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BRIGHTFOCUS FOUNDATION: Form 990, tax year 2010

View the entire original 990 at ProPublica ↗

Organization
BRIGHTFOCUS FOUNDATION (EIN 23-7337229)
Tax period
2010-04-01 to 2011-03-31
Filed
2011-08-09
IRS object ID
201122219349301537
Schema version
2010v3.4
Source
Download XML · Original 990 at ProPublica

Every field in the e-filed return. Faint text is the IRS element name, for citing.

Return header ReturnHeader

FieldValueIRS element (for citing)
Timestamp2011-08-09T14:56:57-05:00Timestamp
Tax Period End Date2011-03-31TaxPeriodEndDate

Preparer Firm PreparerFirm

Preparer Firm Business Name PreparerFirmBusinessName

FieldValueIRS element (for citing)
Business Name Line1RAFFA PCBusinessNameLine1

Preparer Firm US Address PreparerFirmUSAddress

FieldValueIRS element (for citing)
Address Line11899 L STREET NW SUITE 900AddressLine1
CityWASHINGTONCity
StateDCState
ZIP Code20036ZIPCode
FieldValueIRS element (for citing)
Return Type990ReturnType
Tax Period Begin Date2010-04-01TaxPeriodBeginDate

Filer Filer

FieldValueIRS element (for citing)
EIN237337229EIN

Name Name

FieldValueIRS element (for citing)
Business Name Line1AMERICAN HEALTH ASSISTANCE FOUNDATIONBusinessNameLine1
FieldValueIRS element (for citing)
Name ControlAMERNameControl
Phone3019483244Phone

US Address USAddress

FieldValueIRS element (for citing)
Address Line122512 GATEWAY CENTER DRIVEAddressLine1
CityCLARKSBURGCity
StateMDState
ZIP Code20871ZIPCode

Officer Officer

FieldValueIRS element (for citing)
NameSTACY PAGOS HALLERName
TitlePRESIDENT / CEOTitle
Phone3019483244Phone
Date Signed2011-08-09DateSigned
Authorize Third Party1AuthorizeThirdParty

Preparer Preparer

FieldValueIRS element (for citing)
NameFRANK H SMITHName
Phone2028225000Phone
FieldValueIRS element (for citing)
Tax Year2010TaxYear
Build TS2016-02-24 21:20:13ZBuildTS

Form 990 IRS990

FieldValueIRS element (for citing)
Name Of Principal Officer PersonSTACY PAGOS HALLERNameOfPrincipalOfficerPerson

Address Principal Officer US AddressPrincipalOfficerUS

FieldValueIRS element (for citing)
Address Line122512 GATEWAY CENTER DRIVEAddressLine1
CityCLARKSBURGCity
StateMDState
ZIP Code20871ZIPCode
FieldValueIRS element (for citing)
Gross Receipts53469651GrossReceipts
Group Return For Affiliates0GroupReturnForAffiliates
Organization501c3XOrganization501c3
Web SiteWWW.AHAF.ORGWebSite
Type Of Organization CorporationXTypeOfOrganizationCorporation
Year Formation1973YearFormation
State Legal DomicileDCStateLegalDomicile
Activity Or Mission DescriptionSEEKS TO ERADICATE AGE-RELATED AND DEGENERATIVE DISEASES.ActivityOrMissionDescription
Nbr Voting Members Governing Body9NbrVotingMembersGoverningBody
Nbr Independent Voting Members9NbrIndependentVotingMembers
Total Nbr Employees49TotalNbrEmployees
Total Nbr Volunteers163TotalNbrVolunteers
Total Gross UBI0TotalGrossUBI
Net Unrelated Business Txbl Income0NetUnrelatedBusinessTxblIncome
Contributions Grants Prior Year21879337ContributionsGrantsPriorYear
Contributions Grants Current Year18261062ContributionsGrantsCurrentYear
Program Service Revenue Prior Year0ProgramServiceRevenuePriorYear
Program Service Revenue CY0ProgramServiceRevenueCY
Investment Income Prior Year806428InvestmentIncomePriorYear
Investment Income Current Year2575465InvestmentIncomeCurrentYear
Other Revenue Prior Year664334OtherRevenuePriorYear
Other Revenue Current Year706437OtherRevenueCurrentYear
Total Revenue Prior Year23350099TotalRevenuePriorYear
Total Revenue Current Year21542964TotalRevenueCurrentYear
Grants And Similar Amnts Prior Year8022940GrantsAndSimilarAmntsPriorYear
Grants And Similar Amnts CY5594209GrantsAndSimilarAmntsCY
Benefits Paid To Members Prior Year0BenefitsPaidToMembersPriorYear
Benefits Paid To Members CY0BenefitsPaidToMembersCY
Salaries Etc Prior Year2846514SalariesEtcPriorYear
Salaries Etc Current Year3157144SalariesEtcCurrentYear
Total Prof Fundrsng Exp Prior Year415036TotalProfFundrsngExpPriorYear
Total Prof Fundrsng Exp CY476168TotalProfFundrsngExpCY
Total Fundrsng Exp Current Year5017575TotalFundrsngExpCurrentYear
Other Expense Prior Year11862569OtherExpensePriorYear
Other Expenses Current Year11872123OtherExpensesCurrentYear
Total Expenses Prior Year23147059TotalExpensesPriorYear
Total Expenses Current Year21099644TotalExpensesCurrentYear
Revenues Less Expenses Prior Year203040RevenuesLessExpensesPriorYear
Revenues Less Expenses CY443320RevenuesLessExpensesCY
Total Assets BOY39813376TotalAssetsBOY
Total Assets EOY37750130TotalAssetsEOY
Total Liabilities BOY16651163TotalLiabilitiesBOY
Total Liabilities EOY15113621TotalLiabilitiesEOY
Net Assets Or Fund Balances BOY23162213NetAssetsOrFundBalancesBOY
Net Assets Or Fund Balances EOY22636509NetAssetsOrFundBalancesEOY
Info In Schedule O Part IIIXInfoInScheduleOPartIII
Mission DescriptionTHE AMERICAN HEALTH ASSISTANCE FOUNDATION (AHAF) SEEKS TO ERADICATE AGE-RELATED AND DEGENERATIVE DISEASES BY; FACILITATING RESEARCH; SEEKING CAUSES, TREATMENT AND CURES; PROMOTING BEHAVIORAL PATTERNS IN THE PUBLIC TO COMBAT THESE DISEASES; AND ENCOURAGING THE PUBLIC TO ASSIST THOSE WHO ARE AFFLICTED.MissionDescription
Significant New Program Services0SignificantNewProgramServices
Significant Change0SignificantChange
Expense9354750Expense
Grants3399812Grants
DescriptionALZHEIMER'S DISEASE RESEARCH (ADR) - ADR ANNUALLY AWARDS PEER-REVIEWED GRANTS TO SCIENTISTS FROM INSTITUTIONS WORLDWIDE WHO ARE CONDUCTING BIOMEDICAL AND CLINICAL RESEARCH ON ALZHEIMER'S DISEASE. ADR AWARDS FALL INTO THREE CATEGORIES. STANDARD AND PILOT AWARDS ARE INTENDED FOR ESTABLISHED RESEARCHERS, AND POSTDOCTORAL RESEARCH FELLOWSHIPS SUPPORT SCIENTISTS WHO ARE TRAINING TO ASSUME THE RESPONSIBILITIES OF DIRECTING THEIR FIRST RESEARCH LABORATORY. DURING THE FISCAL YEAR ENDED MARCH 31, 2011, 17 NEW ADR PROJECTS WERE OFFERED TOTALING $3,399,812. THE PROJECTS RANGE FROM ADVANCED GENETIC STUDIES THAT AIM TO IDENTIFY INHERITABLE RISKS FOR ALZHEIMER'S DISEASE THROUGH THOSE DESIGNED TO CREATE NEW THERAPEUTIC INTERVENTIONS AGAINST THE DISEASE. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ABOUT SPECIFIC PROJECTS IS DETAILED IN SCHEDULES F & I. IN THE PRECEDING YEAR, AHAF PARTNERED WITH THE ACADEMIC JOURNAL "MOLECULAR NEURODEGENERATION" TO DEVELOP THE PUBLICATION AS THE OFFICIAL JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN HEALTH ASSISTANCE FOUNDATION. IT PUBLISHES TECHNICAL PAPERS PRIMARILY ON TOPICS RELATED TO THE ADR PROGRAM. AS AN "OPEN ACCESS" JOURNAL, THERE IS NO FEE FOR READERS, AND ALL CONTENT IS FREELY AVAILABLE THROUGH ITS WEBSITE.IN NOVEMBER 2010, ADR ONCE AGAIN PARTNERED WITH EUROPEAN AFFILIATE ORGANIZATION ISAO TO HOST A THREE-DAY INTENSIVE SEMINAR FOR EARLY-CAREER SCIENTISTS. THIS EVENT FEATURED HIGH LEVEL INTERACTIONS WITH WELL ESTABLISHED ALZHEIMER'S DISEASE RESEARCH LEADERS, WHO LECTURED AND MODERATED SMALL-GROUP DISCUSSIONS. ADR PROVIDES INFORMATION ABOUT RISK FACTORS, PREVENTATIVE MEASURES, DIAGNOSIS, TREATMENT, AND LIFESTYLE CHANGES FOR ALZHEIMER'S PATIENTS, THEIR FAMILIES, CAREGIVERS, THE PUBLIC, TARGETED GROUPS, AND THE MEDIA. THE PROGRAM ALSO ENSURES THAT THE PUBLIC AND MEDIA ARE AWARE OF AHAF-DONOR-FUNDED ALZHEIMER'S DISEASE RESEARCH AND THE LATEST SCIENTIFIC DEVELOPMENTS. ADR PROVIDES THIS INFORMATION THROUGH EALERTS, NEWSLETTERS, SOCIAL MEDIA, INFORMATIONAL PUBLICATIONS, AND TV AND RADIO PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENTS (PSAS). MEDICAL AND RESEARCH NEWS UPDATES ARE ROUTINELY POSTED ON THE AHAF WEBSITE AND DISSEMINATED THROUGH PRINT AND OTHER ELECTRONIC MEDIA.AHAF PROVIDES A NUMBER OF PATIENT EDUCATION MATERIALS IN PRINT AND PDF FORMATS. MOST POPULAR AMONG THESE PUBLICATIONS IS "LIVING WITH ALZHEIMER'S DISEASE," A 34-PAGE BOOKLET WITH INFORMATION INCLUDING RISK FACTORS AND MITIGATION, CAUSES AND TREATMENT OF THE DISEASE, COPING AND CAREGIVING STRATEGIES, FINANCIAL AND LEGAL PLANNING, AND RESOURCES FOR PATIENTS AND FAMILIES. OTHER MATERIALS INCLUDE:1. "UNDERSTANDING ALZHEIMER'S: IT'S NOT JUST FORGETFULNESS," 2. "CARE FOR THE CAREGIVER: MANAGING STRESS,"3. "SAFETY AND THE OLDER DRIVER,"4. "STAYING SAFE: WANDERING AND THE ALZHEIMER'S PATIENT." ADR PUBLICATIONS ARE AVAILABLE IN ENGLISH AND HAVE ALSO BEEN TRANSLATED BY NATIVE SPEAKERS FOR SPANISH AUDIENCES. ALL VERSIONS ARE ALL AVAILABLE IN PDF ON THE AHAF WEBSITE. AN ADR PSA, "UNDERSTANDING THIS DEBILITATING DISEASE," WAS PRODUCED IN ENGLISH AND SPANISH THIS FISCAL YEAR AND RAN NATIONWIDE ON TV AND RADIO. ADR EARNED $12,374,011 IN DONATED MEDIA SERVICES. DURING THE FOURTH QUARTER, AHAF SCIENTIFIC AFFAIRS STAFF PRESENTED ON ALZHEIMER'S DISEASE TO COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS IN MARYLAND. THE ADR NEWSLETTER WAS SENT TO THOUSANDS OF CONSTITUENTS TWICE THIS YEAR, AND INFORMATION ABOUT ALZHEIMER'S DISEASE WAS INCLUDED IN THREE EDITIONS OF THE AHAF INSIDER REPORT. THREE EDITIONS OF THE AHAF ENEWSLETTER, WHICH FOCUSES ON FIGHTING AGE-RELATED DISEASE AND INCLUDES INFORMATION ABOUT ALZHEIMER'S DISEASE, WERE DISTRIBUTED TO TENS OF THOUSANDS OF INTERESTED READERS. MORE THAN 244 ANSWERS TO ASK AN EXPERT QUESTIONS WERE PROVIDED DURING THE YEAR. THIS QUESTION-AND-ANSWER FORUM PROVIDES PROFESSIONALLY RESEARCHED ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS SUBMITTED TO AHAF. NEARLY 30 EALERTS ON ALZHEIMER'S DISEASE WERE SENT TO MEMBERS OF ADR'S OPT-IN DISTRIBUTION LIST. SEVERAL MESSAGES ON ALZHEIMER'S DISEASE WERE DISTRIBUTED WEEKLY THROUGHOUT THE YEAR ON AHAF'S SOCIAL MEDIA CHANNELS, ENGAGING THOUSANDS OF FOLLOWERS. ADR MAILED AWARENESS-RAISING MATERIALS ON ALZHEIMER'S DISEASE TO HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF HOUSEHOLDS, WITH MESSAGES FOCUSING ON: 1. SYMPTOM RECOGNITION AND STEPS THE PUBLIC SHOULD TAKE, SUCH AS MAKING AN APPOINTMENT WITH THE DOCTOR IF ANY OF THESE SYMPTOMS EXIST.2. LIFESTYLE CHOICES THAT PROMOTE GOOD HEALTH, ENCOURAGING READERS TO TAKE ACTION TO REDUCE THE LIKELIHOOD OF THE ONSET OF THE DISEASE; I.E. EXERCISE YOUR MIND BY PLAYING BOARD GAMES, CARDS, AND PUZZLES.3. RESEARCH RESULTS AND TREATMENTS AVAILABLE TO ADDRESS ALZHEIMER'S DISEASE.Description

Activity2 Activity2

FieldValueIRS element (for citing)
Expense2983739Expense
Grants1194397Grants
DescriptionMACULAR DEGENERATION RESEARCH (MDR) - THROUGH AN OUTREACH EFFORT IN KEY TRADE PUBLICATIONS AND INFORMATION DISTRIBUTION AT MAJOR CONFERENCES FOR EYE RESEARCHERS, MDR ENCOURAGES JUNIOR- AND SENIOR-LEVEL SCIENTISTS AROUND THE WORLD TO APPLY FOR ITS PRESTIGIOUS MACULAR DEGENERATION RESEARCH GRANT PROGRAM. MDR ANNUALLY OFFERS GRANTS TO SCIENTISTS THROUGH A SOPHISTICATED PEER-REVIEW PROCESS MANAGED BY THE MDR SCIENTIFIC REVIEW COMMITTEE. THIS GROUP OF THE FIELD'S LEADING SCIENTISTS BASE THESE DECISIONS ON SCIENTIFIC MERIT USING A SOPHISTICATED EVALUATION SYSTEM. DURING THE FISCAL YEAR ENDING MARCH 31, 2011, MDR AWARDED $1,194,397 IN GRANTS TO 12 RESEARCHERS. THE PROJECTS RANGE FROM STUDIES TO UNDERSTAND THE INFLUENCE OF RACIAL IDENTITY ON INCREASED RISK FOR MACULAR DEGENERATION TO THOSE AIMED AT DESIGNING NEW CELL-BASED THERAPIES TO TARGET AND ELIMINATES THE MOLECULAR CHANGES THAT LEAD TO MACULAR DEGENERATION. ADDITIONAL DETAILS ABOUT SPECIFIC PROJECTS ARE DETAILED IN SCHEDULES F & I. MDR DEVELOPED AND LAUNCHED THE CHILDREN'S CORNER FOR MACULAR DEGENERATION, A WEBSITE AIMED AT TEACHING CHILDREN ABOUT THE DEGENERATIVE DISEASE THROUGH STORIES, INTERACTIVE GAMES, AND SHARING ACTIVITIES. INFORMATION ABOUT THIS GREAT NEW RESOURCE WAS SHARED AMONG PUBLICS INTERESTED IN LOW VISION, INCLUDING TENS OF THOUSANDS OF OPTOMETRISTS AROUND THE COUNTRY. MDR PROACTIVELY DISSEMINATES INFORMATION TO THE PUBLIC DIRECTLY AND VIA THE MEDIA. THIS INCLUDES INFORMATION ON RISK FACTORS, PREVENTATIVE MEASURES, A DESCRIPTION OF AGE-RELATED MACULAR DEGENERATION, THE PROGRESSION OF THE DISEASE, AVAILABLE MEDICAL TREATMENTS, SUGGESTIONS FOR ADAPTING TO LOW VISION, AND NEW RESEARCH DEVELOPMENTS. MEDICAL AND RESEARCH NEWS UPDATES ON MACULAR DEGENERATION ARE ROUTINELY POSTED ON THE AHAF WEBSITE.MDR CONTINUED TO DISTRIBUTE HIGH QUALITY INFORMATIVE MATERIALS, INCLUDING "MACULAR DEGENERATION: THE ESSENTIAL FACTS," THE COMPREHENSIVE BOOKLET "LIVING WITH MACULAR DEGENERATION", "SAFETY AND THE OLDER DRIVER", AND THE "LOW VISION RESOURCE LIST". ALL MDR PUBLICATIONS ARE IN LARGE PRINT AND AVAILABLE IN PDF IN ENGLISH AND SPANISH ON THE AHAF WEBSITE. IN THIS PAST YEAR, THE WEBSITE WAS UPGRADED TO ENSURE ITS PRINTED PAGES ARE MORE READABLE. AN MDR PSA, "THERE IS HOPE THAT A CURE WILL BE FOUND" RAN NATIONWIDE IN ENGLISH AND SPANISH ON TV AND RADIO THIS FISCAL YEAR. MDR GENERATED $714,885 IN DONATED MEDIA SERVICES. ANOTHER PSA, FOCUSING ON THE CHILDREN'S CORNER FOR MACULAR DEGENERATION, WAS PRODUCED IN THIS FISCAL YEAR AND WILL AIR IN THE MONTHS AHEAD. TWO EDITIONS OF THE MDR NEWSLETTER WERE SENT TO INTERESTED CONSTITUENTS. THE AHAF INSIDER REPORT, WHICH INCLUDED INFORMATION ABOUT MACULAR DEGENERATION, WAS DISTRIBUTED THREE TIMES THIS YEAR. THREE EDITIONS OF THE AHAF ENEWSLETTER, WHICH FOCUSES ON FIGHTING AGE-RELATED DISEASE AND INCLUDES INFORMATION ABOUT MACULAR DEGENERATION, WERE DISTRIBUTED TO TENS OF THOUSANDS OF INTERESTED READERS. MORE THAN 200 ANSWERS TO ASK AN EXPERT QUESTIONS ON MACULAR DEGENERATION WERE PROVIDED VIA EMAIL AND ON THE AHAF WEBSITE DURING THE YEAR. NEARLY 20 EALERTS WERE SENT TO MEMBERS OF THE MACULAR DEGENERATION OPT-IN DISTRIBUTION LIST. EACH WEEK AHAF DISTRIBUTED A RANGE OF MESSAGES ON MACULAR DEGENERATION USING ITS SOCIAL MEDIA CHANNELS, ENGAGING THOUSANDS OF FOLLOWERS. MDR MAILED AWARENESS-RAISING MATERIALS ON MACULAR DEGENERATION TO TENS OF THOUSANDS OF HOUSEHOLDS, WITH HIGHLIGHTED MESSAGES INCLUDING: 1. IDENTIFYING SYMPTOMS AND RECOMMENDING STEPS THE PUBLIC CAN TAKE, SUCH AS GETTING COMPREHENSIVE EYE EXAMS REGULARLY.2. LIFESTYLE CHOICES THAT PROMOTE GOOD HEALTH AND REDUCE THE LIKELIHOOD OF DISEASE, LIKE EATING AN "EYE HEALTHY" DIET.3. CURRENT RESEARCH AND THE PREVENTATIVE MEASURES THAT CAN BE TAKEN TO HELP REDUCE THE RISK OF MACULAR DEGENERATION.Description

