# Rio Grande Valley Alzheimer's Resource Center for Minority Aging Research: Partnerships for Progress

> **NIH NIH P30** · UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS RIO GRANDE VALLEY · 2021 · $654,697

## Abstract

Summary OVERALL
Alzheimer´s disease (AD) is an aging-associated disorder that disproportionately impacts Hispanics/Latinos,
who exhibit AD rates 1.5 times higher and average onset 7 years earlier than do older whites. Predicted growth
of the US Hispanic population, particularly faster in Texas, portends further exacerbation of the disproportion-
ate health and economic burdens of elevated AD in Hispanics. There is a shortage of researchers focused on
AD and related disorders (ADRD) in Hispanics, particularly from underrepresented racial/ethnic groups. To
overcome these barriers, the proposed AD Resource Center for Minority Aging Research (AD-RCMAR) at the
University of Texas Rio Grande Valley (UTRGV), one of the nation's largest Hispanic-serving institutions, will
combine evidence-based mentoring and support mechanisms to develop and promote a first-rate regional and
national cadre of researchers, particularly from under-represented groups, to analyze the complex mecha-
nisms and interacting factors that contribute to Hispanics' disparate vulnerabilities to AD. The Center will sup-
port identification of pathways and developmental time points at which changes in social circumstances and
behavior can exert the largest favorable impacts on prevention and progression of AD among Hispanics. The
UTRGV AD-RCMAR will exploit its unique resources to develop infrastructure and data collections that will at-
tract and support researchers from multiple disciplines and at different scientific career stages, and allow them
to conduct research aimed at reducing the impacts of AD on Hispanics. The socio-demographic profile of
UTRGV reflects that of its local community, positioning the Center uniquely to advance studies of disparities in
health and health care and contribute innovative solutions to improve minorities' health. We will achieve the
Center's goals via 4 specific aims: 1) to identify, engage, mentor, and provide high-quality training and individu-
alized career development support to outstanding faculty, especially from underrepresented groups; 2) to sup-
port innovative, high-impact multidisciplinary pilot projects; 3) to provide expertise and resources for culturally-
sensitive measurement and analysis of cognitive risk factors in older Hispanics, including behavioral, neuro-
psychological, neuroimaging, and cardiovascular and genetic traits; and 4) to create the necessary expertise
and resources to establish longitudinal research cohorts of older Hispanics and their families. We will achieve
these aims through the creation of 4 Cores (Administrative; Research Education; Analysis; and Community
Liaison/Recruitment) to support AD research. The Center will build upon the experience of investigators at the
UTRGV Institute of Neuroscience and collaborators at the South Texas Diabetes & Obesity Institute, and
Washington University's AD Research Center.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10241356
- **Project number:** 5P30AG059305-04
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS RIO GRANDE VALLEY
- **Principal Investigator:** Gladys E. Maestre
- **Activity code:** P30 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2021
- **Award amount:** $654,697
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2018-09-01 → 2023-06-30

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10241356

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10241356, Rio Grande Valley Alzheimer's Resource Center for Minority Aging Research: Partnerships for Progress (5P30AG059305-04). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-23 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10241356. Licensed CC0.

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