more and more time at home, many of us are looking for ways to strengthen our communities while maintaining the current health and safety recommendations from the CDC. I’d like to invite you and your families to make a real difference without leaving your home or opening your wallet. I’m an OC Mom and researcher at UCI MIND. We are seeking volunteers to sign up for our “Consent-to-Contact”…
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Coronavirus Antibody Tests: Can You Trust the Results?

By Commentary, COVID-19, In the News
Contributed by Edwin Monuki, MD, PhD, Warren L. Bostick Professor and Chair of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine at UC Irvine A recent article in the The New York Times focuses on an issue of grave concern among US health care providers - the flood of unapproved “lateral flow” tests for detecting COVID-19 antibodies. This flood resulted from an FDA decision to allow antibody testing without their usual approval process in order to accelerate the national response to COVID-19. Unfortunately (and not surprisingly), this also resulted in an antibody testing market that one interviewee in the NYT article called the “Wild West”.…
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FDA Gives Emergency Authorization For Some COVID-19 Patients To Use Remdesivir

By COVID-19, In the News
NPR reports May 1, 2020 4:22 PM ET - The Food and Drug Administration has given emergency use authorization to the antiviral drug remdesivir to treat hospitalized patients with the coronavirus, President Trump on Friday told reporters at the White House. Gilead CEO Daniel O'Day said remdesivir maker Gilead Sciences is donating 1.5 million vials of the drug and will work with the federal government to distribute it to patients in need...
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VIDEO: Laboratory Research Update – Nicole Schartz, PhD

By Commentary, COVID-19, In the News
https://youtu.be/r4ZpVGrBw5o Nicole Schartz, PhD, a postdoctoral scholar in Dr. Andrea Tenner’s lab, shares her experience of what’s happening in her lab and her perspective on the pandemic.  Dr. Schartz is also a member of REMIND. Research and Education in Memory Impairments and Neurological Disorders, or REMIND, is a campus organization led by UCI MIND predoctoral and postdoctoral trainees. It aims to encourage collaboration among the next generation of scientists and clinicians, and promote community outreach and education on neurodegenerative diseases.
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Don’t Feel Bad If Your Kids Are Gaming More Than Ever. In Fact, Why Not Join Them?

By Carousel Slider, Commentary, COVID-19, In the News
While doing a video interview with TIME, Craig Stark, professor at the University of California, Irvine’s Center for the Neurobiology of Learning and Memory, said that his eighth grade son was on a headset chatting with his friends while gaming. “I’m great with that,” says Stark. Still, he adds, “if you’re gaming 20 hours a day, let’s get out, let’s do some other stuff, let’s not just talk to each other on a screen. But in terms of the notion that video games are actively rotting the brain? No, I don’t see any evidence for that.”
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