Activity3 Activity3

FieldValueIRS element (for citing)
Expense1474514Expense
Grants1000000Grants
DescriptionNATIONAL GLAUCOMA RESEARCH (NGR) - NGR GRANTS ARE AVAILABLE TO GLAUCOMA RESEARCHERS WORLDWIDE. NGR PLACES SPECIAL EMPHASIS ON ENCOURAGING APPLICATIONS FROM YOUNG SCIENTISTS AND THOSE WITH CUTTING-EDGE IDEAS. ANNUAL GRANT APPLICATIONS ARE PEER-REVIEWED, AND RECIPIENT SELECTIONS ARE BASED ON SCIENTIFIC MERIT. DURING THE FISCAL YEAR ENDING MARCH 31, 2011, NGR AWARDED $1,000,000 IN GRANTS TO 10 RESEARCHERS. THE PROJECTS RANGE FROM EXAMINATIONS OF THE ROOTS OF GLAUCOMA IN THE BRAIN TO STUDIES DESIGNED TO ALLEVIATE THE BUILDUP OF PRESSURE WITHIN THE EYE, A DOCUMENTED RISK FACTOR FOR GLAUCOMA. ADDITIONAL DETAILS ABOUT SPECIFIC PROJECTS ARE DETAILED IN SCHEDULES F & I.THE NGR COMMUNICATIONS OUTREACH PROGRAM ENCOURAGES PEOPLE TO TAKE PREVENTATIVE MEASURES (E.G., SCHEDULING REGULAR EYE EXAMS) AND TO UNDERSTAND RISK FACTORS AND SYMPTOMS. IT ALSO PROVIDES INFORMATION ON TREATMENTS AND RESOURCES FOR ADJUSTING TO LOW VISION. IN ADDITION, REGULAR UPDATES ON CURRENT GLAUCOMA RESEARCH AND THE LATEST STUDY RESULTS ARE DISSEMINATED TO THE PUBLIC DIRECTLY AND THROUGH THE WEB AND THE MEDIA. AS A CURATOR OF CRITICAL NEWS IN THE FIELD, NGR DISTRIBUTED 11 EALERTS TO PEOPLE INTERESTED IN GLAUCOMA RESEARCH IN THIS FISCAL YEAR. NGR RESPONDED TO 180 ASK AN EXPERT QUESTIONS, SENDING EMAILS DIRECTLY TO THE INQUIRERS AND POSTING ANSWERS ON THE WEBSITE FOR ALL TO SEE. TWO NGR PUBLICATIONS- "ESSENTIAL FACTS ON GLAUCOMA" AND "LIVING WITH GLAUCOMA" -CONTINUE TO BE IN GREAT DEMAND. OTHER POPULAR PUBLICATIONS INCLUDE "SAFETY AND THE OLDER DRIVER" AND THE "LOW VISION RESOURCE LIST". ALL NGR PUBLICATIONS ARE IN LARGE PRINT AND AVAILABLE IN PDF IN ENGLISH AND SPANISH ON THE AHAF WEBSITE. THREE EDITIONS OF THE NGR NEWSLETTER WERE MAILED TO READERS DURING THE YEAR, AND INFORMATION ABOUT GLAUCOMA WAS INCLUDED IN TWO EDITIONS OF THE AHAF INSIDER REPORT. THESE PUBLICATIONS ARE AVAILABLE ON THE AHAF WEBSITE AS WELL. WITH ONE OF THE MOST ACTIVE SOCIAL MEDIA FOLLOWINGS IN THE GLAUCOMA FIELD, NGR COMMUNICATED NEWS AND INFORMATION SEVERAL TIMES EACH WEEK VIA THESE NETWORKING CHANNELS. AHAF DEVELOPED A PSA THIS FISCAL YEAR TITLED "YOU HAVE QUESTIONS; WE HAVE ANSWERS". PRODUCED IN ENGLISH AND SPANISH, VERSIONS WERE DISTRIBUTED AND AIRED NATIONWIDE ON TV, RADIO, AND THE INTERNET. NGR GENERATED $6,449,712 IN DONATED MEDIA SERVICES. IN ADDITION TO THESE PRODUCED SEGMENTS, NGR WROTE AND DISTRIBUTED RADIO SCRIPT PSAS IN JANUARY AND FEBRUARY OF 2011, WHICH RAN ON STATIONS AROUND THE COUNTRY. NGR CREATED A SERIES OF SEVEN VIDEOS DESCRIBING GLAUCOMA RISK FACTORS, SYMPTOMS, DIAGNOSIS, TREATMENTS, LIFESTYLE CHANGES, AND RESEARCH. THESE VIDEOS, PRODUCED WITH THE MONKEYSEE NETWORK, ARE AVAILABLE THROUGH DOZENS OF ONLINE OUTLETS AS WELL AS THE AHAF SITE AND YOUTUBE. NGR MAILED AWARENESS-RAISING MATERIALS ON GLAUCOMA TO TENS OF THOUSANDS OF HOUSEHOLDS, FOCUSING ON: 1. SYMPTOM RECOGNITION, URGING PEOPLE TO SCHEDULE AN EYE EXAMINATION IF ANY OF THESE SYMPTOMS EXIST.2. LIFESTYLE CHOICES THAT PROMOTE GOOD HEALTH AND STEPS THE PUBLIC CAN TAKE TO REDUCE THE LIKELIHOOD OF THE ONSET OF THE DISEASE; I.E. EAT AN "EYE HEALTHY" DIET.3. TREATMENTS AND MEDICINES TO CONTROL THE DISEASE AND ANY ACTIONS THAT CAN BE TAKEN TO ASSIST PEOPLE LIVING WITH GLAUCOMA AND THEIR FAMILIES.Description
FieldValueIRS element (for citing)
Total Program Service Expense13813003TotalProgramServiceExpense
Described In501 C31DescribedIn501C3
Schedule B Required1ScheduleBRequired
Political Activities0PoliticalActivities
Lobbying Activities0LobbyingActivities
Donor Advised Funds0DonorAdvisedFunds
Conservation Easements0ConservationEasements
Collections Of Art0CollectionsOfArt
Credit Counseling0CreditCounseling
Term Or Permanent Endowments1TermOrPermanentEndowments
Report Land Bldg Equip1ReportLandBldgEquip
Report Invest Oth Securities1ReportInvestOthSecurities
Report Prog Rel Invest0ReportProgRelInvest
Report Other Assets0ReportOtherAssets
Report Other Liabilities1ReportOtherLiabilities
Report Fin48 Footnote1ReportFin48Footnote
Independent Audit Financial Stmt1IndependentAuditFinancialStmt
Consolidated Audit Financial Stmt0ConsolidatedAuditFinancialStmt
School0School
Foreign Office0ForeignOffice
Foreign Activities1ForeignActivities
More Than5000 K To Organizations1MoreThan5000KToOrganizations
More Than5000 K To Individuals0MoreThan5000KToIndividuals
Professional Fundraising1ProfessionalFundraising
Fundraising Activities1FundraisingActivities
Gaming0Gaming
Hospital0Hospital
Grants To Organizations1GrantsToOrganizations
Grants To Individuals0GrantsToIndividuals
Schedule J Required1ScheduleJRequired
Tax Exempt Bonds0TaxExemptBonds
Excess Benefit Transaction0ExcessBenefitTransaction
Prior Excess Benefit Transaction0PriorExcessBenefitTransaction
Loan To Officer Or DQP0LoanToOfficerOrDQP
Grant To Related Person0GrantToRelatedPerson
Bsnss Rltnshp With Organization0BsnssRltnshpWithOrganization
Bsnss Rltnshp Thru Family Member0BsnssRltnshpThruFamilyMember
Officer Entity With Bsnss Rltnshp0OfficerEntityWithBsnssRltnshp
Deductible Non Cash Contributions1DeductibleNonCashContributions
Deductible Contributions Of Art0DeductibleContributionsOfArt
Terminated0Terminated
Partial Liquidation0PartialLiquidation
Disregarded Entity1DisregardedEntity
Related Entity0RelatedEntity
Related Org Controlled Entity0RelatedOrgControlledEntity
Transaction Related Entity0TransactionRelatedEntity
Transfers To Exempt Non Chrtbl Org0TransfersToExemptNonChrtblOrg
Activities Conducted Partnership0ActivitiesConductedPartnership
Schedule O Required1ScheduleORequired
Number Forms Transmitted With1096224NumberFormsTransmittedWith1096
Number W2 G Included0NumberW2GIncluded
Compliance With Backup Witholding1ComplianceWithBackupWitholding
Number Of Employees49NumberOfEmployees
Employment Tax Returns Filed1EmploymentTaxReturnsFiled
Unrelated Business Income0UnrelatedBusinessIncome
Foreign Financial Account0ForeignFinancialAccount
Prohibited Tax Shelter Trans0ProhibitedTaxShelterTrans
Taxable Party Notification0TaxablePartyNotification
Non Deductible Contributions0NonDeductibleContributions
Quid Pro Quo Contributions1QuidProQuoContributions
Quid Pro Quo Disclosure1QuidProQuoDisclosure
Form8282 Property Disposed Of0Form8282PropertyDisposedOf
Funds To Pay Premiums0FundsToPayPremiums
Premiums Paid0PremiumsPaid
Indoor Tanning Services0IndoorTanningServices
Info In Schedule O Part VIXInfoInScheduleOPartVI
Nbr Voting Governing Body Members9NbrVotingGoverningBodyMembers
Number Independent Voting Members9NumberIndependentVotingMembers
Family Or Business Relationship0FamilyOrBusinessRelationship
Delegation Of Management Duties0DelegationOfManagementDuties
Changes To Organizing Docs0ChangesToOrganizingDocs
Material Diversion Or Misuse0MaterialDiversionOrMisuse
Members Or Stockholders0MembersOrStockholders
Election Of Board Members0ElectionOfBoardMembers
Decisions Subject To Approval0DecisionsSubjectToApproval
Minutes Of Governing Body1MinutesOfGoverningBody
Minutes Of Committees1MinutesOfCommittees
Officer Mailing Address0OfficerMailingAddress
Local Chapters0LocalChapters
Form990 Provided To Governing Body1Form990ProvidedToGoverningBody
Conflict Of Interest Policy1ConflictOfInterestPolicy
Annual Disclosure Covered Persons1AnnualDisclosureCoveredPersons
Regular Monitoring Enforcement1RegularMonitoringEnforcement
Whistleblower Policy1WhistleblowerPolicy
Document Retention Policy1DocumentRetentionPolicy
Compensation Process CEO1CompensationProcessCEO
Compensation Process Other0CompensationProcessOther
Investment In Joint Venture0InvestmentInJointVenture
States Where Copy Of Return Is FiledAKStatesWhereCopyOfReturnIsFiled
States Where Copy Of Return Is FiledALStatesWhereCopyOfReturnIsFiled
States Where Copy Of Return Is FiledARStatesWhereCopyOfReturnIsFiled
States Where Copy Of Return Is FiledAZStatesWhereCopyOfReturnIsFiled
States Where Copy Of Return Is FiledCAStatesWhereCopyOfReturnIsFiled
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States Where Copy Of Return Is FiledFLStatesWhereCopyOfReturnIsFiled
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States Where Copy Of Return Is FiledKYStatesWhereCopyOfReturnIsFiled
States Where Copy Of Return Is FiledMEStatesWhereCopyOfReturnIsFiled
States Where Copy Of Return Is FiledMDStatesWhereCopyOfReturnIsFiled
States Where Copy Of Return Is FiledMAStatesWhereCopyOfReturnIsFiled
States Where Copy Of Return Is FiledMIStatesWhereCopyOfReturnIsFiled
States Where Copy Of Return Is FiledMNStatesWhereCopyOfReturnIsFiled
States Where Copy Of Return Is FiledMSStatesWhereCopyOfReturnIsFiled
States Where Copy Of Return Is FiledNHStatesWhereCopyOfReturnIsFiled
States Where Copy Of Return Is FiledNJStatesWhereCopyOfReturnIsFiled
States Where Copy Of Return Is FiledNMStatesWhereCopyOfReturnIsFiled
States Where Copy Of Return Is FiledNYStatesWhereCopyOfReturnIsFiled
States Where Copy Of Return Is FiledNCStatesWhereCopyOfReturnIsFiled
States Where Copy Of Return Is FiledNDStatesWhereCopyOfReturnIsFiled
States Where Copy Of Return Is FiledOHStatesWhereCopyOfReturnIsFiled
States Where Copy Of Return Is FiledOKStatesWhereCopyOfReturnIsFiled
States Where Copy Of Return Is FiledORStatesWhereCopyOfReturnIsFiled
States Where Copy Of Return Is FiledPAStatesWhereCopyOfReturnIsFiled
States Where Copy Of Return Is FiledRIStatesWhereCopyOfReturnIsFiled
States Where Copy Of Return Is FiledSCStatesWhereCopyOfReturnIsFiled
States Where Copy Of Return Is FiledTNStatesWhereCopyOfReturnIsFiled
States Where Copy Of Return Is FiledUTStatesWhereCopyOfReturnIsFiled
States Where Copy Of Return Is FiledVAStatesWhereCopyOfReturnIsFiled
States Where Copy Of Return Is FiledWAStatesWhereCopyOfReturnIsFiled
States Where Copy Of Return Is FiledWVStatesWhereCopyOfReturnIsFiled
States Where Copy Of Return Is FiledWIStatesWhereCopyOfReturnIsFiled
Own WebsiteXOwnWebsite
Upon RequestXUponRequest

The Books Are In Care Of TheBooksAreInCareOf

Name Business NameBusiness

FieldValueIRS element (for citing)
Business Name Line1DAVID F MARKS CPA CMA VP FIN & ADMINBusinessNameLine1
FieldValueIRS element (for citing)
Telephone Number3019483244TelephoneNumber

Address US AddressUS

FieldValueIRS element (for citing)
Address Line122512 GATEWAY CENTER DRIVEAddressLine1
CityCLARKSBURGCity
StateMDState
ZIP Code20871ZIPCode

Form990 Part VII Section A Form990PartVIISectionA (14 entries)

TitleTitleAverage Hours Per WeekAverageHoursPerWeekIndividual Trustee Or DirectorIndividualTrusteeOrDirectorOfficerOfficerReportable Comp From OrganizationReportableCompFromOrganizationReportable Comp From Related OrgsReportableCompFromRelatedOrgsOther CompensationOtherCompensationHighest Compensated EmployeeHighestCompensatedEmployee
BRIAN K REGAN PHD
CHAIRMAN10.00XX000
JONATHAN RICE ESQ
VICE CHAIRMAN4.00XX000
NICHOLAS W RAYMOND
TREASURER12.00XX000
MICHAEL H BARNETT ESQ
SECRETARY3.00XX000
SCOTT RODGVILLE CPA
ASSIST. TREASURER3.00XX000
GRACE FRISONE
ASSIST. SECRETARY10.00XX000
DIANE MARCELLO
DIRECTOR3.00X000
HENRY POWNALL PHD
DIRECTOR2.00X000
HON GORDON STRAUSS
DIRECTOR - UNTIL 4/101.00X000
ELTJO R ED SCHOONVELD
DIRECTOR8.00X000
STACY PAGOS HALLER
PRESIDENT/CEO55.00X245304029869
DONNA CALLISON
VP, DEVELOPMENT45.00117036014707X
GUY EAKIN PH D
VP, SCIENTIFIC AFFAIRS45.00115059048250X
DAVID F MARKS CPA CMA
VP, FINANCE & ADMINISTRATION45.00141144042305X
FieldValueIRS element (for citing)
Total Reportable Comp From Org618543TotalReportableCompFromOrg
Total Reportable Comp Frm Rltd Orgs0TotalReportableCompFrmRltdOrgs
Total Other Compensation135131TotalOtherCompensation
Number Individuals GT100 K4NumberIndividualsGT100K
Formers Listed0FormersListed
Total Comp GT150 K1TotalCompGT150K
Compensation From Other Sources0CompensationFromOtherSources

Contractor Compensation ContractorCompensation (5 entries)

Address Line1AddressOfContractor/AddressUS/AddressLine1CityAddressOfContractor/AddressUS/CityStateAddressOfContractor/AddressUS/StateZIP CodeAddressOfContractor/AddressUS/ZIPCodeDescription Of ServicesDescriptionOfServicesCompensationCompensation
SCA DIRECT INC
11208 WAPLES MILL RD SUITE 106FAIRFAXVA22030DIRECT MAIL CONSULTING1069573
IMAGE DIRECT
4600 WEDGEWOOD BLVD UNIT NFREDERICKMD21703MAILSHOP AND PRINTING926173
QUAD GRAPHICS INC
555 SOUTH 108TH STREETWEST ALLISWI53214MAILSHOP AND PRINTING895186
BOWERS ENVELOPE CO
5331 N TACOMA AVENUEINDIANAPOLISIN46220PRINTING711237
COMMONWEALTH LISTS
11200 WAPLES MILL RD SUITE 150FAIRFAXVA22030LIST RENTAL AND EXCHANGE570748
FieldValueIRS element (for citing)
Number Of Contractors GT100 K15NumberOfContractorsGT100K
Federated Campaigns17779FederatedCampaigns
Fundraising Events40642FundraisingEvents
All Other Contributions18202641AllOtherContributions
Noncash Contributions25820NoncashContributions
Total Contributions18261062TotalContributions

Investment Income InvestmentIncome

FieldValueIRS element (for citing)
Total Revenue Column667637TotalRevenueColumn
Exclusion$667,637ExclusionAmount

Royalties Revenue RoyaltiesRevenue

FieldValueIRS element (for citing)
Total Revenue Column211840TotalRevenueColumn
Exclusion$211,840ExclusionAmount

