 The program was titled
“Competing Paradigms in
Alzheimer’s Research,” but a shared
sense of collegiality was truly evident
when three distinguished researchers
and scientists presented their current
work at the 20th Annual Chapter
Meeting at Rockefeller University on
September 25th.
“Gentlemen, we are relying on you
and your colleagues to put us out of
business,” Chapter President and CEO
Lou-Ellen Barkan chided the panelists
as she opened the session.
Peter Davies, Ph.D.; Norman R. Relkin, M.D.,
Ph.D.; Lou-Ellen Barkan; Rudolph E. Tanzi, Ph.D.
A diverse group of scientists, health care providers, caregivers
and concerned individuals listened with hope and
anticipation as the three panelists—Peter Davies, Ph.D., of
Einstein College of Medicine; Norman R. Relkin, M.D.,
Ph.D., of Weill Medical College of Cornell University; and
Rudolph E. Tanzi, Ph.D., of Massachusetts General
Hospital—presented their current research. While presenting
different approaches to the search for cause and cure,
the experts said these divergent approaches were a positive
force.
“Competition stimulates us all to move faster,” said Dr.
Davies. Noting that scientists share the goal of finding a
cure, he added, “We do help each other, but we all want to
be the first to get there.”
 Dr. Davies posits that an as-yet unknown “X” factor is
triggering the formulation of plaque and other brain
changes related to Alzheimer’s. He has examined the earliest
stages of certain critical changes in the brain, and he has
not found the suspect substances yet present. He believes
that plaques and other Alzheimer’s-linked brain changes are
triggered by activation of the fundamental cell division
cycle in the brain. These cell changes are similar to those
seen in cancer cells; however it is known that some cells
can begin the division cycle, only to die rather than divide.
Dr. Davies is currently pursuing strategies that involve
blocking cell cycle activation from taking place.
Dr. Relkin, on the other hand, believes that people have
natural antibodies to help them fight off the suspect substances,
which include a group called amyloids. “We have
very little time before the disease overwhelms us,” he said.
The human body recognizes that these substances are a
threat, in this view, and so it tries to fight them with its
innate defense mechanism. For most people, the best
defense is to help their bodies fight Alzheimer’s by remaining
healthy. A promising recent development is to inject
people with antibodies to prevent age-related diseases like
Alzheimer’s. One group of antibodies appears to target
harmful clusters of amyloids. It is now being tested as a
therapy.
The above Competing Paradigm scientists are
Peter Davies, Ph.D.;
Norman R. Relkin, M.D., Ph.D.; & Rudolph E. Tanzi, Ph.D.
 Dr. Tanzi is also studying the amyloid clusters. His current
work centers around the observation that the presence
of certain metals like zinc and copper in the brain can drive
amyloids to form clusters. Keeping the metals from getting close to amyloids in the brain appears to be a promising
strategy. His company is conducting human trials on one
promising compound that does so, and has been shown to
improve memory performance in AD mice. Dr. Tanzi also
spoke about another strategy to combat amyloids: degrading
them, either by driving them through the brain-blood
barrier to the plasma, or through enzymes that break them
up within the brain.
Dr. Mony de Leon with Lou-Ellen Barkan & presenter Dr. Norman Relkin
After the scientists presented their findings, Jed Levine,
Chapter Executive Vice President, Director of Programs and
Services, announced that over $2 million in research grants
had been awarded by the Alzheimer’s Association in 2007 to
scientists devoting themselves to promising Alzheimer’s
research.
The program closed on a high note, as Jed told the group,
“Hope sustains the research community. Thank you all for
your work on behalf of all of us who need to believe, for
our affected relatives, for ourselves and for our children, that
there will be a day when Alzheimer’s is just a memory.”
Elmer Piros, Ph.D., of Rodman & Renshaw, which sponsored
the program, moderated the session.
— Colleen Roche
Click here to view our entire 2007 Annual Meeting photo album.
Board Director Heath McLendon
and Co-Chair Susan Kayser |
The Annual Meeting was well represented by
our Junior Committee |
| |
|
|
 Previous | Next 
|
