This laboratory has been investigating new treatments for Alzheimer's disease and other neuropathological disorders for the past 10 years. Such disorders typically involve the slow degernation of brain cells that are necessary for forming new memories and recalling old ones. There is no consistently effective therapy for Alzheimer's disease, which provides a tremendous impetus for research into the area.

Our research focus is on approaches that prevent degernation of brain cells and that improve learning and memory. Along with collaborating investigators at the University of Florida and other institutions, we

• Discovered a new class of drug that is neuroprotective and memory-enhancing
• Developed a gene-delivery technique that is useful in brain for increasing the levels of neurotrophic factors and neurotransmitters
• Found several reproduceable age-related deficits in brain function that may underlie deficits in memory-related behaviors.

There are about 20 investigators in the lab, which gratefully receives funding from the National Institute of Health, the American Heart Association, various pharmaceutical companies, and the university. It has been a good training ground for researchers, especially those interested in learning about writing grants. It has also been good for pre-med students, it seems.

It would be great to discover a cure for any of the age-related brain disorders we study, but this is probably beyound us for the time being. Hopefully, our work will be among those advances that make such cures possible, when combined with discoveries being made regularly in the field (have you seen all the Alzheimer's related web pages?) Toward this goal, we are most optimistic.