Gross Rents GrossRents

FieldValueIRS element (for citing)
Real563762Real

Less Rental Expenses LessRentalExpenses

FieldValueIRS element (for citing)
Real43988Real

Rental Income Or Loss RentalIncomeOrLoss

FieldValueIRS element (for citing)
Real519774Real

Net Rental Income Or Loss NetRentalIncomeOrLoss

FieldValueIRS element (for citing)
Total Revenue Column519774TotalRevenueColumn
Exclusion$519,774ExclusionAmount

Gross Amount Sales Assets GrossAmountSalesAssets

FieldValueIRS element (for citing)
Securities33751756Securities

Less Cost Oth Basis Sales Expenses LessCostOthBasisSalesExpenses

FieldValueIRS element (for citing)
Securities31843928Securities

Gain Or Loss GainOrLoss

FieldValueIRS element (for citing)
Securities1907828Securities

Net Gain Or Loss Investments NetGainOrLossInvestments

FieldValueIRS element (for citing)
Total Revenue Column1907828TotalRevenueColumn
Exclusion$1,907,828ExclusionAmount
FieldValueIRS element (for citing)
Gross Income Fundraising Events13580GrossIncomeFundraisingEvents
Cntrbtns Rprtd Fundraising Events40642CntrbtnsRprtdFundraisingEvents
Fundraising Direct Expenses38771FundraisingDirectExpenses

Net Income From Fundraising Events NetIncomeFromFundraisingEvents

FieldValueIRS element (for citing)
Total Revenue Column-25191TotalRevenueColumn
Exclusion-$25,191ExclusionAmount

Other Revenue Misc OtherRevenueMisc

FieldValueIRS element (for citing)
DescriptionOTHER REVENUEDescription
Business Code900099BusinessCode
Total Revenue Column14TotalRevenueColumn
Exclusion$14ExclusionAmount
FieldValueIRS element (for citing)
Total Other Revenue14TotalOtherRevenue

Total Revenue TotalRevenue

FieldValueIRS element (for citing)
Total Revenue Column21542964TotalRevenueColumn
Related Or Exempt Function Income0RelatedOrExemptFunctionIncome
Unrelated Business Revenue0UnrelatedBusinessRevenue
Exclusion$3,281,902ExclusionAmount

Grants To Domestic Orgs GrantsToDomesticOrgs

FieldValueIRS element (for citing)
Total4899648Total
Program Services4899648ProgramServices

Foreign Grants ForeignGrants

FieldValueIRS element (for citing)
Total694561Total
Program Services694561ProgramServices

Comp Current Officers Directors CompCurrentOfficersDirectors

FieldValueIRS element (for citing)
Total319443Total
Program Services159722ProgramServices
Management And General95833ManagementAndGeneral
Fundraising63888Fundraising

Other Salaries And Wages OtherSalariesAndWages

FieldValueIRS element (for citing)
Total1956699Total
Program Services899820ProgramServices
Management And General588845ManagementAndGeneral
Fundraising468034Fundraising

Pension Plan Contributions PensionPlanContributions

FieldValueIRS element (for citing)
Total266749Total
Program Services98335ProgramServices
Management And General88898ManagementAndGeneral
Fundraising79516Fundraising

Other Employee Benefits OtherEmployeeBenefits

FieldValueIRS element (for citing)
Total435901Total
Program Services155516ProgramServices
Management And General139198ManagementAndGeneral
Fundraising141187Fundraising

Payroll Taxes PayrollTaxes

FieldValueIRS element (for citing)
Total178352Total
Program Services74206ProgramServices
Management And General58734ManagementAndGeneral
Fundraising45412Fundraising

Fees For Services Legal FeesForServicesLegal

FieldValueIRS element (for citing)
Total56722Total
Program Services7365ProgramServices
Management And General49357ManagementAndGeneral

Fees For Services Accounting FeesForServicesAccounting

FieldValueIRS element (for citing)
Total105263Total
Program Services37982ProgramServices
Management And General30112ManagementAndGeneral
Fundraising37169Fundraising

Fees For Services Prof Fundraising FeesForServicesProfFundraising

FieldValueIRS element (for citing)
Total476168Total
Fundraising476168Fundraising

Fees For Services Invst Mgmnt Fees FeesForServicesInvstMgmntFees

FieldValueIRS element (for citing)
Total105733Total
Management And General105733ManagementAndGeneral

Fees For Services Other FeesForServicesOther

FieldValueIRS element (for citing)
Total667225Total
Program Services574654ProgramServices
Management And General45309ManagementAndGeneral
Fundraising47262Fundraising

Office Expenses OfficeExpenses

FieldValueIRS element (for citing)
Total482964Total
Program Services196121ProgramServices
Management And General181722ManagementAndGeneral
Fundraising105121Fundraising

Information Technology InformationTechnology

FieldValueIRS element (for citing)
Total577478Total
Program Services305851ProgramServices
Management And General149711ManagementAndGeneral
Fundraising121916Fundraising

Occupancy Occupancy

FieldValueIRS element (for citing)
Total349143Total
Program Services162987ProgramServices
Management And General115009ManagementAndGeneral
Fundraising71147Fundraising

Travel Travel

FieldValueIRS element (for citing)
Total134649Total
Program Services81116ProgramServices
Management And General24529ManagementAndGeneral
Fundraising29004Fundraising

Conferences Meetings ConferencesMeetings

FieldValueIRS element (for citing)
Total131981Total
Program Services123578ProgramServices
Management And General3850ManagementAndGeneral
Fundraising4553Fundraising

Depreciation Depletion DepreciationDepletion

FieldValueIRS element (for citing)
Total273219Total
Program Services126145ProgramServices
Management And General86452ManagementAndGeneral
Fundraising60622Fundraising

Insurance Insurance

FieldValueIRS element (for citing)
Total53314Total
Program Services33527ProgramServices
Management And General19787ManagementAndGeneral

Other Expenses OtherExpenses (5 entries)

DescriptionDescriptionTotalTotalProgram ServicesProgramServicesManagement And GeneralManagementAndGeneralFundraisingFundraising
DIRECT MAIL POSTAGE361218620062851926621413239
DIRECT MAIL PRINT/PUBL.276960115318281279371109836
DIRECT MAIL COMP./MAILS138417978943773648521094
DIRECT MAIL CONSULTING64808259093057152
MAILING LIST RENTAL52038426338934588222407

Total Functional Expenses TotalFunctionalExpenses

FieldValueIRS element (for citing)
Total21099644Total
Program Services13813003ProgramServices
Management And General2269066ManagementAndGeneral
Fundraising5017575Fundraising
FieldValueIRS element (for citing)
Joint CostsXJointCosts

Total Joint Costs TotalJointCosts

FieldValueIRS element (for citing)
Total9394999Total
Program Services5181869ProgramServices
Management And General485987ManagementAndGeneral
Fundraising3727143Fundraising

Cash Non Interest Bearing CashNonInterestBearing

FieldValueIRS element (for citing)
BOY5535237BOY
EOY3151374EOY

Savings And Temp Cash Investments SavingsAndTempCashInvestments

FieldValueIRS element (for citing)
BOY917491BOY
EOY481803EOY

Pledges And Grants Receivable PledgesAndGrantsReceivable

FieldValueIRS element (for citing)
BOY3382454BOY
EOY2575645EOY

Other Notes Loans Receivable Net OtherNotesLoansReceivableNet

FieldValueIRS element (for citing)
BOY388680BOY
EOY316096EOY

Inventories For Sale Or Use InventoriesForSaleOrUse

FieldValueIRS element (for citing)
BOY203848BOY
EOY134231EOY

Prepaid Expenses Deferred Charges PrepaidExpensesDeferredCharges

FieldValueIRS element (for citing)
BOY169705BOY
EOY90659EOY
FieldValueIRS element (for citing)
Land Buildings Equipment Basis11038055LandBuildingsEquipmentBasis
Land Bldg Equipment Accum Deprec2153265LandBldgEquipmentAccumDeprec

Land Buildings Equipment Basis Net LandBuildingsEquipmentBasisNet

FieldValueIRS element (for citing)
BOY8920355BOY
EOY8884790EOY

Investments Pub Traded Securities InvestmentsPubTradedSecurities

FieldValueIRS element (for citing)
BOY18646572BOY
EOY18659162EOY

Investments Other Securities InvestmentsOtherSecurities

FieldValueIRS element (for citing)
BOY775876BOY
EOY2580114EOY

Other Assets Total OtherAssetsTotal

FieldValueIRS element (for citing)
BOY873158BOY
EOY876256EOY

Total Assets TotalAssets

FieldValueIRS element (for citing)
BOY39813376BOY
EOY37750130EOY

Accounts Payable Accrued Expenses AccountsPayableAccruedExpenses

FieldValueIRS element (for citing)
BOY965669BOY
EOY1003163EOY

Grants Payable GrantsPayable

FieldValueIRS element (for citing)
BOY12513554BOY
EOY11181827EOY

Tax Exempt Bond Liabilities TaxExemptBondLiabilities

FieldValueIRS element (for citing)
BOY1560000BOY
EOY1310000EOY

Other Liabilities OtherLiabilities

FieldValueIRS element (for citing)
BOY1611940BOY
EOY1618631EOY

Total Liabilities TotalLiabilities

FieldValueIRS element (for citing)
BOY16651163BOY
EOY15113621EOY
FieldValueIRS element (for citing)
Follow SFAS117XFollowSFAS117

Unrestricted Net Assets UnrestrictedNetAssets

FieldValueIRS element (for citing)
BOY9173838BOY
EOY10772583EOY

Temporarily Restricted Net Assets TemporarilyRestrictedNetAssets

FieldValueIRS element (for citing)
BOY13898375BOY
EOY11773926EOY

Permanently Restricted Net Assets PermanentlyRestrictedNetAssets

FieldValueIRS element (for citing)
BOY90000BOY
EOY90000EOY

Total Net Assets Fund Balances TotalNetAssetsFundBalances

FieldValueIRS element (for citing)
BOY23162213BOY
EOY22636509EOY

Total Liab Net Assets Fund Balances TotalLiabNetAssetsFundBalances

FieldValueIRS element (for citing)
BOY39813376BOY
EOY37750130EOY
FieldValueIRS element (for citing)
Info In Schedule O Part XIXInfoInScheduleOPartXI
Reconcilation Revenue Expenses443320ReconcilationRevenueExpenses
Reconcilation Other Changes-969024ReconcilationOtherChanges
Method Of Accounting AccrualXMethodOfAccountingAccrual
Accountant Compile Or Review0AccountantCompileOrReview
FS Audited1FSAudited
Audit Committee1AuditCommittee
Financial Statement SeparateXFinancialStatementSeparate
Federal Grant Audit Required0FederalGrantAuditRequired

Schedule A IRS990ScheduleA

FieldValueIRS element (for citing)
Publicly Supported Org170b1 AviXPubliclySupportedOrg170b1Avi

Gifts Grants Contrib Received170 GiftsGrantsContribReceived170

FieldValueIRS element (for citing)
Current Tax Year Minus4 Years22632738CurrentTaxYearMinus4Years
Current Tax Year Minus3 Years20785323CurrentTaxYearMinus3Years
Current Tax Year Minus2 Years19950796CurrentTaxYearMinus2Years
Current Tax Year Minus1 Year21879337CurrentTaxYearMinus1Year
Current Tax Year18261062CurrentTaxYear
Total103509256Total

Total170 Total170

FieldValueIRS element (for citing)
Current Tax Year Minus4 Years22632738CurrentTaxYearMinus4Years
Current Tax Year Minus3 Years20785323CurrentTaxYearMinus3Years
Current Tax Year Minus2 Years19950796CurrentTaxYearMinus2Years
Current Tax Year Minus1 Year21879337CurrentTaxYearMinus1Year
Current Tax Year18261062CurrentTaxYear
Total103509256Total
FieldValueIRS element (for citing)
Public Support Total170103509256PublicSupportTotal170

Gross Investment Income170 GrossInvestmentIncome170

FieldValueIRS element (for citing)
Current Tax Year Minus4 Years1758955CurrentTaxYearMinus4Years
Current Tax Year Minus3 Years1716212CurrentTaxYearMinus3Years
Current Tax Year Minus2 Years1512451CurrentTaxYearMinus2Years
Current Tax Year Minus1 Year1572008CurrentTaxYearMinus1Year
Current Tax Year1443239CurrentTaxYear
Total8002865Total

Other Income170 OtherIncome170

FieldValueIRS element (for citing)
Current Tax Year Minus4 Years9834CurrentTaxYearMinus4Years
Current Tax Year Minus3 Years14798CurrentTaxYearMinus3Years
Current Tax Year Minus2 Years2303CurrentTaxYearMinus2Years
Current Tax Year Minus1 Year1132CurrentTaxYearMinus1Year
Current Tax Year14CurrentTaxYear
Total28081Total
FieldValueIRS element (for citing)
Total Support111540202TotalSupport
Gross Receipts From Admissions Etc13580GrossReceiptsFromAdmissionsEtc
Public Support Pertcentage1700.92800PublicSupportPertcentage170
Public Support Pertcent Prior Year0.93160PublicSupportPertcentPriorYear
Thirty Three Percnt Tests CY170XThirtyThreePercntTestsCY170

Schedule B IRS990ScheduleB

Contributor Info ContributorInfo

FieldValueIRS element (for citing)
Contributor NumberRESTRICTEDContributorNumber

Contributor Name Business ContributorNameBusiness

FieldValueIRS element (for citing)
Business Name Line1RESTRICTEDBusinessNameLine1

Contributor Address US ContributorAddressUS

FieldValueIRS element (for citing)
Address Line1RESTRICTEDAddressLine1
Address Line2RESTRICTEDAddressLine2
CityRESTRICTEDCity
StateRESTRICTEDState
ZIP CodeRESTRICTEDZIPCode
FieldValueIRS element (for citing)
Aggregate ContributionsRESTRICTEDAggregateContributions

Schedule D IRS990ScheduleD

Current Year CurrentYear

FieldValueIRS element (for citing)
Beginning Of Year Balance90000BeginningOfYearBalance
Contributions3792Contributions
Other Expenditures3792OtherExpenditures
End Of Year Balance90000EndOfYearBalance

Current Year Minus1 Year CurrentYearMinus1Year

FieldValueIRS element (for citing)
Beginning Of Year Balance90000BeginningOfYearBalance
Contributions3715Contributions
Other Expenditures3715OtherExpenditures
End Of Year Balance90000EndOfYearBalance

Current Year Minus2 Years CurrentYearMinus2Years

FieldValueIRS element (for citing)
Beginning Of Year Balance90000BeginningOfYearBalance
Contributions4009Contributions
Other Expenditures4009OtherExpenditures
End Of Year Balance90000EndOfYearBalance
FieldValueIRS element (for citing)
Permanent Endowment EOY Balance1.00000PermanentEndowmentEOYBalance
Endowments Held By Unrelated Orgs0EndowmentsHeldByUnrelatedOrgs
Endowments Held By Related Orgs0EndowmentsHeldByRelatedOrgs

Land Land

FieldValueIRS element (for citing)
Investment Cost Or Other Basis2800000InvestmentCostOrOtherBasis
Other Cost Or Other Basis1147363OtherCostOrOtherBasis
Book Value3947363BookValue

Buildings Buildings

FieldValueIRS element (for citing)
Investment Cost Or Other Basis1629400InvestmentCostOrOtherBasis
Other Cost Or Other Basis4533166OtherCostOrOtherBasis
Depreciation1499691Depreciation
Book Value4662875BookValue

Equipment Equipment

FieldValueIRS element (for citing)
Other Cost Or Other Basis733854OtherCostOrOtherBasis
Depreciation475825Depreciation
Book Value258029BookValue

Other Land Buildings OtherLandBuildings

FieldValueIRS element (for citing)
Other Cost Or Other Basis194272OtherCostOrOtherBasis
Depreciation177749Depreciation
Book Value16523BookValue
FieldValueIRS element (for citing)
Total Of Book Value Land Buildings8884790TotalOfBookValueLandBuildings

Other Securities OtherSecurities (3 entries)

DescriptionDescriptionBook ValueBookValueMethod Of ValuationMethodOfValuation
ALTERNATIVE INVESTMENTS - PARTNERSHIP849950F
CHARITABLE LEAD AND REMAINDER TRUSTS1640164F
PERPETUAL TRUST90000F
FieldValueIRS element (for citing)
Total Of Book Value Securities2580114TotalOfBookValueSecurities

Other Liabilities OtherLiabilities (4 entries)

DescriptionDescriptionAmountAmount
CHARITABLE GIFT ANNUITIES$1,443,362
RENTAL DEPOSITS$25,000
INTEREST RATE SWAP LIABILITY$21,806
CAPITAL LEASE OBLIGATIONS$128,463
FieldValueIRS element (for citing)
Total Of Amounts1618631TotalOfAmounts
Total Revenue21542964TotalRevenue
Total Expenses21099644TotalExpenses
Excess Or Deficit For Year443320ExcessOrDeficitForYear
Net Unrealized GL On Investments-1015819NetUnrealizedGLOnInvestments
Other$46,795OtherAmount
Total Adjustments-969024TotalAdjustments
Excess Or Deficit Per FS-525704ExcessOrDeficitPerFS
Tot Revenue Etc Audited Fincl Stmt40082707TotRevenueEtcAuditedFinclStmt
Net Unrealized Gains Investments-1015819NetUnrealizedGainsInvestments
Donated Srvc And Use Of Facilities19538608DonatedSrvcAndUseOfFacilities
Recoveries Of Prior Year Grants80908RecoveriesOfPriorYearGrants
Revenue Not Rptd F99018603697RevenueNotRptdF990
Revenue Subtotal21479010RevenueSubtotal
Investment Expenses Not Included105733InvestmentExpensesNotIncluded
Other Revenues Not Included-41779OtherRevenuesNotIncluded
Revenue Not Rptd On Fin Stmt63954RevenueNotRptdOnFinStmt
Total Revenue Per Form99021542964TotalRevenuePerForm990
Tot Expenses Etc Audited Fincl Stmt40608411TotExpensesEtcAuditedFinclStmt
Donated Services Use Of Facilities19538608DonatedServicesUseOfFacilities
Other Expenses Included34113OtherExpensesIncluded
Expenses Not Rptd F99019572721ExpensesNotRptdF990
Expenses Subtotal21035690ExpensesSubtotal
Investment Expenses Not Included2105733InvestmentExpensesNotIncluded2
Other Expenses Not Included-41779OtherExpensesNotIncluded
Expenses Not Rptd On Fin Stmt63954ExpensesNotRptdOnFinStmt
Total Expenses Per Form99021099644TotalExpensesPerForm990

Form990 Schedule D Part XIV Form990ScheduleDPartXIV (6 entries)

IdentifierIdentifierReturn ReferenceReturnReferenceExplanationExplanation
DESCRIPTION OF INTENDED USE OF ENDOWMENT FUNDS:PART V, LINE 4:THE EARNINGS ON THIS ENDOWMENT ARE AVAILABLE FOR ALZHEIMER'S DISEASE RESEARCH AND ARE RECORDED AS TEMPORARILY RESTRICTED INVESTMENT INCOME AND RELEASED AS SPENT.
DESCRIPTION OF UNCERTAIN TAX POSITIONS UNDER FIN 48:PART X:AHAF HAS ADOPTED THE GUIDANCE UNDER ASC TOPIC INCOME TAXES RELATED TO ACCOUNTING FOR UNCERTAINTY IN INCOME TAXES. MANAGEMENT OF AHAF BELIEVES THAT AHAF HAS NO MATERIAL UNCERTAIN TAX POSITIONS AND, ACCORDINGLY, IT WILL NOT RECOGNIZE ANY LIABILITY FOR UNRECOGNIZED TAXES.
PART XI, LINE 8 - OTHER ADJUSTMENTS:RECOVERIES OF PRIOR YEAR GRANTS 80,908. CHANGE IN PRESENT VALUE OF GRANTS -8,922. SPECIAL EVENT NET INCOME -25,191.
PART XII, LINE 4B - OTHER ADJUSTMENTS:DEPRECIATION ON RENTAL PROPERTY -41,779.
PART XIII, LINE 2D - OTHER ADJUSTMENTS:CHANGE IN PRESENT VALUE OF GRANTS 8,922. SPECIAL EVENT NET INCOME 25,191.
PART XIII, LINE 4B - OTHER ADJUSTMENTS:DEPRECIATION ON RENTAL PROPERTY -41,779.

