UNT Health Science Center awarded $150 million to continue Alzheimer's research
FORT WORTH, Texas (CBSDFW.COM) - One of the largest studies ever of Alzheimer's disease is happening right here in North Texas.
The National Institutes of Health just awarded $150 million to the University of North Texas Health Science Center in Fort Worth to continue its groundbreaking research on how the disease affects different racial and ethnic groups.
An estimated six million Americans are living with Alzheimer's today.
"My father talks about things that happened years ago, as though they happened yesterday," said David Barberena, who knows the devastating impacts firsthand.
His dad immigrated to the U.S. from Mexico and went on to have a long, successful career. Now, he struggles with daily tasks.
"It wasn't so much him being able to take care of himself physically, as the mental, emotional stuff," Barberena said.
Data shows Hispanic Americans are 1.5 times more likely to develop the most common form of dementia. Black Americans are also impacted at higher rates than the white population.
"Health disparities are our problem to fix, as a scientific community," said Dr. Sid O'Bryant, who is leading the Alzheimer's study at UNT Health Science Center.
He has dedicated his life to understanding how the disease impacts diverse groups of people.
Dr. O'Bryant will lead a team to conduct the first-ever, large-scale study of the biology of Alzheimer's disease within a health disparities framework across the three largest racial and ethnic groups in the U.S. – African American, Mexican American and non-Hispanic White.
"This project will change the world," he said. "Unequivocally, absolutely, will change the world… There's never been a study like this. Not at this scope and scale."
The researchers have already seen how their work could help develop better treatment options.
"I've had drug companies reach out and say can we look at your data to better inform how we're going to build a new trial specifically targeting how we're going to serve underserved communities?" said Dr. O'Bryant. "And so we're already having an impact, and it's just amazing."
It's a sign of hope for families like Barberena's.
"I love the concept and the idea and the investment," he said. "It would just create more good years for the people that are suffering dementia."
Researchers say they can't find a way to beat Alzheimer's Disease without the community's help. Nearly 3,000 North Texans have already enrolled in the study, but researchers still need 1,500 more volunteers.
Check out more information here.