# Neuropathology Core

> **NIH NIH P30** · UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA AT DAVIS · 2021 · $327,147

## Abstract

PROJECT SUMMARY/ABSTRACT - Neuropathology Core
The overarching goal of the UCD ADRC is to understand the multiple and complex determinants that explain
the heterogeneity of cognitive trajectories among diverse older adults. To help achieve this goal, the primary
mission of the Neuropathology Core (NPC) is to assess and quantify brain injury in the form of multiple
pathologies essential to the most precise and relevant characterization of individual cognitive ability. To provide
even deeper pathological phenotypes, the NPC has leveraged and enhanced Core infrastructure by
implementing digital pathology and developing machine learning workflows for quantitative regional analysis.
These NPC data, when linked with comprehensive cognitive assessment, brain imaging, and other biological
markers generated by other ADRC Cores will facilitate new understandings into the protective/risk factors of
brain aging and dementia processes. Our NPC is unique in (1) its study subjects have been drawn from a
diverse multi-ethnic/racial longitudinal cohort maintained by the Clinical Core (CC) with an emphasis on
early disease/early pathology, (2) its collection of tissue samples from cases whose cognitive trajectories have
been modified by clinically, imaging proven, and pathologically confirmed cerebrovascular injury and (3) its
sizeable number of samples and datasets from minority participants (39 Hispanic/Latino, 18 Asian, and 52
African American) that have resulted in high impact publications. In collaboration with the other ADRC
Cores, we have built, maintained, and enhanced our research infrastructure, accumulating unique datasets,
high quality samples, and experience in clinic-pathological, translational, and basic research collaborations.
New causes and contributing factors of dementia continue to be discovered by studies using post-mortem
brain specimens, enriching the pool of biomarkers for risk of dementia. Modern neuropathology techniques
(e.g., our machine learning studies) combined with new molecular tools (such as our Quanterix system within
the Biomarker core) have the potential to tremendously advance our understanding of disease pathogenesis,
thus providing a degree of precision to anchor the clinical and biological heterogeneity commonly observed in
dementia. Moreover, neuropathology plays a central role in future interventions, as postmortem diagnosis is
the gold standard to establish biomarkers applicability and the efficacy of experimental interventions. Thus, we
envision the NPC will continue to be a central player in multi-component research projects in the effort to find
new avenues for dementia treatment. As such, the NPC leadership will continue networking with researchers
to conduct multidisciplinary research while upgrading the core diagnostic capabilities to enable detection of
diverse brain injury pathways using novel methods.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10264664
- **Project number:** 1P30AG072972-01
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA AT DAVIS
- **Principal Investigator:** LEE-WAY JIN
- **Activity code:** P30 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2021
- **Award amount:** $327,147
- **Award type:** 1
- **Project period:** 2021-08-15 → 2026-06-30

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10264664

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10264664, Neuropathology Core (1P30AG072972-01). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-23 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10264664. Licensed CC0.

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