
Alzheimer's Fast Track® 2019 was a workshop for graduate students, postdoctoral fellows, or other early-career scientists focused on Alzheimer’s disease research to take advantage of a unique opportunity to accelerate their knowledge immersion towards becoming an expert in this exciting field.
Co-chairs:
- Diane Bovenkamp, PhD
- Frank LaFerla, PhD
- Cynthia Lemere, PhD
- Harry Steinbusch, PhD
October 16-18, 2019
Hilton Chicago/Oak Brook Hills Resort & Conference Center
3500 Midwest Road
Oak Brook, IL 60532

View a Video of the Co-chair Roundtable Discussion
Co-chairs of the Alzheimer's Fast Track program discuss big challenges that need to be tackled worldwide: Remaining steadfastly committed to funding Alzheimer's disease and related dementias research; Supporting innovative, early-career investigators; Encouraging researchers from under-represented groups who are disproportionately affected by Alzheimer’s to lead independent research labs; and the future of clinical trials, treatments and finding a cure.
Graduate students, postdoctoral fellows, or other early-career scientists focusing on Alzheimer’s disease research, took advantage of this unique opportunity to accelerate their knowledge immersion towards becoming an expert in this exciting field by:
- Connecting with preeminent Alzheimer’s disease experts and fellow early-stage researchers based in the U.S. and around the world
- Participating in interactive workgroups and breakout sessions
- Engaging in scientific debates
Organized by BrightFocus Foundation, Alzheimer’s Fast Track® is a satellite event of the Society for Neuroscience’s annual meeting, in Chicago, IL
Speakers
We gathered world-renowned experts who discussed the latest trends in Alzheimer's disease research. The following represents a list of speakers and topics:
- Katerina Akassoglou, PhD, The Gladstone Institute/University of California, San Francisco, USA
Fibrinogen-induced microglia-mediated spine loss and cognitive decline in Alzheimer's Disease - Diane Bovenkamp, PhD, BrightFocus, Clarksburg, MD, USA
Exploring Work-Life Balance Challenges - Elizabeth M. Bradshaw, PhD, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
From GWAS to Therapeutic Targets in Alzheimer's Disease - Roberta Diaz Brinton, PhD, The University of Arizona Health Sciences, AZ, USA
Sex Differences in Onset of Prodromal Phase of Alzheimer’s Disease - Luc Buée, PhD, Université de Lille, Lille, France
Tau protein and Tauopathies: Which Therapeutic Strategy? - A Claudio Cuello, OC, MD, DSc, FRSC, FMedSci, McGill University, Montreal, Canada
Alzheimer’s Research with Human Samples and Experimental Models, the Challenges Ahead - William Eimer, PhD, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
The Antimicrobial Protection Hypothesis of Alzheimer's Disease - Joshua D. Grill, PhD, University of California, Irvine, USA
Challenges in Alzheimer's Disease Clinical Trial Recruitment - Elizabeth Head, PhD, University of California, Irvine, USA
Alzheimer's Disease in Down Syndrome - Frank LaFerla, PhD, University of California, Irvine, USA
Navigating Around Potential Pitfalls For Early-Career Investigators - Bruce T. Lamb, PhD, Indiana University, IN, USA
Update on MODEL-AD - Cynthia A. Lemere, PhD, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, USA
How to Craft a Successful Government/NIH/NASA Grant Application - Francesca Mangialasche, MD, PhD, Karolinska Institute, Huddinge, Sweden
Multimodal Preventive Trials for Alzheimer's Disease: What Can We Learn from the Finger Study?
- Bri McWorter, Activate to Captivate, Mission Viejo, CA, USA
How Make An Impact With Your Speech And Style - Cheil Moon, PhD, Daegu Gyeongbuk Institute of Science and Technology, Daegu, South Korea
Sensory Systems and Alzheimer’s Disease - John C. Morris, MD, Washington University in St. Louis, MO, USA
The Need For More Diversity in Alzheimer's Disease Clinical Studies - Subhojit Roy, MD, PhD, University of California, San Diego, CA, USA
Neuronal Trafficking Pathways Inform Therapeutic Strategies - Julie Schneider, MD, Rush University, Chicago, IL, USA
Alzheimer’s Disease and Related Dementias: Clinical Perspectives and Co-Morbidities - Craig E. L. Stark, PhD, University of California, Irvine, CA, USA
Neuroimaging in Aging and Alzheimer's Disease - Harry W. M. Steinbusch, PhD, Maastricht University, Maastricht, The Netherlands
The Role of Epigenetics in the Progression of Alzheimer's Disease - Donna Wilcock, PhD, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, USA
Vascular Contributions to Alzheimer’s Disease and Related Dementia - Robert J. Vassar, PhD, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, USA
Beta-secretase (BACE1) in Alzheimer’s Disease - Li-Huei Tsai, PhD, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
Using Non-Invasive Sensory Stimulation to Ameliorate Pathology and Symptoms of Alzheimer’s Disease
Workshop Goals
The Alzheimer’s disease research field continues to grow in size and scope. For people entering such a prolific environment, acquiring an initial understanding of the disease becomes more difficult each year. The goal of this workshop was to offer graduate students and postdocs an immersive opportunity to learn and discuss some of the latest trends in Alzheimer’s disease research through close interaction with established leaders in the field.
Workshop sessions emphasized open discussion between students and lecturers, and immediate application of new knowledge. Students participated in faculty-led exercises such as debate and mock grant proposals.
This was an important and cost-effective opportunity to build knowledge and professional contacts in the Alzheimer’s disease field.
Coordinating Office:BrightFocus Foundation
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Watch this video from BrightFocus Alzheimer’s Fast Track® 2016
View a transcript of the video.
BrightFocus Alzheimer's Disease Fast Track®: San Diego, California (November 2016)