​Alzheimer’s Disease Program Research Grants 

Research Grants Awarded in 2018

The California Department of Public Health, Chronic Disease Control Branch, Alzheimer’s Disease Program (ADP) awarded eleven (11) research grants, ranging from 1 year to 5 years, totaling $21,055,000. The award recipients and categories are: 

CAREGIVING. The economic and social impacts of caregiving.
1.       Principal Investigator: Freddi Segal-Gidan, PA, PhD
Institution: Rancho Research Institute
Project Title: Challenges experienced by Latino Families with Early Onset Autosomal Dominant Alzheimer's Disease
Amount/Years Awarded: $532,757* / 1 Year

2.       Principal Investigator: Jarmin Yeh, PhD
Institution: University of California, San Francisco
Project Title: Reducing the Social & Economic Impacts of Caregiving for
Older Adults with ADRD in the IHSS System Through Training
Amount/Years Awarded: $3,075,815* / 5 Years

PREVENTION. The identification of risk factors and targets for preventive healthcare and public health messaging.

3.       Principal Investigator: Thomas Jue, PhD
Institution: University of California, Davis
Project Title: Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus and the Increased Risk of Alzheimer's
Disease
Amount/Years Awarded: $519,620* / 3 Years

4.       Principal Investigator: Yu-Jui Yvonne Wan, PhD
Institution: University of California, Davis
Project Title: Dietary-modulated Bile Acid Signaling in Regulating Cognitive
Health and Dysfunction
Amount/Years Awarded: $2,720,804* / 5 Years

5.       Consortium Principal Investigator: Michael Weiner, MD
Institutions: University of California, San Francisco; University of California,
Berkeley; Palo Alto Veterans Institute for Research; University of Southern California; and University of California, Los Angeles
Project Title: Identifying elders at risk for cognitive decline using the Brain
Health Registry
Amount/Years Awarded: $ 998,236* / 1 Year

6.       Principal Investigator: XinHua Zhan, MD, PhD
Institution: University of California, Davis
Project Title: Alzheimer's Disease and White Matter Hyperintensities
Amount/Years Awarded: $ 620,022* / 1 Year

EARLY DIAGNOSIS and DETECTION. Research and evaluation of tools for early diagnosis and detection of Alzheimer's disease.

7.       Consortium Principal Investigator: Gal Bitan, PhD
Institutions: University of California, Los Angeles; University of Southern California and University of California, Irvine
Project Title: Biomarkers for early detection of Alzheimer's disease in brain-derived exosomes
Amount/Years Awarded: $ 204,009* / 1 Year

8.       Consortium Principal Investigator: Howard Rosen, MD
Institutions: University of California, San Francisco; Rancho Research Institute; San Francisco Department of Health – Chinatown Public Health Center, Hillblom Center on Aging and Los Angeles County Department of Health Services – Olive View Medical Center
Project Title: ACCT-AD Implementation for Dementia Diagnosis in Primary Care Practice
Amount/Years Awarded: $ 4,935,783* / 5 Years

LONG-TERM SERVICES and SUPPORT SYSTEMS/HEALTH SERVICES. Investigate pathways for reducing disparities in access to health services for persons with Alzheimer's disease and related dementias utilizing Long-Term Services and Supports Systems/Health Services.

9.       Principal Investigator: Elizabeth Dzeng, MD, PhD, MPH
Institution: University of California, San Francisco
Project Title: Human-centered design to mitigate burdensome life-sustaining treatment at the end-of-life
Amount/Years Awarded: $2,115,573* / 5 Years

POPULATIONS SUFFERING from HEALTH DISPARITIES. Identifying and understanding upstream determinants of health that result in disproportionate health outcomes; and prevalence of Alzheimer's disease and related disorders among California's diverse population including African Americans, Latinos and women.

10. Consortium Principal Investigator: David K Johnson, PhD
Institutions: University of California, Davis; Golden Rain Foundation; Oakland Parks, Recreation and Youth Project Title: Lifestyle education to promote healthy brain aging in the East Bay
Amount/Years Awarded: $ 4,913,447* / 5 Years

11. Principal Investigator: Elena Portacolone, PhD, MBA, MPH
Institution: University of California, San Francisco Project Title: Strategies to increase recruitment of Latino Americans in dementia research
Amount/Years Awarded: $ 418,935* / 1 Year

The State of California supports research that contributes to the better understanding, care, and support of patients and families affected by Alzheimer's disease and related disorders. Pursuant to Revenue & Taxation Code Sections 18761-18766, the ADP is authorized to award funds for Alzheimer's disease and Related Disorders research. Awards are funded in part from California taxpayers, through voluntary contributions to the Alzheimer's Disease and Related Dementia Voluntary Tax Contribution Fund and with approval of the Fiscal Year 2018-19 State of California Budget, ongoing allocations from the State General Fund.

Awards with funding amounts that are marked with an asterisk (*) were partially funded by the California Alzheimer's Disease and Related Dementia Voluntary Tax Contribution Fund.