Schedule F IRS990ScheduleF

FieldValueIRS element (for citing)
Grant Records Maintained1GrantRecordsMaintained

Accts Actvs Out US Table AcctsActvsOutUSTable (2 entries)

RegionRegionType Of Activities ConductedTypeOfActivitiesConductedTotal ExpendituresTotalExpenditures
EUROPE (INCLUDING ICELAND & GREENLAND)GRANTMAKING500000
EAST ASIA AND THE PACIFICGRANTMAKING194561
FieldValueIRS element (for citing)
Subtotal Number Of Employees0SubtotalNumberOfEmployees
Cont Number Of Employees0ContNumberOfEmployees
Total Number Of Employees0TotalNumberOfEmployees
Subtotal Amount Spent694561SubtotalAmountSpent
Cont Amount Spent0ContAmountSpent
Total Amount Spent694561TotalAmountSpent

Grants To Orgs Outside US GrantsToOrgsOutsideUS (7 entries)

RegionRegionPurpose Of GrantPurposeOfGrantAmount Of Cash GrantAmountOfCashGrantManner Of Cash DisbursementMannerOfCashDisbursement
EUROPE (INCLUDING ICELAND & GREENLAND)NATIONAL GLAUCOMA RESEARCH BY DR. JULIE ALBON ENTITLED: (G2011006)100000WIRE TRANSFER
EAST ASIA AND THE PACIFICNATIONAL GLAUCOMA RESEARCH BY DR. C. KAI-SHUN LEUNG ENTITLED: (G2011007)100000WIRE TRANSFER
EUROPE (INCLUDING ICELAND & GREENLAND)NATIONAL GLAUCOMA RESEARCH BY DR. DARRYL RAY OVERBY ENTITLED: (G2011020)100000WIRE TRANSFER
EUROPE (INCLUDING ICELAND & GREENLAND)NATIONAL GLAUCOMA RESEARCH BY DR. MICHAEL J. A. GIRARD ENTITLED: (G2011019)100000WIRE TRANSFER
EUROPE (INCLUDING ICELAND & GREENLAND)ALZHEIMER'S DISEASE REASEARCH BY DR. MICHAEL ROHE ENTITLED: (A2011601)100000WIRE TRANSFER
EAST ASIA AND THE PACIFICMACULAR DEGENERATION RESEARCH BY DR. TIEN YIN WONG ENTITLED: (M2011068)94561WIRE TRANSFER
EUROPE (INCLUDING ICELAND & GREENLAND)MACULAR DEGENERATION RESEARCH BY DR. PETER HUMPHRIES ENTITLED: (M2011034)100000WIRE TRANSFER
FieldValueIRS element (for citing)
Total Number Of501c3 Orgs6TotalNumberOf501c3Orgs
Total Number Of Other Orgs0TotalNumberOfOtherOrgs
Transfer To Foreign Corp0TransferToForeignCorp
Interest In Foreign Trust0InterestInForeignTrust
Own Foreign Corp0OwnForeignCorp
Passive Foreign Invest Co0PassiveForeignInvestCo
Foreign Partnership0ForeignPartnership
Boycott Countries0BoycottCountries

Form990 Schedule F Part V Form990ScheduleFPartV

FieldValueIRS element (for citing)
IdentifierPROCEDURE FOR MONITORING GRANTS OUTSIDE THE U.S.:Identifier
ExplanationSCHEDULE F, PART I, LINE 2: AHAF INTERACTS WITH ALL GRANTEES AT LEAST QUARTERLY BY E-MAIL OR AT SCIENTIFIC MEETINGS. IN ADDITION TO THESE INTERACTIONS, EACH GRANT RECIPIENT IS REQUIRED TO SUBMIT SEPARATE DETAILED ANNUAL SCIENTIFIC PROGRESS AND FINANCIAL REPORTS TO AHAF. THESE ARE RECEIVED BY THE AHAF SCIENTIFIC AFFAIRS DEPARTMENT, AND REVIEWED BY SCIENTIFIC STAFF WITH BROAD EXPERTISE IN MOLECULAR BIOLOGY, CELL BIOLOGY, BIOCHEMISTRY, IMAGING AND GENETICS. SENIOR STAFF REVIEWS EACH PROGRESS REPORT AND EVALUATE THE PROJECT FOR SUFFICIENT PROGRESS TOWARDS THE SPECIFIC AIMS PROPOSED IN THE ORIGINAL APPLICATION OR ANY BUDGETARY CONCERNS. THIS EFFORT IS SUPPORTED BY ADDITIONAL SCIENTIFIC COUNSEL FROM MEMBERS OF THE AHAF SCIENTIFIC REVIEW COMMITTEES WHEN REQUIRED. IN ADDITION TO STATEMENTS OF EXPERIMENTAL PROGRESS, ALL GRANTEES ARE ASKED TO REPORT ANY TECHNICAL PUBLICATIONS, MEDIA REPORTS, OR PATENT APPLICATIONS IN WHICH AHAF SPONSORED RESEARCH IS DESCRIBED. IF SIGNIFICANT CONCERNS RELATED TO PROGRESS ON THE AWARDS ARE DISCOVERED, THE AHAF STAFF RECOMMENDS APPROPRIATE ACTIONS TO THE CHAIR OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS GRANTS COMMITTEE. THE SCIENTIFIC AFFAIRS SENIOR STAFF IS EMPOWERED TO AUTHORIZE THE WITHHOLDING OF FUNDING, OR DISCONTINUATIONS OF AWARDS, FOR ANY GRANTEES THAT FAIL TO ACHIEVE SUFFICIENT PROGRESS OR FAIL TO SUBMIT REQUIRED REPORTS. AT THE CONCLUSION OF THE GRANT AWARD PERIOD EACH GRANTEE MUST COMPLETE AND SUBMIT A FINAL REPORT THAT IS ALSO REVIEWED BY THE AHAF SENIOR SCIENTIFIC STAFF. EVALUATION OF THE WORK OF EACH GRANTEE IS QUALITATIVELY AND QUANTITATIVELY ASSESSED THROUGH VARIOUS METRICS RELATED TO IMPACT OF THE GRANT ON ITS TARGETED DISEASE FIELD. SUCH IMPACT METRICS HAVE REVEALED THAT 95% OF AHAF SUPPORTED RESEARCH RESULTS IN RESEARCH PUBLICATIONS THAT ADVANCE THE FIELDS SERVED BY AHAF. THIS IMPACT IS FURTHER SUPPORTED BY THE 2010 PUBLICATION CITATION ANALYSIS THAT COMPARED 1789 AHAF SUPPORTED WORKS TO 3996 WORKS SUPPORTED BY EITHER THE US FEDERAL GOVERNMENT OR THAT OF OTHER FUNDING AGENCIES. AHAF SUPPORTED PUBLICATIONS WERE CITED NEARLY TWICE AS FREQUENTLY AS THE SAMPLE OF PAPERS PUBLISHED UNDER THE SOLE SPONSORSHIP OF THE US GOVERNMENT. WITH RESPECT TO A SELECTION OF MANUSCRIPTS THAT LISTED SOLELY NON-US GOVERNMENT FUNDING SOURCES, INCLUDING OTHER FOUNDATIONS, INDUSTRY, AND FOREIGN GOVERNMENTS, AHAF SPONSORED PUBLICATIONS WERE CITED, ON AVERAGE 2.3 TIMES MORE FREQUENTLY THAN THE OTHER FUNDING SOURCES. A FINAL EXAMPLE OF IMPACT ASSESSMENT REVEALED THAT THE SUCCESSES OF AHAF GRANTEES CONTINUE LONG AFTER THE GRANT EXPIRES. ON AVERAGE, EACH GRANTEE RECEIVES 2.2 ADDITIONAL GRANTS FOR PROJECTS SPAWNED BY THE AHAF GRANT. THESE COME AT VALUES NEARLY 10 TIMES THE LEVEL OF THE INITIAL AHAF INVESTMENT. AHAF SOLICITS FEEDBACK FROM ITS GRANTEES, AND PROVIDES AN ANONYMOUS FORUM FOR COLLECTING SUCH INFORMATION. THE FINAL REPORT PACKAGE INCLUDES A PAGE TO BE DETACHED AND ANONYMOUSLY MAILED TO THE SCIENTIFIC AFFAIRS DEPARTMENT. THIS DOCUMENT REQUESTS AN ASSESSMENT OF THE GRANTEE EXPERIENCE AS AN AHAF AWARDEE. ANY SUGGESTIONS, CONCERNS, COMPLAINTS, OR POSITIVE EXPERIENCES CAN BE OUTLINED AND BROUGHT TO THE ATTENTION OF AHAF ON THIS FORM SO THAT AHAF CAN ADDRESS ANY AREAS NEEDING IMPROVEMENT, REAFFIRM PRAISE-WORTHY POLICIES, OR OTHERWISE ASSESS NEEDS FOR PROGRAMMATIC CHANGE. THE SENIOR SCIENTIFIC STAFF PRESENT AND SUMMARIZE THE STATUS AND PROGRESS ON ALL GRANTS TO THE AHAF BOARD OF DIRECTORS AT EACH OF THEIR QUARTERLY BOARD MEETINGS.Explanation

Schedule G IRS990ScheduleG

FieldValueIRS element (for citing)
Mail SolicitationsXMailSolicitations
Email SolicitationsXEmailSolicitations
Phone SolicitationsXPhoneSolicitations
In Person SolicitationsXInPersonSolicitations
Solicitation Of Non Govt GrantsXSolicitationOfNonGovtGrants
Special Fundraising EventsXSpecialFundraisingEvents
Agreement Ref Fundraising1AgreementRefFundraising

Fundraiser Activity Information FundraiserActivityInformation (2 entries)

Address Line1AddressUS/AddressLine1CityAddressUS/CityStateAddressUS/StateZIP CodeAddressUS/ZIPCodeActivityActivityFundraiser Control Of FundsFundraiserControlOfFundsGross ReceiptsGrossReceiptsAmount Retained By ContractorAmountRetainedByContractorNet To OrganizationNetToOrganization
SCA DIRECT INC
11200 WAPLES MILL ROAD SUITE 150FAIRFAXVA22030DIRECT MAIL FUND. COUNSEL013483287105000012433287
THE SHARPE GROUP
8700 TRAIL LAKE DRIVE WEST SUITE 2MEMPHISTN38125PLANNED GIVING CONSULTING01460789156001445189
FieldValueIRS element (for citing)
Total Gross Receipts14944076TotalGrossReceipts
Total Retained By Contractors1065600TotalRetainedByContractors
Total Net To Organization13878476TotalNetToOrganization
Licensed StatesALLicensedStates
Licensed StatesAKLicensedStates
Licensed StatesAZLicensedStates
Licensed StatesARLicensedStates
Licensed StatesCALicensedStates
Licensed StatesCOLicensedStates
Licensed StatesCTLicensedStates
Licensed StatesDCLicensedStates
Licensed StatesFLLicensedStates
Licensed StatesGALicensedStates
Licensed StatesHILicensedStates
Licensed StatesILLicensedStates
Licensed StatesKSLicensedStates
Licensed StatesKYLicensedStates
Licensed StatesLALicensedStates
Licensed StatesMELicensedStates
Licensed StatesMDLicensedStates
Licensed StatesMALicensedStates
Licensed StatesMHLicensedStates
Licensed StatesMILicensedStates
Licensed StatesMNLicensedStates
Licensed StatesMSLicensedStates
Licensed StatesMOLicensedStates
Licensed StatesNHLicensedStates
Licensed StatesNJLicensedStates
Licensed StatesNMLicensedStates
Licensed StatesNYLicensedStates
Licensed StatesNCLicensedStates
Licensed StatesNDLicensedStates
Licensed StatesOHLicensedStates
Licensed StatesOKLicensedStates
Licensed StatesORLicensedStates
Licensed StatesPALicensedStates
Licensed StatesRILicensedStates
Licensed StatesSCLicensedStates
Licensed StatesTNLicensedStates
Licensed StatesUTLicensedStates
Licensed StatesVALicensedStates
Licensed StatesWALicensedStates
Licensed StatesWVLicensedStates
Licensed StatesWILicensedStates

Events Information EventsInformation

FieldValueIRS element (for citing)
Name Of Event1GOLF TOURNAMENTNameOfEvent1
Gross Receipts Event154222GrossReceiptsEvent1
Charitable Contributions Event140642CharitableContributionsEvent1
Gross Revenue Event113580GrossRevenueEvent1
Cash Prizes Event1455CashPrizesEvent1
Non Cash Prizes Event14933NonCashPrizesEvent1
Rent Facility Costs Event110763RentFacilityCostsEvent1
Food And Beverage Event15372FoodAndBeverageEvent1
Other Direct Expenses Event117248OtherDirectExpensesEvent1
Gross Receipts Total54222GrossReceiptsTotal
Charitable Contributions Total40642CharitableContributionsTotal
Gross Revenue Total Events13580GrossRevenueTotalEvents
Cash Prizes Total Events455CashPrizesTotalEvents
Non Cash Prizes Total Events4933NonCashPrizesTotalEvents
Rent Facility Costs Total Events10763RentFacilityCostsTotalEvents
Food And Beverage Total Events5372FoodAndBeverageTotalEvents
Other Direct Expenses Total Events17248OtherDirectExpensesTotalEvents
Direct Expense Summary Events38771DirectExpenseSummaryEvents
Net Income Summary-25191NetIncomeSummary

Form990 Schedule G Part IV Form990ScheduleGPartIV

FieldValueIRS element (for citing)
IdentifierEXPLANATION OF FUNDRAISING PAYMENTSIdentifier
Return ReferenceSCHEDULE G, PART I, LINE 2B, COLUMN (V)ReturnReference
ExplanationIN THE CONTRACT WITH SCA DIRECT, INC., THE MANAGEMENT FEE IS A FIXED AMOUNT PER MONTH FOR IN SCOPE SERVICES. WORK PERFORMED OUT OF THE SCOPE OF FUNDRAISING SERVICES ARE APPROVED BY AHAF BEFORE THEY ARE PAID AND PERFORMED. THE SHARPE GROUPE PROVIDED AHAF WITH ADVICE ON PLANNED GIVING MATTERS.Explanation

Schedule I IRS990ScheduleI

FieldValueIRS element (for citing)
Records Maintained1RecordsMaintained

Recipient Table RecipientTable (32 entries)

