Grants Update

The Dade Community Foundation has awarded the Institute $5,000 to use towards the Annual Symposium for the Study of Mild Cognitive Impairment. The symposium is a very valuable resource providing a forum for scientists to exchange and discuss their latest results and offering training to practicing physicians many of whom will be called on to consider a diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease.

The Leadership Tampa Alumni Fund, through the Community Foundation of Tampa Bay, granted $500 toward “Hurricane Survival for Alzheimer’s Caregivers – The DVD.” Jim Bassil (LT ’03), Chair, Philanthropy in Action, presented the award at the “Celebrating Philanthropy In Action” program.

Through the efforts of the Executive Vice President, Lisa DeBartolo, the DeBartolo Family Foundation granted the Byrd Institute $10,000 to use toward its operating needs for the Florida Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center. The DeBartolo Foundation funds non-profits that provide extraordinary assistance to Tampa Bay residents.

The Byrd Institute has received a VA Merit Award of $121,312 through the Kansas City VA Hospital to study the potential roles of a protein (GRK5) deficiency in early stages of Alzheimer’s disease. Dr. Gary Arendash is working with Dr. Zhiming Suo at the Kansas City VA Hospital on this research project.

The Alzheimer’s Drug Discovery Foundation and Elan Pharmaceuticals have awarded Juan Sanchez-Ramos, Ph.D. and Gary Arendash, Ph.D. a $70,802 grant to study different types of bone marrow mobilizing agents as potential therapeutics for Alzheimer’s disease. This is a joint project between the Byrd Institute and the University of South Florida.

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Byrd Alzheimer’s Institute Research and Programs Update

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Green Tea – Scientist, Jun Tan, Ph.D., USF professor and Byrd Institute grant recipient, has studied the effects of green tea and Alzheimer’s and believes the ingredient in green tea, called epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG), may protect the brain from the memory-destroying Alzheimer’s disease. EGCG is an antioxidant said to decrease the production of beta-amyloid, a protein that forms the plaques that clog the brains of Alzheimer’s victims. The next step for researchers is to test an oral form of EGCG in mice and see if it protects the animals’ memory.

Caffeine – Gary Arendash, Ph.D., and other Institute scientists have designed a human study to replicate his finding that caffeine reduces Alzheimer’s beta-amyloid, the key toxic agent that causes Alzheimer’s disease. The Institute has begun to recruit subjects for human studies. This research investigates caffeine effects on blood markers indicative of the presence of Alzheimer’s. This is a follow up to earlier groundbreaking research that showed promising results with caffeine reducing or preventing the pathological symptoms of the disease in mice. For more information on enrolling in studies and how you can participate in our clinical trials, please call (813) 866-1611 or go to www.byrdinstitute.org

Vitamin Program - Research suggests that elders are at a greater risk of under-nutrition. Recent studies in Alzheimer’s suggest that vitamin deficiencies, particularly folate deficiency, and inadequate nutrition are linked to memory loss. Through a generous donation from Charlie Crist and the office of the Attorney General, the Byrd Institute established a Vitamin Grant program to make vitamins available without charge to underserved elderly citizens suffering with memory disorders. The Institute is working with Memory Disorder Clinics in Tampa, Clearwater, Sarasota, West Palm Beach, Deerfield, and Miami-Dade to make the vitamins available. If you are a Florida resident and would like to participate, please call the Institute’s Department of Clinical Research at (813) 866-1611.

Memory Screenings – The Institute offers free memory screenings. If you would like to set up an appointment or would like to invite us to a community event so we can provide them there, please call our clinic at (813) 866-1611.

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