DU Researchers Explore Root Causes of Alzheimer's Disease
Delving into Links Between Alzheimer's and Down Syndrome
Our Partnership
Though Alzheimer's affects an estimated 80 percent of individuals with Down Syndrome, little effort has gone into understanding the connections and developing strategies for treating dementia early. We aim to change that by bringing a multidisciplinary perspective to the Alzheimer's question.
Researchers will focus on development of the tau protein in individuals with Down Syndrome, using expertise from seemingly disparate fields of study to better understand how the protein misbehaves and forms the tau tangles that lead to Alzheimer's.
About DU Research
We leverage cross-institutional collaboration to address some of today’s most pressing challenges, producing interdisciplinary solutions that influence policymakers to effectively serve the public good. From Stanford to UChicago to NYU, we’ve refined our collaborative process through years of mutually beneficial relationships with institutions nationwide to understand and address challenges like climate change, HIV and youth homelessness.
DU’s current research efforts have been featured in news outlets like The New York Times. They include…
- exploring the effects of felony disenfranchisement.
- employing lasers as the medium for quantum science.
- using theatre to heal and rehabilitate inmates.
About DU Research
Lotta Granholm-Bentley
Lotta Granholm-Bentley is executive director of the University of Denver's Knoebel Institute for Healthy Aging, and a professor in DU's Department of Biological Sciences. Her work explores aging processes from a neuroscientific perspective.