Address Line1AddressUS/AddressLine1CityAddressUS/CityStateAddressUS/StateZIP CodeAddressUS/ZIPCodeEIN Of RecipientEINOfRecipientIRC SectionIRCSectionAmount Of Cash GrantAmountOfCashGrantPurpose Of GrantPurposeOfGrant
UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA
3451 WALNUT STREET P221PHILADELPHIAPA191046205231352685501(C)(3)250000ALZHEIMER'S DISEASE REASEARCH BY DR. PAUL H. AXELSEN ENTITLED: (A2011044)
UNIVERSITY OF MIAMI
1501 NW 10TH AVENUE ROOM 314MIAMIFL33136590624458501(C)(3)400000ALZHEIMER'S DISEASE REASEARCH BY DR. MARGARET A. PERICAK-VANCE ENTITLED: (A2011048)
UNIVERSITY OF CHICAGO
5801 SOUTH ELLIS AVENUECHICAGOIL60637362177139501(C)(3)150000ALZHEIMER'S DISEASE REASEARCH BY DR. SANGRAM S. SISODIA ENTITLED: (A2011054)
MEDICAL UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH CAROLINA
171 ASHLEY AVENUECHARLESTONMA29425576000722501(C)(3)399873ALZHEIMER'S DISEASE REASEARCH BY DR. NARAYAN R. BHAT ENTITLED: (A2011081)
MAYO CLINIC
200 FIRST STREET SWROCHESTERNY55905416011702501(C)(3)150000ALZHEIMER'S DISEASE REASEARCH BY DR. EUGENIA TRUSHINA ENTITLED: (A2011084)
MASSACHUSETTS GENERAL HOSPITAL
55 FRUIT STREETBOSTONMA021142696073130411501(C)(3)399939ALZHEIMER'S DISEASE REASEARCH BY DR. BRADLEY T. HYMAN ENTITLED: (A2011086)
CASE WESTERN RESERVE UNIVERSITY
10900 EUCLID AVENUECLEVELANDOH441064919341018992501(C)(3)250000ALZHEIMER'S DISEASE REASEARCH BY DR. GARY E. LANDRETH ENTITLED: (A2011102)
UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA
3451 WALNUT STREET/P221PHILADELPHIAPA191046205231352685501(C)(3)150000ALZHEIMER'S DISEASE REASEARCH BY DR. KURT R. BRUNDEN ENTITLED: (A2011303)
ROCKEFELLER UNIVERSITY
1230 YORK AVENUENEW YORKNY10065131624158501(C)(3)150000ALZHEIMER'S DISEASE REASEARCH BY DR. MARTA CORTES-CANTELI ENTITLED: (A2011310)
RESEARCH FOUNDATION FOR MENTAL HYGIENE INC AT IBR
150 BROADWAY SUITE 301MENANDSNY12204141410842501(C)(3)150000ALZHEIMER'S DISEASE REASEARCH BY DR. MASUO OHNO ENTITLED: (A2011311)
RENSSELAER POLYTECHNIC INSTITUTE
110 EIGHTH STREETTROYNY12180141340095501(C)(3)150000ALZHEIMER'S DISEASE REASEARCH BY DR. PETER MATTHEW TESSIER ENTITLED: (A2011355)
NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY
2029 SHERIDAN ROADEVANSTONIL602082710362167817501(C)(3)150000ALZHEIMER'S DISEASE REASEARCH BY KEN A. PALLER, PH. D. ENTITLED: (A2011362)
MEDICAL COLLEGE OF WISCONSIN
8701 WATERTOWN PLANK ROADMILWAUKEEWI53226390806261501(C)(3)150000ALZHEIMER'S DISEASE REASEARCH BY DR. NASHAAT Z. GERGES ENTITLED: (A2011367)
MAYO CLINIC
4500 SAN PABLO ROAD SOUTHJACKSONVILLEFL32224593337028501(C)(3)150000ALZHEIMER'S DISEASE REASEARCH BY DR. MICHAEL ANTHONY DETURE ENTITLED: (A2011368)
LERNER RESEARCH INSTITUTE CLEVELAND CLINIC FOUNDATION
NC 30 9500 EUCLID AVENUECLEVELANDOH44195340714585501(C)(3)150000ALZHEIMER'S DISEASE REASEARCH BY DR. KIRAN BHASKAR ENTITLED: (A2011372)
THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS HEALTH SCIENCE CENTER AT SAN ANTONIO
7703 FLOYD CURL DRIVESAN ANTONIOTX70229741586031501(C)(3)100000ALZHEIMER'S DISEASE REASEARCH BY DR. BIJU K. CHANDU ENTITLED: (A2011615)
INDIANA UNIVERSITY
620 UNION DRIVEINDIANAPOLISIN462025167356001673501(C)(3)100000NATIONAL GLAUCOMA RESEARCH BY DR. BRIAN CHRISTOPHER SAMUELS ENTITLED: (G2011012)
UNIVERSITY OF NORTH TEXAS HEALTH SCIENCE CENTER
CBH440 3500 CAMP BOWIE BOULEVARDFORT WORTHTX76107756064033501(C)(3)100000NATIONAL GLAUCOMA RESEARCH BY DR. WEIMING MAO ENTITLED: (G2011032)
NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY
633 CLARK STREETEVANSTONIL60208362167817501(C)(3)100000NATIONAL GLAUCOMA RESEARCH BY DR. XIAORONG LIU ENTITLED: (G2011033)
RUSH UNIVERSITY MEDICAL CENTER
1735 W HARRISON STREET 318CHICAGOIL60612362174823501(C)(3)100000NATIONAL GLAUCOMA RESEARCH BY DR. SHUNBIN XU ENTITLED: (G2011036)
UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS AT CHICAGO
1885 W TAYLOR STREETCHICAGOIL60302376000511501(C)(3)100000NATIONAL GLAUCOMA RESEARCH BY PAUL A. KNEPPER ENTITLED: (G2011047)
VANDERBILT UNIVERSITY MEDICAL CENTER
11435 MRB IV 2215B GARLAND AVENUENASHVILLETN37232620476822501(C)(3)100000NATIONAL GLAUCOMA RESEARCH BY DR. DAVID JOHN CALKINS ENTITLED: (G2011052)
WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY
660 SOUTH EUCLID AVENUEST LOUISMO63110430653611501(C)(3)100000MACULAR DEGENERATION RESEARCH BY DR. THOMAS A. FERGUSON ENTITLED: (M2011014)
UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA
219 GRINTER HALLGAINESVILLEFL32611596002052501(C)(3)100000MACULAR DEGENERATION RESEARCH BY DR. MICHAEL E. BOULTON ENTITLED: (M2011017)
UNIVERSITY OF IOWA
6-430 BOWEN SCIENCE BUILDINGIOWA CITYIA52242426004813501(C)(3)100000MACULAR DEGENERATION RESEARCH BY DR. VINIT B. MAHAJAN ENTITLED: (M2011021)
VANDERBILT UNIVERSITY MEDICAL CENTER
11435 MRB IV 2215B GARLAND AVENUENASHVILLETN37232620476822501(C)(3)100000MACULAR DEGENERATION RESEARCH BY DR. JONATHAN L. HAINES ENTITLED: (M2011046)
UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA
3451 WALNUT STREET P221PHILADELPHIAPA191046205231352685501(C)(3)100000MACULAR DEGENERATION RESEARCH BY DR. WENCHAO SONG ENTITLED: (M2011051)
UNIVERSITY OF NOTRE DAME
940 GRACE HALLNOTRE DAMEIN46556350868188501(C)(3)100000MACULAR DEGENERATION RESEARCH BY DR. DAVID RUSSELL HYDE ENTITLED: (M2011053)
UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA
3227 CHEADLE HALLSANTA BARBARACA931062050956006145501(C)(3)100000MACULAR DEGENERATION RESEARCH BY DR. MONTE JOEL RADEKE ENTITLED: (M2011064)
THE SCHEPENS EYE RESEARCH INSTITUTE
20 STAINFORD STREETBOSTONMA02114042129889501(C)(3)99836MACULAR DEGENERATION RESEARCH BY DR. BRUCE RICHARD KSANDER ENTITLED: (M2011069)
JOHNS HOPKINS UNIVERSITY
733 N BROADWAY SUITE 117BALTIMOREMD21205520595110501(C)(3)100000MACULAR DEGENERATION RESEARCH BY DR. DONALD J. ZACK ENTITLED: (M2011077)
UNIVERSITY OF MIAMI MILLER SCHOOL OF MEDICINE
1501 NW 10TH AVENUE ROOM 314MIAMIFL33136590624458501(C)(3)100000MACULAR DEGENERATION RESEARCH BY DR. MARGARET A. PERICAK-VANCE ENTITLED: (M2011078)
FieldValueIRS element (for citing)
Total Nbr Of501 C3 And Govt Grants26TotalNbrOf501C3AndGovtGrants
Total Nbr Of Other Organizations0TotalNbrOfOtherOrganizations

Form990 Schedule I Part IV Form990ScheduleIPartIV

FieldValueIRS element (for citing)
IdentifierPROCEDURE FOR MONITORING GRANTS IN THE U.S.:Identifier
Return ReferencePART I, LINE 2:ReturnReference
ExplanationSCHEDULE I, PART I, LINE 2: AHAF INTERACTS WITH ALL GRANTEES AT LEAST QUARTERLY BY E-MAIL OR AT SCIENTIFIC MEETINGS. IN ADDITION TO THESE INTERACTIONS, EACH GRANT RECIPIENT IS REQUIRED TO SUBMIT SEPARATE DETAILED ANNUAL SCIENTIFIC PROGRESS AND FINANCIAL REPORTS TO AHAF. THESE ARE RECEIVED BY THE AHAF SCIENTIFIC AFFAIRS DEPARTMENT, AND REVIEWED BY SCIENTIFIC STAFF WITH BROAD EXPERTISE IN MOLECULAR BIOLOGY, CELL BIOLOGY, BIOCHEMISTRY, IMAGING AND GENETICS. SENIOR STAFF REVIEWS EACH PROGRESS REPORT AND EVALUATE THE PROJECT FOR SUFFICIENT PROGRESS TOWARDS THE SPECIFIC AIMS PROPOSED IN THE ORIGINAL APPLICATION OR ANY BUDGETARY CONCERNS. THIS EFFORT IS SUPPORTED BY ADDITIONAL SCIENTIFIC COUNSEL FROM MEMBERS OF THE AHAF SCIENTIFIC REVIEW COMMITTEES WHEN REQUIRED. IN ADDITION TO STATEMENTS OF EXPERIMENTAL PROGRESS, ALL GRANTEES ARE ASKED TO REPORT ANY TECHNICAL PUBLICATIONS, MEDIA REPORTS, OR PATENT APPLICATIONS IN WHICH AHAF SPONSORED RESEARCH IS DESCRIBED. IF SIGNIFICANT CONCERNS RELATED TO PROGRESS ON THE AWARDS ARE DISCOVERED, THE AHAF STAFF RECOMMENDS APPROPRIATE ACTIONS TO THE CHAIR OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS GRANTS COMMITTEE. THE SCIENTIFIC AFFAIRS SENIOR STAFF IS EMPOWERED TO AUTHORIZE THE WITHHOLDING OF FUNDING, OR DISCONTINUATIONS OF AWARDS, FOR ANY GRANTEES THAT FAIL TO ACHIEVE SUFFICIENT PROGRESS OR FAIL TO SUBMIT REQUIRED REPORTS. AT THE CONCLUSION OF THE GRANT AWARD PERIOD EACH GRANTEE MUST COMPLETE AND SUBMIT A FINAL REPORT THAT IS ALSO REVIEWED BY THE AHAF SENIOR SCIENTIFIC STAFF. EVALUATION OF THE WORK OF EACH GRANTEE IS QUALITATIVELY AND QUANTITATIVELY ASSESSED THROUGH VARIOUS METRICS RELATED TO IMPACT OF THE GRANT ON ITS TARGETED DISEASE FIELD. SUCH IMPACT METRICS HAVE REVEALED THAT 95% OF AHAF SUPPORTED RESEARCH RESULTS IN RESEARCH PUBLICATIONS THAT ADVANCE THE FIELDS SERVED BY AHAF. THIS IMPACT IS FURTHER SUPPORTED BY THE 2010 PUBLICATION CITATION ANALYSIS THAT COMPARED 1789 AHAF SUPPORTED WORKS TO 3996 WORKS SUPPORTED BY EITHER THE US FEDERAL GOVERNMENT OR THAT OF OTHER FUNDING AGENCIES. AHAF SUPPORTED PUBLICATIONS WERE CITED NEARLY TWICE AS FREQUENTLY AS THE SAMPLE OF PAPERS PUBLISHED UNDER THE SOLE SPONSORSHIP OF THE US GOVERNMENT. WITH RESPECT TO A SELECTION OF MANUSCRIPTS THAT LISTED SOLELY NON-US GOVERNMENT FUNDING SOURCES, INCLUDING OTHER FOUNDATIONS, INDUSTRY, AND FOREIGN GOVERNMENTS, AHAF SPONSORED PUBLICATIONS WERE CITED, ON AVERAGE 2.3 TIMES MORE FREQUENTLY THAN THE OTHER FUNDING SOURCES. A FINAL EXAMPLE OF IMPACT ASSESSMENT REVEALED THAT THE SUCCESSES OF AHAF GRANTEES CONTINUE LONG AFTER THE GRANT EXPIRES. ON AVERAGE, EACH GRANTEE RECEIVES 2.2 ADDITIONAL GRANTS FOR PROJECTS SPAWNED BY THE AHAF GRANT. THESE COME AT VALUES NEARLY 10 TIMES THE LEVEL OF THE INITIAL AHAF INVESTMENT. AHAF SOLICITS FEEDBACK FROM ITS GRANTEES, AND PROVIDES AN ANONYMOUS FORUM FOR COLLECTING SUCH INFORMATION. THE FINAL REPORT PACKAGE INCLUDES A PAGE TO BE DETACHED AND ANONYMOUSLY MAILED TO THE SCIENTIFIC AFFAIRS DEPARTMENT. THIS DOCUMENT REQUESTS AN ASSESSMENT OF THE GRANTEE EXPERIENCE AS AN AHAF AWARDEE. ANY SUGGESTIONS, CONCERNS, COMPLAINTS, OR POSITIVE EXPERIENCES CAN BE OUTLINED AND BROUGHT TO THE ATTENTION OF AHAF ON THIS FORM SO THAT AHAF CAN ADDRESS ANY AREAS NEEDING IMPROVEMENT, REAFFIRM PRAISE-WORTHY POLICIES, OR OTHERWISE ASSESS NEEDS FOR PROGRAMMATIC CHANGE. THE SENIOR SCIENTIFIC STAFF PRESENT AND SUMMARIZE THE STATUS AND PROGRESS ON ALL GRANTS TO THE AHAF BOARD OF DIRECTORS AT EACH OF THEIR QUARTERLY BOARD MEETINGS.Explanation

Schedule J IRS990ScheduleJ

FieldValueIRS element (for citing)
Compensation CommitteeXCompensationCommittee
Independent ConsultantXIndependentConsultant
Form990 Of Other OrganizationsXForm990OfOtherOrganizations
Compensation SurveyXCompensationSurvey
Board Or Committee ApprovalXBoardOrCommitteeApproval
Severance Payment0SeverancePayment
Supplemental Nonqual Retire Plan0SupplementalNonqualRetirePlan
Equity Based Comp Arrangement0EquityBasedCompArrangement
Comp Based On Revenue Of Filing Org0CompBasedOnRevenueOfFilingOrg
Comp Based On Revenue Related Orgs0CompBasedOnRevenueRelatedOrgs
Comp Based Net Earnings Filing Org0CompBasedNetEarningsFilingOrg
Comp Based Net Earnings Relate Orgs0CompBasedNetEarningsRelateOrgs
Any Non Fixed Payments0AnyNonFixedPayments
Initial Contract Exception0InitialContractException

Form990 Schedule J Part II Form990ScheduleJPartII (3 entries)

Base Compensation Filing OrgBaseCompensationFilingOrgComp Based On Related OrgsCompBasedOnRelatedOrgsBonus Filing OrgBonusFilingOrgBonus Related OrgsBonusRelatedOrgsOther Compensation Filing OrgOtherCompensationFilingOrgOther Compensation Related OrgsOtherCompensationRelatedOrgsDeferred Comp Filing OrgDeferredCompFilingOrgDeferred Comp Related OrgsDeferredCompRelatedOrgsNontaxable Benefits Filing OrgNontaxableBenefitsFilingOrgNontaxable Benefits Related OrgsNontaxableBenefitsRelatedOrgsTotal Compensation Filing OrgTotalCompensationFilingOrgTotal Compensation Related OrgsTotalCompensationRelatedOrgsComp Report Prior990 Filing OrgCompReportPrior990FilingOrgComp Report Prior990 Related OrgsCompReportPrior990RelatedOrgs
STACY PAGOS HALLER
244752000552000298690275173000
GUY EAKIN PH D
1148430002160187410295090163309000
DAVID F MARKS CPA CMA
1405920005520233480189570183449000

Schedule M IRS990ScheduleM

Securities Publicly Traded SecuritiesPubliclyTraded

FieldValueIRS element (for citing)
Non Cash CheckboxXNonCashCheckbox
Number Of Contributions8NumberOfContributions
Noncash Contribs Rptd F99020448NoncashContribsRptdF990
Method Of Determining RevenuesFMVMethodOfDeterminingRevenues

Other Non Cash Contributions Table OtherNonCashContributionsTable

FieldValueIRS element (for citing)
Non Cash CheckboxXNonCashCheckbox
DescriptionDONATED FOODDescription
Number Of Contributions1NumberOfContributions
Noncash Contribs Rptd F9905372NoncashContribsRptdF990
Method Of Determining RevenuesFMVMethodOfDeterminingRevenues
FieldValueIRS element (for citing)
Any Property That Must Be Held0AnyPropertyThatMustBeHeld
Review Process Unusual NC Gifts1ReviewProcessUnusualNCGifts
Third Parties Used0ThirdPartiesUsed

Schedule O IRS990ScheduleO

General Explanation GeneralExplanation (19 entries)

