Center to Accelerate Population Research in Alzheimer's (CAPRA)

Project Abstract (Overall)
The population with Alzheimer’s Disease and related dementias (AD/ADRD) globally is expected to nearly
triple by 2050. With few effective treatments either to prevent the disease or slow its progression, we are
currently limited to managing established disease and minimizing further negative outcomes, at a cost of $200
billion per year. The National Alzheimer’s Project Act (NAPA) was passed with the goal of reducing the burden
of AD/ADRD, not just for persons with dementia but also for the society at large, including the social,
economic, and health system effects. There are large gaps in our knowledge about how policy-makers, public
health planners and healthcare organizations can best prepare for and respond to the broad population effects
of AD/ADRD as we await a cure. The proposed Center to Accelerate Population Research in Alzheimer’s
(CAPRA) at the University of Michigan will be focused on science that informs government and healthcare
organization actions to address the negative impacts of dementia on the health and financial well-being of
individuals and the population. Our focus on public policy and healthcare for persons with dementia falls into
four inter-related themes: 1) healthcare delivery and policy impact on outcomes and quality of care, 2) diffusion
of new technologies, 3) disparities in quality and access to care, and 4) innovative applications of population
data that inform allocation of resources and program development. The CAPRA leadership team is uniquely
positioned to leverage its own expertise across these themes and the depth of institutional expertise at the
University of Michigan across health services, economic, and population research to accelerate and expand
population-based observational AD/ADRD research. The overarching goal for CAPRA is that it will serve as a
national resource to enable and expand research by current and future leaders in the study of healthcare
delivery, economics, and policies to reduce the burden of AD/ADRD locally, nationally, and internationally. To
do so, the Center will act as an “on-ramp” to fast-track junior and established investigators transitioning into
AD/ADRD research by funding pilot studies, providing research training and tools, giving access to unique
secondary data relevant to AD/ADRD, and developing networks of experts with whom to consult and
collaborate. CAPRA seeks to become the leading national resource to promote and accelerate studies that aim
to reduce the social, economic, and health burden of AD/ADRD on the population. The research that emanates
from this new Center will have real-world implications for health systems, payers, and policymakers as they
struggle with designing effective policies to improve outcomes for the growing population with or at risk for
AD/ADRD.

Grant Number: 3P30AG066582-05S1
NIH Institute/Center: NIH
Principal Investigator: Julie Bynum