# UAB Alzheimer's Disease Research Center

> **NIH NIH P20** · UNIVERSITY OF ALABAMA AT BIRMINGHAM · 2021 · $1,098,797

## Abstract

PROJECT SUMMARY/ABSTRACT
 The thematic focus of the proposed exploratory UAB Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center (ADRC) is on
Deep South disparities in Alzheimer’s disease. Individuals born in the Deep South (traditionally defined as the
five-state region spanning LA, MS, AL, GA, and SC) have high rates of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and related
dementias relative to other regions. The most likely explanation for this observation is that several large
populations disparately impacted by AD are concentrated in the Deep South. For example, the region is home
to the nation’s largest population identifying as Black or African American, who are estimated to be at as much
as double the risk of AD. The Deep South also a very large rural population, with disparities in social
determinants of health (income, education, health care access, and related factors) that strongly influence AD
risk. Likewise, vascular risks and related medical comorbidities such as diabetes, cerebrovascular disease,
and obesity are each most prevalent in the Deep South and associated with AD.
 Our vision is a future in which these Deep South disparities in AD are eliminated. Realizing this vision
requires a deeper understanding of the unique factors driving AD in the region, which is the goal of our center.
We have already launched our cores in a pilot phase with institutional support and propose during the P20
phase to consolidate this collaborative team and demonstrate our capacity for outreach, recruitment,
enrollment, and data/biospecimen collection from a representative Deep South population, in preparation for a
future P30-funded Center. We will build on our initial success in establishing a cohort with substantial inclusion
of Black or African American participants, create a second recruitment and evaluation site in western Jefferson
County to facilitate minority and rural participation, and generate evidence of our capacity to collect a unique
and comprehensive collection of data and biospecimens informative about Deep South disparities in AD.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10247591
- **Project number:** 5P20AG068024-02
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF ALABAMA AT BIRMINGHAM
- **Principal Investigator:** Erik D Roberson
- **Activity code:** P20 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2021
- **Award amount:** $1,098,797
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2020-09-01 → 2023-07-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10247591

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10247591, UAB Alzheimer's Disease Research Center (5P20AG068024-02). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-21 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10247591. Licensed CC0.

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