The statistics are startling: more than 7 million Americans age 65 and older are living with Alzheimer’s disease, a figure that is projected to double by 2060. In Alabama, over 103,000 people age 65 and older—nearly 12% of seniors—have been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s. Alabama has the sixth highest Alzheimer's disease mortality rate in the nation.
As Alzheimer’s and Brain Awareness Month, June offers an opportunity to spotlight brain health, honor those affected by memory disorders and their caregivers, and renew our commitment to advancing research and compassionate care. Recent progress across our school underscores the momentum we are building together in these areas.
I am especially proud to share a transformative milestone in our fight against Alzheimer’s disease. A $10 million philanthropic investment from the Gorrie family will establish the Frances Gorrie Alzheimer’s Disease Center, building on more than three decades of impact since the center was launched in 1991.
The newly named center will expand our existing leadership in this space by accelerating discovery, strengthening the pipeline of cognitive neurology specialists, enhancing clinical trial access, and deepening connections to communities across our state.
I am grateful to the Gorrie family for their longstanding support of the Heersink School of Medicine and UAB, and I look forward to seeing the many ways this remarkable gift will amplify our efforts in this critical field in the years to come.
In recent months, our faculty, staff, and learners have made meaningful advances in research, patient care, and training around memory disorders:
- UAB has redesigned its Alzheimer’s care model around new anti amyloid therapies by creating a centralized, team-based system that uses nurse practitioners and care coordinators to expand capacity despite neurologist shortages. With a dedicated memory care hub and more than 300 patients in treatment, the program improves access to these disease modifying drugs while addressing the complex logistics of diagnosis, monitoring, and growing patient demand.
- Thanks to our participation in two significant national clinical trials consortia, the Alzheimer’s Clinical Trials Consortium and the Dominantly Inherited Alzheimer Network Trial Unit, we are able to offer patients greater access to the latest Alzheimer’s clinical trials.
- Researchers in the UAB Departments of Medicine and Biomedical Engineering are spearheading a pioneering research initiative that will send human tissue samples into space in efforts to uncover insights into the cellular processes involved in the progression of Alzheimer’s disease.
- UAB researchers are exploring cognitive intra-individual variability (IIV)—differences across a person’s cognitive test scores—as an early indicator of brain changes before clear impairment appears. IIV may help clinicians detect subtle decline earlier and guide further testing and monitoring.
- New research shows that tau protein—a key driver of Alzheimer’s disease—spreads through the brain along connected neurons, helping explain how the disease progresses from one region to another, seeding new tangles that lead to cell death and cognitive decline. The findings suggest that therapies targeting the spread of tau could slow or prevent disease progression.
These are just a few of the ways our Heersink community is advancing innovation across disciplines, from groundbreaking translational research to expanded clinical programs that improve patient outcomes. This Alzheimer’s and Brain Awareness Month, I am reminded that progress like this is made possible through collaboration and I am thankful for partners like the Gorrie family and our faculty, staff, trainees, and supporters who share our vision of advancing hope—for our patients, their families, and future generations.
Finally, a reminder to share your ideas and suggestions through our feedback submission form. Your input helps guide our work and ensures we are meeting the needs of our community.