Our mission and Vision

To prevent and effectively treat Alzheimer’s disease

The mission of the Alzheimer’s Therapeutic Research Institute (ATRI) is to rigorously test methods for early detection of and treatments for Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and bring effective therapeutics to the world.

We develop the deepest understanding of the disease and all its stages, from Mild Cognitive Impairment to end-stage and hospice

We design and hone the right tools for studying therapeutics

We create rigorous trial designs and analytical approaches

We put patient and participant privacy, safety and collaboration first

We implement and then analyze the most promising trials

We share our findings with the community

We educate and train the Alzheimer’s clinical trials workforce for sustainability

People

Leadership

Paul Aisen, MD

Epstein Alzheimer's Disease Director's Chair, Professor of Neurology, Founding Director of Alzheimer's Therapeutic Research Institute
Research Areas
  • Alzheimer’s disease (AD) clinical trial design
  • Remote assessment of AD risk
  • Primary prevention of AD

Michael Rafii, MD, PhD

Professor of Neurology, Medical Director of Alzheimer's Therapeutic Research Institute
Research Areas
  • Clinical Trials for Alzheimer’s disease in Down syndrome
  • Biomarkers of Alzheimer’s disease in Down syndrome
  • AD Clinical Trial Design and Conduct

Rema Raman, PhD

Professor of Neurology; Director, Section of Biostatistics & Section of Participant Recruitment & Retention Alzheimer's Therapeutic Research Institute
Research Areas
  • Biostatistics
  • Clinical trial design, conduct and analysis
  • Participant recruitment and retention science

Robert Rissman, PhD

Professor of Physiology and Neuroscience and the W.M. Keck Endowed Professor in Medicine, Director Neuroscience Translational Research Division and Biomarker Laboratory and Biorepository Director, Alzheimer's Therapeutic Research Institute
Research Areas
  • Preclinical studies of Alzheimer’s Disease and Related Dementias (ADRD)
  • Experimental neuropathology of ADRD
  • Novel biomarker discovery
Cecily Jenkins Headshot

Cecily Jenkins, PhD

Associate Professor of Clinical Neurology; Director of Neuropsychology, USC Alzheimer’s Therapeutic Research Institute
Research Areas
  • AD Clinical trial design
  • Remote assessment of cognitive risk for future AD
  • Innovative measurement of cognition in pre-clinical AD

Michael Donohue, PhD

Professor of Neurology, Associate Director of Biostatistics, Alzheimer's Therapeutic Research Institute
Research Areas

  • Alzheimer’s clinical trial design and analysis

  • Statistical modeling and prediction of Alzheimer’s disease progression

Education

We Offer educational programs for multiple levels

Methods and Protocols for Advancement of Clinical Trials

We offer comprehensive training programs in clinical trials for Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias.

IMPACT AD

IMPACT-AD is an Alzheimer’s Disease and related disorders (ADRD) course that aims to educate and promote diversity among research professionals and future principal investigators in the field of ADRD research.

Internships

The USC Keck School of Medicine- Alzheimer’s Therapeutic Research Institute (ATRI) in San Diego, California offers a summer Student Research Internship Program for undergraduate, graduate and professional students. All interns will work closely with and learn from an internationally renowned, multi-disciplinary team of scientists, researchers and staff members in the areas of Alzheimer’s Disease (AD) clinical trials research.

Partnerships

Alzheimer's Clinical Trials Consortium

Accelerates the development of effective interventions for Alzheimer’s disease and related disorders by providing optimal infrastructure, utilizes centralized resources and shared expertise,

Alzheimer's Clinical Trials Consortium - Down Syndrome

ACTC-DS infrastructure includes expertise in study design and conduct, and full clinical trial management capability through our coordinating center and network of trial sites.

National Institute on Aging at NIH

one of the 27 Institutes and Centers of NIH, leads a broad scientific effort to understand the nature of aging and to extend the healthy, active years of life. NIA is the primary Federal agency supporting and conducting Alzheimer’s disease research.

IMPACT-AD

IMPACT-AD is an Alzheimer’s Disease and related disorders (ADRD) course that aims to educate and promote diversity among research professionals and future principal investigators in the field of ADRD research.

About

Annual Report

2022 may be considered the culmination of three decades of work to develop disease-modifying treatments.  Read more in the Alzheimer’s Therapeutic Research Institute annual report, now online.

View the Report

Take Action

You can make a Difference

Help advance our mission to bring therapeutic advances to our patients and their families.

Making significant progress in fighting one of the most critical public health issues in the country.

Supporting the Alzheimer’s Therapeutic Research Institute (ATRI) helps advance our core mission to bring therapeutic advances to our patients and their families as quickly as possible.