Cores

While we are one center, we divide our work into cores. The work is interrelated, but each core has a unique focus that propels us toward our mission.

Administrative Core

The Administrative Core serves as the hub for all research activities within the Alzheimer's Disease Research Center. It provides strategic direction for each core, supports new research and facilitates collaboration between the cores.

Core leaders

Clinical Core

The Clinical Core manages the center's clinical research studies. This core follows both people with memory-related diseases and conditions and people without these illnesses. The Clinical Core helps advance to the understanding of dementia and normal aging through the participation of research volunteers.

Core leaders

Data Management and Biostatistics Core

The Data Management and Biostatistics Core designs and manages the center's databases and tissue banks. It supports other cores by providing consultation and guidance on statistical collection and analysis.

Core leader

Neuropathology Core

Examining a person's brain after death is the best way to confirm a diagnosis of dementia or mild cognitive impairment. The Neuropathology Core manages the brain donation process for the Mayo Clinic Alzheimer's' Disease Research Center. The Neuropathology Core facilitates research on donated brain tissues for a better understanding of aging and dementia.

Core leaders

Outreach, Recruitment and Engagement Core

The Outreach, Recruitment and Engagement Core is the center's community engagement arm. It provides education and information about risk factors, getting a diagnosis, managing disease, and family and caregiving support. Research into improving well-being for people impacted by dementia is a major research focus of this core.

The core makes educational and support opportunities available in both Rochester, Minnesota, and Jacksonville, Florida. But it focuses on serving each location's unique population needs. The Jacksonville campus focuses on the needs of African American populations, while researchers at the Rochester campus focus on rural outreach and recruitment.

Core leaders

Neuroimaging Core

The Neuroimaging Core helps diagnose and track Alzheimer's disease and other dementias by providing important brain scan data for research projects and clinical trials in the Alzheimer's Disease Research Center. This is done through a coordinated brain-imaging program at Mayo Clinic's campuses in Jacksonville, Florida, and Rochester, Minnesota. The core also recruits African American participants from the Florida campus to increase the racial diversity of the center's brain-imaging studies.

Core leaders

Biomarker Core

When patients or study participants visit the center, they may be asked to do a blood draw or a lumbar puncture. The Biomarker Core collects, stores and shares these samples. It also creates biomarker data sets to understand differences and improve diagnosis for Alzheimer's disease and related dementias.

Core leader

  • Michelle M. Mielke, Ph.D.

Research Education Component

The Research Education Component provides education and training opportunities with the goal of expanding the team of scientists studying healthy brain aging, Alzheimer's disease and dementias at Mayo Clinic and around the world. The component also optimizes and refines methods for selecting, educating and mentoring trainees at multiple education and career levels.

Component leaders