IdentifierIdentifierExplanationExplanationReturn ReferenceReturnReference
FORM 990, PART VI, SECTION B, LINE 11A DRAFT OF THE FORM 990 SHALL BE DISTRIBUTED TO THE AUDIT COMMITTEE FOR REVIEW PRIOR TO BEING SUBMITTED TO THE IRS. THE DRAFT FORM 990 SHALL BE DISTRIBUTED EARLY ENOUGH TO PROVIDE EACH COMMITTEE MEMBER WITH A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR REVIEW AND SUBMISSION OF QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS PRIOR TO THE FILING DEADLINE. THE FINAL FORM 990 SHALL BE DISTRIBUTED TO EACH BOARD MEMBER PRIOR TO BEING FILED WITH THE IRS. THE DRAFT AND FINAL FORM 990 MAY BE DISTRIBUTED IN PERSON, BY REGULAR MAIL, E-MAIL, OR FAX.
AHAF HAS ALL EMPLOYEES, OFFICERS, AND DIRECTORS AGREE TO THE CODE OF CONDUCT WHICH INCLUDES ADHERENCE TO THE CONFLICT OF INTEREST POLICY. EACH BOARD DIRECTOR AND OFFICER IS REQUIRED ANNUALLY TO COMPLETE A CONFLICT OF INTEREST DISCLOSURE STATEMENT. IN ADDITION, ANY VIOLATION IS THE CONFLICT OF INTEREST POLICY IS REPORTED TO THE CHIEF COMPLIANCE OFFICER AND TO AHAF COUNSEL.FORM 990, PART VI, SECTION B, LINE 12C
THE AMERICAN HEALTH ASSISTANCE FOUNDATION (AHAF) BOARD OF DIRECTORS HAS OVERALL AUTHORITY AND RESPONSIBILITY FOR APPROVING THE ANNUAL BUDGET WHICH INCLUDES COMPENSATION FOR ALL EMPLOYEES AT EVERY LEVEL INCLUDING NON-DIRECTOR OFFICERS. ALL PAY ADJUSTMENTS ARE MADE ON A YEARLY BASIS EFFECTIVE APRIL 1ST, THE BEGINNING OF THE AHAF FISCAL YEAR. BEFORE APPROVING THE COMPENSATION OF THE CEO, THE BOARD DETERMINES THE TOTAL COMPENSATION TO BE PROVIDED BY AHAF TO THE CEO IS REASONABLE IN LIGHT OF THE POSITION, RESPONSIBILITY AND QUALIFICATION OF THE POSITION HELD INCLUDING THE RESULT OF AN EVALUATION OF PRIOR PERFORMANCE FOR THE FOUNDATION, IF APPLICABLE. THE CEO IS EVALUATED ANNUALLY BY THE BOARD THROUGH THE USE OF AN IN-DEPTH GOAL ATTAINMENT STRUCTURE, (DEVELOPED WITH ADVICE FROM BOARD SOURCE) THAT INCLUDES A SELF ASSESSMENT AND BOARD ASSESSMENT AND EVALUATION AGAINST SET GOALS, OUTCOMES AND DELIVERABLES. THE BOARD OBTAINS AND CONSIDERS APPROPRIATE DATA, INCLUDING A SALARY SURVEY, WHICH INCLUDES INFORMATION COMPILED FROM THE FORM 990 OF OTHER ORGANIZATIONS, CONCERNING COMPENSATION PAID TO CEOS IN LIKE CIRCUMSTANCES. IN MAKING THE DETERMINATION, THE BOARD SHALL CONSIDER TOTAL COMPENSATION TO INCLUDE THE SALARY AND VALUE OF ALL BENEFITS PROVIDED BY AHAF TO THE INDIVIDUAL IN PAYMENT FOR SERVICES. AT THE TIME OF THE AHAF BOARD DISCUSSION AND DECISION CONCERNING THE CEOS COMPENSATION, THE CEO IS NOT PRESENT IN THE MEETING. THE BOARD SHALL SET FORTH THE BASIS FOR ITS DECISIONS WITH RESPECT TO COMPENSATION IN THE MINUTES OF THE MEETING AT WHICH THE DECISIONS ARE MADE, INCLUDING THE CONCLUSIONS OF THE EVALUATION AND THE BASIS FOR DETERMINING THAT THE INDIVIDUAL'S COMPENSATION WAS REASONABLE IN LIGHT OF THE EVALUATION AND COMPARABILITY DATA.FORM 990, PART VI, SECTION B, LINE 15A
AHAF MAKES ITS GOVERNING DOCUMENTS INCLUDING ITS ARTICLES OF INCORPORATION AND BYLAWS, CONFLICT OF INTEREST POLICY, AUDITED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND IRS FORM 990 AVAILABLE TO THE PUBLIC UPON REQUEST. IN ADDITION, THE PUBLIC ALSO HAS ACCESS TO THE ANNUAL REPORT, THE 1023 APPLICATION FORM WITH THE IRS, AUDITED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS, THE 501(C)(3) LETTER OF DETERMINATION AND IRS FORM 990 ON THE AHAF WEBSITE.FORM 990, PART VI, SECTION C, LINE 19
CHANGES IN NET ASSETS OR FUND BALANCES:NET UNREALIZED LOSSES ON INVESTMENTS: -1,015,819. RECOVERIES OF PRIOR YEAR GRANTS 80,908. CHANGE IN PRESENT VALUE OF GRANTS -8,922. SPECIAL EVENT NET INCOME -25,191. TOTAL TO FORM 990, PART XI, LINE 5: -969,024.FORM 990, PART XI, LINE 5:
SCHEDULE F, PART II, LINE 1, COLUMN (D): NAME OF ORGANIZATION: CARDIFF UNIVERSITY (D) PURPOSE OF GRANT: NATIONAL GLAUCOMA RESEARCH BY DR. JULIE ALBON ENTITLED: (G2011006) DISCS AT RISK: NOVEL OPTIC NERVE HEAD PHENOTYPING IN GLAUCOMA. INVESTIGATOR'S SUMMARY: GLAUCOMA CAN BE DIFFICULT CONDITION TO DETECT IN THE EARLIEST STAGES, AND IT IS VITAL THAT TREATMENT IS GIVEN AS SOON AS POSSIBLE TO PREVENT FURTHER DAMAGE TO THE EYE DEVELOPING. CLINICAL INSTRUMENTS ARE AVAILABLE TO EXAMINE THE OPTIC NERVE HEAD WHICH AIM TO DETECT THE PRESENCE OF GLAUCOMA AND TO MONITOR ITS PROGRESSION. THESE MACHINES ARE ABLE TO EXAMINE THE FRONT SURFACE OF THE OPTIC NERVE HEAD, BUT ONLY A FEW ARE ABLE TO PROVIDE INFORMATION ON WHAT IS HAPPENING BELOW THE SURFACE. IMPORTANT CHANGES OCCUR UNDER THE SURFACE OF THE OPTIC NERVE HEAD IN GLAUCOMA AND DRS. JULIE ALBON, JAMES MORGAN, RACHEL NORTH, WOLFGANG DREXLER, MICHAEL GIRARD, AND COLLEAGUES WILL USE A NEW MACHINE (A NOVEL TYPE OF OPTICAL COHERENCE TOMOGRAPHY OR OCT), WHICH IS ABLE TO EXAMINE BOTH THE FRONT SURFACE AND PARTS BELOW THE SURFACE IN DETAIL. AS THE OPTIC NERVE LEAVES THE EYE, IT TRAVELS THROUGH HOLES (OR PORES) IN THE LAMINA CRIBROSA. IN GLAUCOMA THERE ARE CHANGES TO THESE PORES AND THE SHAPE AND STRUCTURE OF THE LAMINA CRIBROSA. DETECTING THESE CHANGES COULD BE AN IMPORTANT SIGN THAT GLAUCOMA IS DEVELOPING OR GETTING WORSE. CURRENTLY IT IS NOT POSSIBLE FOR YOUR EYE DOCTOR TO EXAMINE THE LAMINA CRIBROSA. DR. ALBON AND COLLEAGUES WILL DEVELOP METHODS TO ANALYZE THESE CHANGES IN THE LAMINA CRIBROSA SO THAT AS THE NOVEL TECHNOLOGY BECOMES MORE AVAILABLE, RESEARCHERS AND EYE DOCTORS WILL BE ABLE TO DETECT MORE RAPIDLY CHANGES TO THE OPTIC NERVE HEAD DUE TO GLAUCOMA. GRANT AWARDED: $100,000 CARDIFF UNIVERSITY, CARDIFF, UNITED KINGDOM. NAME OF ORGANIZATION: THE CHINESE UNIVERSITY OF HONG KONG (D) PURPOSE OF GRANT: NATIONAL GLAUCOMA RESEARCH BY DR. CHRISTOPHER KAI-SHUN LEUNG ENTITLED: (G2011007) ROLE OF CX3CR1 IN MICROGLIA ACTIVATION AND RETINAL GANGLION CELL DEGENERATION IN GLAUCOMA - AN IN VIVO IMAGING STUDY. INVESTIGATOR'S SUMMARY: PHYSICAL CHANGES HAPPEN TO THE RETINA DURING GLAUCOMA. HOWEVER, THESE CHANGES CAN BE TOO SMALL TO SEE WITH A MAGNIFYING DEVICE IN AN EYE DOCTOR'S OFFICE. DR. CHRISTOPHER KAI-SHUN LEUNG AND COLLABORATORS WILL USE A MACHINE, CALLED A CONFOCAL LASER SCANNING OPHTHALMOSCOPE, TO TAKE LIVE PICTURES OF THE RETINAS IN MICE BEFORE AND AFTER THEY'VE BEEN GIVEN GLAUCOMA THROUGH INCREASING THEIR EYE PRESSURE. THEY SUSPECT THAT IMMUNE CELLS OF THE RETINA, CALLED MICROGLIA, COULD PROMOTE DAMAGE TO RETINAL NEURONS. TO TRACK THEIR ACTIVITY, THEY WILL SPECIFICALLY MAKE THESE CELLS GLOW IN THE DARK. THIS IS THE FIRST STUDY TO USE LIVE IMAGING TO DIRECTLY EXAMINE THE INTERACTIONS BETWEEN RETINAL NEURONS AND MICROGLIAL CELLS IN GLAUCOMA. IN THE FUTURE, THE RESULTS FROM THIS STUDY COULD BE USED TO DESIGN DRUGS TO PREVENT THE DAMAGE TO THE RETINA CAUSED BY MICROGLIA. GRANT AWARDED: $100,000 THE CHINESE UNIVERSITY OF HONG KONG, SHATIN, HONG KONG. NAME OF ORGANIZATION: IMPERIAL COLLEGE, LONDON (D) PURPOSE OF GRANT: NATIONAL GLAUCOMA RESEARCH BY DR. DARRYL RAY OVERBY ENTITLED: (G2011020) ARE MICE GOOD MODELS FOR IOP REGULATION IN HUMAN EYES?INVESTIGATOR'S SUMMARY: THE SUCCESS OF GLAUCOMA THERAPIES DEPENDS ON HOW WELL THEY LOWER PRESSURE IN THE EYE, AND SUCCESSFUL THERAPIES ARE OFTEN DEVELOPED WITH THE HELP OF ANIMAL MODELS SUCH AS MICE. HOWEVER, A DRUG FOUND TO LOWER PRESSURE IN MICE IS USELESS IN HUMANS IF THE MACHINERY CONTROLLING EYE PRESSURE IS DIFFERENT BETWEEN THE TWO SPECIES. RECENT STUDIES SUGGEST THAT PRESSURE REGULATION IN SOME STRAINS OF MICE RELIES MORE HEAVILY ON A SECONDARY OR "UVEOSCLERAL" PATHWAY FOR FLUID DRAINAGE FROM THE EYE, WHILE HUMAN PRESSURE REGULATION DEPENDS MORE ON THE PRIMARY OR "TRABECULAR" DRAINAGE PATHWAY. NOT ALL STRAINS OF MICE, HOWEVER, APPEAR TO EXHIBIT THE SAME PREFERENCE FOR DRAINAGE ROUTES, SUGGESTING THAT SOME STRAINS MAY BETTER REPRESENT THE TRABECULAR PRESSURE REGULATION AS OCCURS IN HUMANS. IN THIS PROJECT, DR. DARRYL OVERBY AND COLLEAGUES WILL EXAMINE GENETICALLY DISTINCT STRAINS OF MICE CHOSEN BASED UPON THEIR APPARENT DIFFERENCES IN DRAINAGE BEHAVIOUR, WITH THE GOAL TO IDENTIFY WHICH OF THESE STRAINS BEST MIMICS THE MACHINERY THAT CONTROLS PRESSURE IN HUMAN EYES. THIS IS AN IMPORTANT FIRST STEP TOWARDS ESTABLISHING A RELIABLE MOUSE MODEL THAT CAN BE USED TO DEVELOP BETTER THERAPIES THAT MORE SUCCESSFULLY LOWER PRESSURE AND PRESERVE VISION IN GLAUCOMA PATIENTS. GRANT AWARDED: $100,000 IMPERIAL COLLEGE LONDON, LONDON, UNITED KINGDOM.
NAME OF ORGANIZATION: IMPERIAL COLLEGE, LONDON (D) PURPOSE OF GRANT: NATIONAL GLAUCOMA RESEARCH BY DR. MICHAEL JULIEN ALEXANDRE GIRARD ENTITLED: (G2011019) IN VIVO CORNEAL BIOMECHANICS: A BIOMARKER FOR GLAUCOMA? INVESTIGATOR'S SUMMARY: DRS. MICHAEL GIRARD AND NICK STROUTHIDIS WILL EXPLORE WHETHER THE STIFFNESS OF THE CORNEA, I.E., THE CLEAR "WINDOW" AT THE FRONT OF THE EYE, CAN PREDICT GLAUCOMA, A BLINDING OCULAR DISORDER CHARACTERIZED BY MECHANICAL DAMAGE AT THE BACK OF THE EYE. AN OPTICAL COHERENCE TOMOGRAPHY SCANNER WILL BE USED TO IMAGE IN GREAT DETAIL HOW ALL OCULAR TISSUES, INCLUDING BOTH THE FRONT AND BACK OF THE EYE, RESPOND TO A CHANGE IN INTRAOCULAR PRESSURE (THE PRESSURE THAT MAINTAINS THE SHAPE OF THE EYE). SUCH TESTING WILL ALLOW THEM, FOR THE FIRST TIME EVER, TO DEDUCE THE STIFFNESS OF THE ENTIRE EYE IN GLAUCOMA PATIENTS AND ESTABLISH A CORRELATION BETWEEN THESE STIFFNESS AND VISION LOSS. THEY ENVISION ONE DAY ASSESSING GLAUCOMA RISK BY MEASURING THE STIFFNESS OF PATIENTS' CORNEAS IN THE CLINIC. GRANT AWARDED: $100,000 IMPERIAL COLLEGE LONDON, UNITED KINGDOM. NAME OF ORGANIZATION: MAX-DELBRUECK CENTER FOR MOLECULAR MEDICINE (D) PURPOSE OF GRANT: ALZHEIMER'S DISEASE REASEARCH BY DR. MICHAEL ROHE ENTITLED: (A2011601) ROLE OF SORLA IN TRANSPORT OF TRKB AND APP IN ALZHEIMER'S DISEASE. INVESTIGATOR'S SUMMARY: THE PROTEIN CALLED SORLA WAS IDENTIFIED AS A RISK FACTOR IN ALZHEIMER'S DISEASE. IT HELPS WITH THE PRODUCTION OF BETA-AMYLOID WHICH FORMS THE CHARACTERISTIC PLAQUES IN ALZHEIMER'S DISEASE. ABNORMALLY HIGH LEVELS OF BETA-AMYLOID CAUSE THE DEATH OF NERVE CELLS IN PATIENTS, LEADING TO DEMENTIA. RECENTLY, DRS. MICHAEL ROHE, THOMAS WILLNOW, AND COLLABORATORS HAVE IDENTIFIED THE PROTECTIVE FACTOR BDNF TO ACTIVATE SORLA. REGULATION OF SORLA BY BDNF REDUCES THE AMOUNT OF BETA-AMYLOID. AN ABNORMALLY LOW LEVEL OF BDNF IS ASSOCIATED WITH ALZHEIMER'S DISEASE, BECAUSE THIS CAUSES LOW LEVELS OF SORLA THAT THEN LEADS TO HIGH LEVELS OF TOXIC BETA-AMYLOID. BETA-AMYLOID IS PRODUCED FROM THE PROTEIN APP, AND BDNF EXERTS ITS PROTECTIVE FUNCTION THROUGH BINDING TO THE PROTEIN TRKB. BOTH APP AND TRKB ARE BOUND BY SORLA THAT IS THOUGHT TO CONTROL THEIR TRANSPORT WITHIN THE CELL. TO SORT OUT THIS COMPLICATED INTERACTION OF PROTEINS, DR. ROHE AND COLLABORATORS WILL FIND OUT EXACTLY HOW SORLA WORKS IN CONCERT WITH APP AND TRKB. THEIR DISCOVERIES COULD POTENTIALLY LEAD TO A NEW DISEASE-MODIFYING TREATMENT DESIGNED TO INCREASE THE LEVELS OF SORLA IN THE BRAIN IN ORDER TO PREVENT THE RELEASE OF BETA-AMYLOID AND STOP PLAQUE FORMATION. GRANT AWARDED: $100,000 MAX-DELBRUECK CENTER FOR MOLECULAR MEDICINE, BERLIN, GERMANY. NAME OF ORGANIZATION: SINGAPORE EYE RESEARCH INSTITUTE (D) PURPOSE OF GRANT: MACULAR DEGENERATION RESEARCH BY DR. TIEN YIN WONG ENTITLED: (M2011068) GENETIC MARKERS OF ASIAN AGE RELATED MACULAR DEGENERATRION. INVESTIGATOR'S SUMMARY: PEOPLE WITH CAUCASIAN ETHNICITY (WHITE WITH EUROPEAN ANCESTRY) HAVE AN INCREASED RISK FOR AGE-RELATED MACULAR DEGENERATION (AMD). IN FACT, MANY OF THE CURRENTLY KNOWN RISK GENES WERE DISCOVERED BY STUDYING DNA FROM CAUCASIANS. USING FUNDS FROM A 2011 MACULAR DEGENERATION RESEARCH GRANT, DRS. TIEN YIN WONG, BELINDA CORNES, AND COLLABORATORS WILL FURTHER CHARACTERIZE THE GENETIC RISKS FOR AMD IN ASIANS, IN THE FIRST MAJOR POPULATION-BASED STUDY OF ITS KIND. THEY WILL COMPARE THE GENE DIFFERENCES AMONG PEOPLE OF THREE TYPES OF ETHNICITIES (CHINESE, MALAY, AND INDIAN) IN SINGAPORE, WHERE IT IS POSSIBLE FOR PEOPLE FROM THESE ETHNIC GROUPS TO HAVE SIMILAR SOCIOECONOMIC STATUS AND ENVIRONMENTAL EXPOSURES. THE DISCOVERY OF NEW RISK GENES FOR AMD MAY GIVE CLUES TO HOW THIS DISEASE STARTS AND/OR PROGRESSES, AND SUCH INSIGHT MAY LEAD TO PREVENTIONS AND TREATMENTS. GRANT AWARDED: $94,561 SINGAPORE EYE RESEARCH INSTITUTE, SINGAPORE.
NAME OF ORGANIZATION: TRINITY COLLEGE, DUBLIN (D) PURPOSE OF GRANT: MACULAR DEGENERATION RESEARCH BY DR. PETER HUMPHRIES ENTITLED: (M2011034) THE INFLAMMASOME AND NOVEL THERAPEUTIC TARGETS IN AMD. INVESTIGATOR'S SUMMARY: THE BODY'S IMMUNE SYSTEM CAN WARD OFF ATTACKS BY BACTERIA, VIRUSES AND OTHER EXTERNAL THREATS. HOWEVER, IT ALSO HAS SYSTEMS IN PLACE TO RESPOND TO INTERNAL THREATS, LIKE THE BUILD-UP OF DRUSENTINY WASTE DEPOSITS IN THE BACK OF THE EYE-THAT HAPPENS IN AGE-RELATED MACULAR DEGENERATION (AMD). IN PREVIOUS STUDIES, DRS. PETER HUMPHRIES, MATTHEW CAMPBELL, AND COLLEAGUES HAVE OBSERVED THAT DRUSEN CAN TRIGGER A LOCALIZED IMMUNE RESPONSE BY A COLLECTION OF PROTEINS CALLED THE "INFLAMMASOME." IN THIS PROJECT, THEY WILL DETERMINE WHY THIS OCCURS AND WHAT COMPONENTS OF THE INFLAMMASOME PLAY KEY ROLES IN CAUSING AMD. THIS GROUP WILL ALSO SCREEN A RANGE OF DRUGS THAT COULD TIP THE PROTEIN COMPOSITION OF DRUSEN TO A HEALTHY RATIO TO BETTER-TREAT AMD. MANY OF THE DRUGS THEY WILL USE IN THE SCREEN ALREADY HAVE REGULATORY APPROVAL FOR HUMAN USE, WHICH MAY ACCELERATE THEIR ENTRY INTO HUMAN CLINICAL TRIALS. GRANT AWARDED: $100,000 TRINITY COLLEGE DUBLIN, DUBLIN, IRELAND.
SCHEDULE I, PART II, LINE 1, COLUMN (H): NAME OF ORGANIZATION OR GOVERNMENT: UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA (H) PURPOSE OF GRANT OR ASSISTANCE: ALZHEIMER'S DISEASE REASEARCH BY DR. PAUL H. AXELSEN ENTITLED: (A2011044) OXIDATIVE LIPID DEGRADATION IN ALZHEIMER'S DISEASE. INVESTIGATOR'S SUMMARY: WE ALL NEED OXYGEN TO SURVIVE, BUT OXYGEN CAN REACT WITH CHEMICALS IN THE BODY TO CREATE HARMFUL BYPRODUCTS AND "OXIDATIVE STRESS." DR. PAUL AXELSEN AND COLLEAGUES WILL STUDY THE ROLE OF OXIDATIVE STRESS IN ALZHEIMER'S DISEASE. THEY WILL ATTEMPT TO DETERMINE HOW OXIDATIVE STRESS CAUSES CHEMICAL CHANGES IN DIETARY FATS (INCLUDING OMEGA-3 AND OMEGA-6) THAT CAN DAMAGE BRAIN AMYLOID PROTEINS. THESE RESEARCHERS WILL USE SPECIAL TRACERS ON THE FATS TO DETECT THE CHANGES IN DIETARY FATS AND IN THE AMYLOID PROTEINS OF MOUSE MODELS OF ALZHEIMER'S DISEASE AND OXIDATIVE STRESS. THE RESULTS FROM THIS STUDY MAY GIVE IDEAS ON HOW TO FIGHT OXIDATIVE STRESS IN THE HUMAN BRAIN. NAME OF ORGANIZATION OR GOVERNMENT: UNIVERSITY OF MIAMI (H) PURPOSE OF GRANT OR ASSISTANCE: ALZHEIMER'S DISEASE REASEARCH BY DR. MARGARET A. PERICAK-VANCE ENTITLED: (A2011048) WHOLE EXOME SEQUENCING IN ALZHEIMER DISEASE. INVESTIGATOR'S SUMMARY: THERE ARE A NUMBER OF GENES THAT ARE ASSOCIATED WITH ALZHEIMER'S DISEASE, BUT THERE ARE MANY MORE YET TO BE DISCOVERED. IN THIS PROPOSED PROJECT, DRS. MARGARET A. PERICAK-VANCE, STEPHAN ZHUCHNER, AND COLLEAGUES WILL STUDY LARGE FAMILIES WITH ALZHEIMER'S, TO INCREASE THE CHANCES OF DISCOVERING A STRONG GENETIC RISK OF DEVELOPING THIS DISEASE. THESE RESEARCHERS WILL USE NEW GENE READING TECHNIQUES TO LOOK AT THE "WHOLE EXOME" (OR THE DNA SPELLING OF THE MOST-USED BOOKS IN A PERSON'S GENETIC LIBRARY) TO FILTER OUT A SMALL SET OF CANDIDATES. THESE CANDIDATES WILL THEN BE DOUBLE-CHECKED BY CONFIRMING THEIR IDENTITIES IN THE DNA FROM OTHER GROUPS OF PEOPLE WITH ALZHIEMER'S. KNOWING THE IDENTITY OF ALZHEIMER'S GENES COULD AID WITH INITIAL DIAGNOSES AND LEAD TO FUTURE PREVENTIONS AND TREATMENTS. NAME OF ORGANIZATION OR GOVERNMENT: UNIVERSITY OF CHICAGO (H) PURPOSE OF GRANT OR ASSISTANCE: ALZHEIMER'S DISEASE REASEARCH BY DR. SANGRAM S. SISODIA ENTITLED: (A2011054) STRUCTURE AND FUNCTIONAL ANALYSIS OF NICASTRIN. INVESTIGATOR'S SUMMARY: BETA-AMYLOID, THE STICKY PROTEIN THAT IS THE MAIN COMPONENT OF BRAIN PLAQUES IN ALZHEIMER'S DISEASE, IS CREATED BY CLIPPING IT FROM A BIGGER PROTEIN, CALLED BETA-AMYLOID PRECURSOR PROTEIN (APP). THIS CLIPPING OF APP IS DONE BY GAMMA SECRETASE, A BUNDLE OF PROTEINS THAT INCLUDES PRESENILIN 1 OR 2, APH-1, PEN-2, AND NICASTRIN (NCT). NCT IS THE PART OF THE BUNDLE THAT RECOGNIZES AND PULLS INTO THE COMPLEX MANY OF THE PROTEINS, INCLUDING APP, THAT ARE THEN PROCESSED BY THE REST OF THE GAMMA SECRETASE PROTEINS. DRS. SANGRAM SISODIA, SHOHEI KOIDE, AND COLLABORATORS WILL STUDY THE SHAPE OF NCT TO BETTER UNDERSTAND HOW IT PARTNERS WITH OTHER PROTEINS. THEY WILL MAKE ANTIBODIES THAT BIND LIKE A LOCK AND KEY TO DIFFERENT PARTS OF NCT TO AID IN THEIR ANALYSIS. ONCE THE SHAPE OF NCT IS DETERMINED, THE NEXT STEP WILL BE TO DESIGN AND TEST NEW DRUGS TO SPECIFICALLY BLOCK NCT FROM BINDING TO APP AND, AS A RESULT, PREVENT THE CREATION OF BETA-AMYLOID.
NAME OF ORGANIZATION OR GOVERNMEN: MEDICAL UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH CAROLINA (H) PURPOSE OF GRANT OR ASSISTANCE: ALZHEIMER'S DISEASE REASEARCH BY DR. NARAYAN R. BHAT ENTITLED: (A2011081) ROLE OF A STRESS KINASE IN AD PATHOGENESIS. INVESTIGATOR'S SUMMARY: THE PROTEIN CALLED "P38 MAP KINASE" IS IMPORTANT FOR MANY FUNCTIONS IN THE BODY, AND PROBLEMS WITH THIS PROTEIN CAN CAUSE INFLAMMATION AND INTERRUPT NERVE CELL COMMUNICATION IN ALZHEIMER'S DISEASE. DR. NARAYAN BHAT AND COLLABORATORS PLAN TO CREATE AND STUDY A NEW MOUSE MODEL OF ALZHEIMER'S. TO MAKE THIS MODEL, THEY WILL CHANGE THE P38 MAP KINASE PROTEINS IN TWO PARTS OF THE BRAIN, NAMELY IN IMMUNE CELLS CALLED MICROGLIA, AND AT THE POINTS WHERE THE NERVE CELLS COMMUNICATE, CALLED SYNAPSES. THE CHANGES IN MICROGLIA, SYNAPSES AND OVERALL BRAIN HEALTH WILL BE MONITORED BY STATE-OF-THE-ART TECHNIQUES, INCLUDING LABELING CELLS WITH A SPECIAL DYE AND EXAMINING THEM UNDER A SPECIAL MICROSCOPE. INFORMATION OBTAINED FROM THIS STUDY MAY HELP TO DIRECT FUTURE DRUG THERAPIES. NAME OF ORGANIZATION OR GOVERNMENT: MAYO CLINIC (H) PURPOSE OF GRANT OR ASSISTANCE: ALZHEIMER'S DISEASE REASEARCH BY DR. EUGENIA TRUSHINA ENTITLED: (A2011084) ROLE OF HISTONE DEACETYLASE IN AD MITOCHONDRIAL DYSFUNCTION. INVESTIGATOR'S SUMMARY: HISTONE DEACETYLASE 1 (HDAC1) IS A PROTEIN THAT CONTROLS GENE ACTIVITY. PROBLEMS WITH HDAC1 CAN BOTH DISRUPT THE ACTIVITIES OF OTHER GENES, AND CAN PROMOTE CELL DEATH BY DISRUPTING MOVEMENT OF THE MITOCHONDRIA, THE CELL'S "ENERGY POWERHOUSES." DR. EUGENIA TRUSHINA, DR. JOSEPH PODUSLO, AND COLLEAGUES WILL LOOK FOR WHAT SPECIFICALLY CAUSES THE PROBLEM WITH MITOCHONDRIAL MOVEMENT. IN PARTICULAR, THEY'LL LOOK AT THE EFFECT OF BETA-AMYLOID PROTEINS ON MITOCHONDRIAL MOTILITY IN CULTURED CELLS AND IN BRAIN SLICES FROM MICE WITH ALZHIEMER'S. ONCE THEY PINPOINT THE MECHANISM OF DYSFUNCTION, THE NEXT STEP WOULD BE TO CREATE AND TEST DRUGS THAT RESTORE THE MITOCHONDRIAL TRANSPORT AND, HOPEFULLY, PREVENT PROGRESSION OF THE DISEASE. NAME OF ORGANIZATION OR GOVERNMENT: MASSACHUSETTS GENERAL HOSPITAL (H) PURPOSE OF GRANT OR ASSISTANCE: ALZHEIMER'S DISEASE REASEARCH BY DR. BRADLEY T. HYMAN ENTITLED: (A2011086) A MODEL OF EARLY ALZHEIMER DISEASE. INVESTIGATOR'S SUMMARY: THE ENTORHINAL CORTEX IS THE PART OF THE BRAIN THAT IS RESPONSIBLE FOR COMMUNICATIONS TO AND FROM THE HIPPOCAMPUS (WHICH, IN TURN, IS THE PART OF THE BRAIN THAT'S IMPORTANT FOR CREATING AND MAINTAINING MEMORIES). IN ALZHEIMER'S DISEASE, BRAIN LESIONS TEND TO START IN THE ENTORHINNAL CORTEX AND "SPREAD" TO OTHER PARTS, WITH DEVASTATING EFFECTS. ONE OF THE LESIONS FORMED IN ALZHEIMER'S ARE CALLED "TANGLES" THAT CONTAIN TAU PROTEIN. DRS. BRADLEY HYMAN, TERESA GOMEZ-ISLA, AND COLLEAGUES WILL STUDY HOW ALZHEIMER'S AFFECTS THE ENTORHINNAL COMPLEX AND HOW THE LESIONS SPREAD FROM THIS INITIAL PLACE OF DAMAGE TO OTHER PARTS OF THE BRAIN. THEY WILL CREATE AND STUDY A NEW MOUSE MODEL OF ALZHEIMER'S WHERE TAU PROTEIN IS DIRECTED TO BE EXPRESSED ONLY IN THE ENTORHINNAL CORTEX. AMYLOID, THE OTHER KEY MOLECULE IN ALZHEIMER'S AFFECTS THE CONNECTIONS BETWEEN NEURONS THAT ORIGINATE IN THE ENTORHINAL CORTEX. OTHER MOUSE MODELS DON'T ADDRESS THE SPREAD OF LESIONS, BUT THIS MODEL IS DESIGNED TO ISOLATE THIS KEY PART OF PROGRESSION TO LATER STAGES OF ALZHEIMER'S. IN THE FUTURE, THIS MODEL COULD THEN BE USED FOR TESTING TREATMENTS TO HALT THE SPREAD OF THE LESIONS, AND THE INTERACTION OF LESIONS, BEFORE THEY CAUSE CELL DAMAGE AND DEATH IN OTHER PARTS OF THE BRAIN.
NAME OF ORGANIZATION OR GOVERNMENT: CASE WESTERN RESERVE UNIVERSITY (H) PURPOSE OF GRANT OR ASSISTANCE: ALZHEIMER'S DISEASE REASEARCH BY DR. GARY E. LANDRETH ENTITLED: (A2011102) RXR: A THERAPEUTIC TARGET IN NEURODEGENERATIVE DISEASE. INVESTIGATOR'S SUMMARY: A DRUG THAT IS TAKEN BY MOUTH HAS BEEN SHOWN TO LOWER BETA-AMYLOID LEVELS AND REMOVE EXISTING PLAQUES IN THE BRAINS OF MOUSE MODELS WITH ALZHEIMER'S DISEASE. IN THIS RESEARCH PROJECT, DR. GARY LANDRETH AND COLLEAGUES WILL BE TESTING WHETHER THIS DRUG ALSO CAN PREVENT DAMAGE TO BRAIN CELLS IN ANOTHER TYPE OF ALZHEIMER'S DISEASE MOUSE. IF IT DOES HAVE PROTECTIVE EFFECTS, IT COULD BE PUT ON THE FAST TRACK FOR HUMAN CLINICAL TRIALS. THIS DRUG HOLDS PARTICULAR PROMISE DUE TO ITS DISEASE MODIFYING ACTIONS. NAME OF ORGANIZATION OR GOVERNMENT: UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA (H) PURPOSE OF GRANT OR ASSISTANCE: ALZHEIMER'S DISEASE REASEARCH BY DR. KURT R. BRUNDEN ENTITLED: (A2011303) IN VIVO TESTING OF NOVEL TAU FIBRILLIZATION INHIBITORS. INVESTIGATOR'S SUMMARY: ONE OF THE HALLMARKS OF ALZHEIMER'S DISEASE IS THE UNNATURAL CLUMPING OF MISFOLDED TAU PROTEINS INTO TANGLES IN THE BRAIN. THESE TANGLES, ALONG WITH BETA-AMYLOID PLAQUES, CAUSE BRAIN CELL DEATH AND PROBLEMS WITH MEMORY AND OTHER IMPORTANT ACTIVITIES. DR. KURT BRUNDEN AND COLLEAGUES WILL BE TESTING A NUMBER OF DRUGS ON ALZHEIMER'S DISEASE MICE TO SEE WHETHER ONE OF THEM CAN PREVENT TAU FROM CLUMPING. THE DRUG THAT WORKS IN MICE MAY BE A CANDIDATE FOR FUTURE ALZHEIMER'S DISEASE HUMAN CLINICAL TRIALS. NAME OF ORGANIZATION OR GOVERNMENT: ROCKEFELLER UNIVERSITY (H) PURPOSE OF GRANT OR ASSISTANCE: ALZHEIMER'S DISEASE REASEARCH BY DR. MARTA CORTES-CANTELI ENTITLED: (A2011310) ROLE OF FIBRINOGEN IN ALZHEIMER'S DISEASE NEURONAL AND SYNAPTIC LOSS. INVESTIGATOR'S SUMMARY: PEOPLE WHO HAVE ALZHEIMER'S DISEASE CAN ALSO HAVE BLOCKED BRAIN BLOOD VESSELS THAT ACCELERATE PROBLEMS WITH MEMORY AND OTHER BRAIN ACTIVITIES. IN A PREVIOUS AHAF GRANT, DR. MARTA CORTES-CANTELI AND COLLABORATORS SHOWED THAT BETA-AMYLOID PROTEIN BINDS TO THE BLOOD CLOTTING PROTEIN, CALLED FIBRINOGEN, AND PREVENTS IT FROM BUSTING-UP CLOTS. THE RESULTING BLOCK IN BLOOD FLOW CAN LEAD TO INCREASED INFLAMMATION, LOSS OF COMMUNICATION BETWEEN NERVES, AND DEATH IN THOSE PARTS OF THE BRAIN. MOREOVER, DECREASING THE AMOUNT OF FIBRINOGEN HAS BEEN SHOWN TO REDUCE MEMORY LOSS IN MOUSE MODELS OF ALZHEIMER'S DISEASE. IN THIS PROJECT, DR. CORTES-CANTELI WILL STUDY MOUSE AND HUMAN BRAIN SAMPLES TO DETERMINE WHETHER FIBRINOGEN IS FOUND IN THE SAME LOCATIONS WHERE NERVE CELLS STOP COMMUNICATING. THEY WILL ALSO TREAT ALZHEIMER'S DISEASE MICE WITH DRUGS THAT DECREASE FIBRINOGEN LEVELS TO CHECK WHETHER THE NEURONS COMMUNICATE BETTER ONCE CLOTS ARE REMOVED AND BLOOD FLOW HAS BEEN RESTORED. IT IS EXTREMELY IMPORTANT TO PREVENT NEURONS FROM DYING, AND THIS WORK WILL GIVE CLUES ON HOW TO PREVENT IT AND WILL SUPPORT THE DESIGN OF THERAPEUTIC STRATEGIES AIMED AT BLOCKING OR DECREASING THE BLOOD CLOT FORMATION OBSERVED IN ALZHEIMER'S DISEASE.
NAME OF ORGANIZATION OR GOVERNMENT: RESEARCH FOUNDATION FOR MENTAL HYGIENE, INC. AT IBR (H) PURPOSE OF GRANT OR ASSISTANCE: ALZHEIMER'S DISEASE REASEARCH BY DR. MASUO OHNO ENTITLED: (A2011311) EIF2A KINASE GCN2 AS A TARGET FOR ALZHEIMER'S THERAPY. INVESTIGATOR'S SUMMARY: CHANGES IN THE ACTIVITY OF SPECIFIC BRAIN PROTEINS LEAD TO AN INCREASE IN BETA-AMYLOID PROTEIN, CELL DEATH, AND LOSS OF MEMORY IN ALZHEIMER'S DISEASE. DR. MASUO OHNO AND COLLEAGUES ARE LOOKING AT THREE PROTEIN "PLAYERS" THAT INCREASE THE LEVELS OF BETA-AMYLOID EXPRESSION, INCLUDING GCN2, EIF2ALPHA, AND BACE1. THE GCN2 PROTEIN ADDS A SPECIAL CHEMICAL GROUP, CALLED A "PHOSPHATE", TO THE EIF2ALPHA PROTEIN. THIS CHANGED EIF2ALPHA THEN ELEVATES BACE1, A KEY ENZYME RESPONSIBLE FOR BETA-AMYLOID PRODUCTION. THE CHANGED EIF2ALPHA ALSO SUPPRESSES THE ACTIVITY OF THE CREB PROTEIN. CREB HELPS MEMORIES TO FORM, SO REDUCING ITS ACTIVITY IS BAD NEWS FOR THE BRAIN. TO BREAK THIS DUAL HARMFUL CYCLE, THEY WILL REMOVE THE GCN2 GENE FROM MICE WITH ALZHEIMER'S DISEASE SO THAT A PHOSPHATE WON'T BE ADDED TO EIF2ALPHA AND, THEREFORE, WON'T ELEVATE BACE1 OR SUPPRESS CREB. STOPPING THE BACE1 ELEVATION AND THE LOSS OF CREB ACTIVITY COULD IMPROVE THE MEMORIES OF THESE MICE. THEIR DISCOVERIES WILL HELP TO UNDERSTAND THE KEY CHEMICAL CHANGES THAT HAPPEN AS ALZHEIMER'S DISEASE PROGRESSES, AND COULD LEAD TO NEW POSSIBILITIES FOR DISEASE-MODIFYING DRUGS. NAME OF ORGANIZATION OR GOVERNMENT: RENSSELAER POLYTECHNIC INSTITUTE (H) PURPOSE OF GRANT OR ASSISTANCE: ALZHEIMER'S DISEASE REASEARCH BY DR. PETER MATTHEW TESSIER ENTITLED: (A2011355) STRUCTURE OF ABETA C-TERMINAL DOMAIN IN TOXIC OLIGOMERS. INVESTIGATOR'S SUMMARY: A PROTEIN CALLED AMYLOID PRECURSOR PROTEIN (APP) CAN BE CUT INTO TOXIC AND NON-TOXIC FORMS OF BETA-AMYLOID. THE TOXIC FORMS OF BETA-AMYLOID (CALLED BETA-AMYLOID 42) MISFOLD AND CLUMP TOGETHER INTO BRAIN PLAQUES, A HALLMARK OF ALZHEIMER'S DISEASE. OTHER BETA-AMYLOID FRAGMENTS OF APP DO NOT MISFOLD. DR. PETER TESSIER AND COLLABORATORS WILL USE NEW DETECTION METHODS TO STUDY THE DIFFERENCES BETWEEN TOXIC AND NON-TOXIC FOLDING OF BETA-AMYLOID PROTEINS IN ALZHEIMER'S DISEASE. THEIR LONG TERM GOAL IS TO DESIGN A DRUG THAT COULD PREVENT THIS FOLDING AND CLUMPING. IF SUCCESSFUL, THIS METHOD COULD BE APPLIED TO TOXIC MISFOLDING THAT HAPPENS IN OTHER NEURODEGENERATIVE DISEASES, LIKE PARKINSON'S DISEASE, HUNTINGTON'S DISEASE, AND PRION DISEASE (INCLUDING CREUTZFELD-JACOB OR "MAD COW" DISEASE). NAME OF ORGANIZATION OR GOVERNMENT: NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY (H) PURPOSE OF GRANT OR ASSISTANCE: ALZHEIMER'S DISEASE REASEARCH BY KEN A. PALLER, PH. D. ENTITLED: (A2011362) ENTRAINMENT OF SLOW-WAVE SLEEP TO IMPROVE MEMORY IN MCI. INVESTIGATOR'S SUMMARY: PROFESSOR PALLER AND HIS COLLABORATORS HAVE PREVIOUSLY INVESTIGATED SLEEP PROBLEMS IN ALZHEIMER'S DISEASE. IN ONE STUDY, LED BY DR. CARMEN WESTERBERG, PATIENTS WHO HAD RECEIVED A DIAGNOSIS OF AMNESTIC MILD COGNITIVE IMPAIRMENT (WHICH CAN PROGRESS TO ALZHEIMER'S DISEASE AND IS ALSO KNOWN AS MCI) REPORTED THAT THEIR SLEEP WAS NOT AS RESTFUL AS NORMAL. A SUBSEQUENT STUDY SHOWED THAT PHYSIOLOGICAL MEASURES OF SLEEP IN PATIENTS WITH MCI WERE ALTERED FROM WHAT WOULD BE EXPECTED BASED ON THEIR AGE. PROMINENT REDUCTIONS WERE OBSERVED IN DEEP SLEEP, WHICH IS WHEN SLOW WAVES ARE APPARENT IN MEASURES OF BRAIN ELECTRICAL ACTIVITY. ANALYSES OF MEMORY SUGGESTED THAT REDUCED DEEP SLEEP COULD HAVE CONTRIBUTED TO PATIENTS' DECLINING MEMORY ABILITIES. THE PARTICULAR TYPE OF MEMORY THAT IS DEFICIENT IN AMNESTIC MCI CONCERNS REMEMBERING FACTS AND EVENTS AND IS KNOWN AS DECLARATIVE MEMORY. NEW RESEARCH IN PROFESSOR PALLER'S LAB IS TESTING THE HYPOTHESIS THAT POOR SLEEP IS AN IMPORTANT FACTOR CONTRIBUTING TO MEMORY DYSFUNCTION IN THESE PATIENTS. EACH PARTICIPANT IN THIS RESEARCH WILL LEARN SOME FACTUAL MATERIAL PRIOR TO AN AFTERNOON NAP. EEG RECORDINGS WILL BE USED TO VERIFY SLEEP IN EACH PARTICIPANT AND ALLOW FOR ANALYSES OF BRAIN ACTIVITY DURING SLEEP. DURING SOME OF THESE NAPS, ARTIFICIAL ELECTRICAL SIGNALS WILL BE USED TO STIMULATE DEEP SLEEP. BY PROMOTING THE TYPE OF BRAIN ACTIVITY THAT OCCURS DURING DEEP SLEEP, THE INVESTIGATORS EXPECT TO ALSO IMPROVE MEMORY STORAGE. AFTER PARTICIPANTS WAKE UP, MEMORY TESTS WILL BE ADMINISTERED IN ORDER TO DETERMINE WHETHER RECALL IS SUPERIOR WITH VERSUS WITHOUT STIMULATION DURING SLEEP. THE RESULTS WILL INCREASE UNDERSTANDING OF THE EXTENT TO WHICH HEALTHY MEMORY FUNCTION DEPENDS ON BRAIN EVENTS THAT TAKE PLACE DURING SLEEP, AND WILL HAVE RAMIFICATIONS FOR EFFORTS TO IMPROVE MEMORY IN PEOPLE WHO ARE SUFFERING FROM A DECLINE IN MEMORY FUNCTION.
NAME OF ORGANIZATION OR GOVERNMENT: MEDICAL COLLEGE OF WISCONSIN (H) PURPOSE OF GRANT OR ASSISTANCE: ALZHEIMER'S DISEASE REASEARCH BY DR. NASHAAT Z. GERGES ENTITLED: (A2011367) BETA AMYLOID-INDUCED SYNAPTIC PLASTICITY IMBALANCE AND NEUROGRANIN. INVESTIGATOR'S SUMMARY: PREVIOUS STUDIES HAVE FOUND THAT THE ALZHEIMER'S DISEASE BETA-AMYLOID PROTEIN NEGATIVELY INFLUENCES BRAIN CELLS (NEURONS) AND RESULTS IN A COMMUNICATION BREAKDOWN BY CAUSING A LOSS OF "PLASTICITY" AT THE SYNAPSES (THE PLACE WHERE NEURONS MEET), LEADING TO LEARNING AND MEMORY LOSS. IN A PREVIOUS STUDY, DR. NASHAAT GERGES AND COLLEAGUES HAVE SHOWN THAT INCREASING NEUROGRANIN ENHANCES THE ABILITY OF THE SYNAPSES TO COMMUNICATE. IN THIS PROJECT, THEY WILL EXPLORE THE POSSIBILITY THAT NEUROGRANIN MAY REVERSE THE NEGATIVE EFFECT OF BETA AMYLOID ON SYNAPTIC PLASTICITY. THEY WILL USE A SPECIAL TECHNIQUE THAT GROWS NEURONS IN A DISH, GIVING EASY ACCESS FOR TREATMENTS AND ANALYSIS OF RESULTS. IF SUCCESSFUL, THIS COULD LEAD TO FUTURE THERAPIES FOR INDIVIDUALS WITH ALZHEIMER'S DISEASE. NAME OF ORGANIZATION OR GOVERNMENT: MAYO CLINIC (H) PURPOSE OF GRANT OR ASSISTANCE: ALZHEIMER'S DISEASE REASEARCH BY DR. MICHAEL ANTHONY DETURE ENTITLED: (A2011368) RESTORATION OF THE 3R:4R TAU EQUILIBRIUM AS A TAUOPATHY THERAPY. INVESTIGATOR'S SUMMARY: TWO HALLMARKS OF ALZHEIME'S DISEASE ARE PLAQUES AND TANGLES-PROTEIN DEPOSITS IN THE BRAIN THAT CAN LEAD TO NERVE CELL DEATH AND MEMORY PROBLEMS. TANGLES ARE FORMED WHEN A CERTAIN TYPE OF PROTEIN, CALLED TAU, BECOMES STICKY AND FORMS MESSY BLOBS INSIDE OF NERVE CELLS. DR. MICHAEL DETURE AND COLLABORATORS THINK THAT TANGLES ARE FORMED WHEN THE NATURAL BALANCE OF TWO VERSIONS OF TAU TIP TO THE STICKY FORM, AND THAT BY SETTING THE BALANCE STRAIGHT AGAIN THEY CAN PREVENT TANGLES FROM FORMING. IN THIS PROJECT, THEY WILL GENETICALLY INCREASE THE EXPRESSION LEVELS OF THE NON-STICKY FORM OF TAU IN A MOUSE MODEL OF ALZHEIMER'S. THIS SHOULD RESTORE THE BALANCE OF THE RATIOS AND PERHAPS PREVENT THE TANGLES FROM FORMING. IF THEY DO FIND A WAY TO RESTORE THE BALANCE OF TAU EXPRESSION, THEN THIS COULD BE AN EXCITING NEW TREATMENT TO BLOCK OR REVERSE THE FORMATION OF TANGLES IN INDIVIDUALS WITH ALZHEIMER'S DISEASE. NAME OF ORGANIZATION OR GOVERNMENT: LERNER RESEARCH INSTITUTE, CLEVELAND CLINIC FOUNDATION (H) PURPOSE OF GRANT OR ASSISTANCE: ALZHEIMER'S DISEASE REASEARCH BY DR. KIRAN BHASKAR ENTITLED: (A2011372) ROLE OF P38 MAPK IN THE MICROGLIAL-MEDIATED ALZHEIMER'S DISEASE TAU PATHOLOGY. INVESTIGATOR'S SUMMARY: DR. KIRAN BHASKAR'S LABORATORY HAS ALREADY SHOWN THAT INFLAMMATION BY A PARTICULAR IMMUNE CELL, CALLED MICROGLIA, CAN START AND ACCELERATE TANGLES IN CELL CULTURES AND IN A TRANSGENIC MOUSE MODEL OF ALZHEIMER'S DISEASE. A PROTEIN, CALLED P38 MAPK, IS INVOLVED WITH THIS INFLAMMATION AND SUBSEQUENT CREATION OF TANGLES. DR. BHASKAR AND COLLABORATORS WILL DETERMINE WHETHER A DRUG, CALLED 069A, WILL TARGET THE P38 MAPK PROTEIN AND PREVENT TANGLES FROM FORMING IN THE BRAINS OF MICE WITH A HUMAN FORM OF ALZHEIMER'S DISEASE. COLLABORATORS HAVE ADAPTED THE 069A DRUG TO ENABLE IT TO BE TAKEN BY MOUTH AND GET INTO THE BRAIN. IF AN EXPERIMENTAL INCREASE IN P38 MAPK CAUSES AN INCREASE IN TANGLES AND INTERVENTION WITH 069A PREVENTS IT, THEN A FUTURE GOAL WOULD BE TO TEST THIS DRUG IN A HUMAN CLINICAL TRIAL FOR TREATMENT OF ALZHEIMER'S DISEASE.
NAME OF ORGANIZATION OR GOVERNMENT: THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS HEALTH SCIENCE CENTER AT SAN ANTONIO (H) PURPOSE OF GRANT OR ASSISTANCE: ALZHEIMER'S DISEASE REASEARCH BY DR. BIJU K. CHANDU ENTITLED: (A2011615) IPS-DERIVED MICROGLIA-BASED GENE THERAPY FOR ALZHEIMER'S. INVESTIGATOR'S SUMMARY: THERAPIES USING YOUR OWN (SELF-DERIVED) BONE MARROW CELLS HAVE PROMISE FOR TREATING MANY DIFFERENT DISEASES, INCLUDING ALZHEIMER'S DISEASE. THIS TYPE OF SELF-RECOGNIZING STEM CELL THERAPY HAS AN INCREASED CHANCE OF SUCCESS, BECAUSE ONE CAN AVOID THE PESKY PROBLEM OF THE IMMUNE SYSTEM LABELING THE CELLS AS FOREIGN INVADERS AND KILLING THEM BEFORE THEY HAVE A CHANCE TO WORK. DR. BIJU CHANDU AND COLLABORATORS WILL BE TESTING A NEW BONE MARROW CELL TREATMENT FOR ALZHEIMER'S DISEASE. FIRST, THEY WILL ISOLATE WHITE BLOOD CELLS THAT ROAM FREELY IN THE EASILY-ACCESSIBLE BLOOD VESSELS. THESE CELLS WILL IN TURN BE GENETICALLY MODIFIED TO BECOME BONE MARROW CELLS AND RE-PURPOSED TO RELEASE ANTI-ALZHEIMER'S DISEASE DRUGS. THE MODIFIED CELLS ARE INJECTED BACK IN THE BLOOD STREAM, WHERE THEY MIGRATE TO THE PARTS OF THE BRAIN THAT REQUIRE TREATMENT. AFTER THIS NEW TREATMENT IS TESTED IN CELL CULTURE AND ANIMALS IN THIS PROJECT, THE RESEARCHERS MAY THEN DECIDE TO MOVE THIS TECHNIQUE INTO HUMAN CLINICAL TRIALS. NAME OF ORGANIZATION OR GOVERNMENT: INDIANA UNIVERSITY (H) PURPOSE OF GRANT OR ASSISTANCE: NATIONAL GLAUCOMA RESEARCH BY DR. BRIAN CHRISTOPHER SAMUELS ENTITLED: (G2011012) HYPOTHALAMIC CONTROL OF TRANSLAMINAR PRESSURE GRADIENTS. INVESTIGATOR'S SUMMARY: AN INCREASE IN EYE PRESSURE CAN DAMAGE THE OPTIC NERVE AND LEAD TO GLAUCOMA. HOWEVER, NEW STUDIES HAVE SHOWN THAT AN EYE PRESSURE CHANGE MAY NOT BE THE ONLY SITUATION THAT CAN CAUSE AN INCREASED RISK OF DEVELOPING GLAUCOMA. DR. BRIAN SAMUELS AND COLLEAGUES WILL STUDY HOW CERTAIN CELLS WITHIN THE BRAIN CONTROLS THE PRESSURE INSIDE BOTH THE EYE AND THE BRAIN, BECAUSE THEY BELIEVE THAT CHANGES TO THE PRESSURE IN THE BRAIN MAY BE JUST AS IMPORTANT IN GLAUCOMA. USING RAT MODELS, THEY WILL IDENTIFY THE EXACT LOCATION OF THE BRAIN CELLS THAT CONTROL SOME OF THE DAILY CHANGES IN THE EYE AND BRAIN PRESSURE. ONCE THEY LOCATE THESE BRAIN CELLS, THEY COULD BE THE TARGET FOR NEW GLAUCOMA THERAPIES. IN ADDITION, DISCOVERING HOW THE BRAIN CELLS CONTROL BOTH EYE AND BRAIN PRESSURE COULD LEAD TO NEW TREATMENTS OF OTHER DISEASES THAT AFFECT THE BRAIN AND NERVES. NAME OF ORGANIZATION OR GOVERNMENT: UNIVERSITY OF NORTH TEXAS HEALTH SCIENCE CENTER (H) PURPOSE OF GRANT OR ASSISTANCE: NATIONAL GLAUCOMA RESEARCH BY DR. WEIMING MAO ENTITLED: (G2011032) CROSSTALK OF TGF-BETA AND WNT PATHWAYS IN THE TRABECULAR MMESHWORK. INVESTIGATOR'S SUMMARY: CHANGES IN TWO NETWORKS OF PROTEINS-NAMED THE TGF-BETA AND WNT PATHWAYS-CAN PROMOTE "CLOGS" IN THE DRAINAGE SYSTEM OF THE EYE-THE TRABECULAR MESHWORK (TM). THESE CLOGS CAUSE AN INCREASE IN EYE PRESSURE AND MAY LEAD TO GLAUCOMA. DR. WEIMING MAO AND COLLEAGUES WILL FIRST SCREEN THE TGF-BETA AND WNT PATHWAYS TO IDENTIFY THE SPECIFIC PROTEINS THAT ARE INVOLVED IN CROSS-TALK BETWEEN THESE TWO NETWORKS. THEN, THEY WILL TEST WHETHER THE TM DRAIN STRUCTURE AND EYE PRESSURE CAN BE BROUGHT BACK TO NORMAL AFTER GENETICALLY INCREASING OR DECREASING THE LEVELS OF THESE CROSS-TALK PROTEINS IN CULTURED CELLS AND ANIMAL MODELS OF GLAUCOMA. IF ONE OF THE PROTEINS ENDS UP INFLUENCING EYE PRESSURE THROUGH THE TGF-BETA AND WNT PATHWAYS, THEN A DRUG COULD BE DESIGNED TO BETTER CONTROL EYE PRESSURE IN GLAUCOMA.
NAME OF ORGANIZATION OR GOVERNMENT: NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY (H) PURPOSE OF GRANT OR ASSISTANCE: NATIONAL GLAUCOMA RESEARCH BY DR. XIAORONG LIU ENTITLED: (G2011033) NEUROTROPHIC MECHANISMS IN OCULAR HYPERTENSION MICE. INVESTIGATOR'S SUMMARY: A GROUP OF NERVE SURVIVAL FACTORS, CALLED NEUROTROPHINS, WILL BE TESTED IN A MOUSE MODEL OF GLAUCOMA TO SEE IF THEY CAN RESCUE THE STRUCTURE AND FUNCTION OF THE OPTIC NERVE CELLS BEFORE THEIR DEATH. DR. XIAORONG LIU AND COLLEAGUES WILL USE MICE WITH HIGH EYE PRESSURE TO MIMIC THE HUMAN HIGH-TENSION GLAUCOMA IN THEIR TESTS. THEY WILL USE GENETIC TECHNIQUES TO SPECIFICALLY EXAMINE HOW TWO NEUROTROPHINS-CALLED BDNF AND NT- 3-CONTRIBUTE TO PROTECT RETINAL CELL STRUCTURE AND VISUAL BEHAVIORS IN MICE WITH HIGH EYE PRESSURE. THE RESULTS WILL THUS PROVIDE INSIGHT INTO WHETHER BDNF AND NT-3 ARE GOOD CANDIDATES FOR DRUG TARGETING TO PREVENT THE OPTIC NERVE CELL DAMAGE THAT OCCURS IN GLAUCOMA. NAME OF ORGANIZATION OR GOVERNMENT: RUSH UNIVERSITY MEDICAL CENTER (H) PURPOSE OF GRANT OR ASSISTANCE: NATIONAL GLAUCOMA RESEARCH BY DR. SHUNBIN XU ENTITLED: (G2011036) MICRORNAS IN GLAUCOMATOUS NEURODEGENERATION. INVESTIGATOR'S SUMMARY: THERE ARE RECENTLY DISCOVERED GENE-EXPRESSION CONTROLLERS-CALLED MICRORNAS-THAT PLAY IMPORTANT ROLES IN BOTH HEALTH AND DISEASE. HOWEVER, THE ROLES THAT MICRORNAS PLAY IN GLAUCOMA ARE COMPLETELY UNKNOWN. DR. SHUNBIN XU AND COLLEAGUES PLAN TO USE MICE THAT HAVE HUMAN-LIKE GLAUCOMA TO GATHER MICRORNAS FROM THE "OPTIC NERVE HEAD," A REGION OFTEN FIRST AFFECTED DURING GLAUCOMA DEVELOPMENT. BY COMPARING THE PRESENCE AND ACTIVITIES OF DIFFERENT MICRORNAS AT VARIOUS STAGES OF DISEASE IN THE OPTIC NERVE HEAD, THEY WILL DISCOVER THOSE THAT CHANGE IN CORRELATION WITH THE START AND PROGRESSION OF THE DISEASE. THESE MICRORNAS MAY BE USED AS NEW DRUG TARGETS FOR THE PREVENTION AND TREATMENT OF GLAUCOMA. NAME OF ORGANIZATION OR GOVERNMENT: UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS AT CHICAGO (H) PURPOSE OF GRANT OR ASSISTANCE: NATIONAL GLAUCOMA RESEARCH BY PAUL A. KNEPPER ENTITLED: (G2011047) ACTIVATION OF INNATE IMMUNE TOLL-4 RECEPTOR IN POAG. INVESTIGATOR'S SUMMARY: THE GOAL OF OUR PROJECT IS TO DETERMINE THE PROFILE OF HYALURONIC ACID, HYALURONIDASE, AND HYALURONIDASE INHIBITORS IN AQUEOUS HUMOR OF POAG AND NORMAL PATIENT POPULATIONS. HUMAN AQUEOUS HUMOR WILL BE PROVIDED FROM BOTH GLAUCOMATOUS AND NON-GLARCOMATOUS PATIENTS. GEL ELECTROPHORESIS WILL ALSO BE USED TO DETERMINE THE PROFILE OF HYALRUONIC ACID AND ITS RELATIVE SIZES IN AQUEOUS. WE WILL USE WESTERN BLOTS AND ZYMOGRAMS TO DETECT THE PRECENSE OF HYALURONIDASE AND HYALURONIDASE INHIBITORS. WE HAVE IDENTIFIED A UNIFIED SIGNALING PATHWAY BASED ON ACTIVATION OF INNATE IMMUNE SYSTEM WHICH RESULTS IN AN INFLAMMATORY CASCADE RESULTING IN POAG. WE HAVE IDENTIFIED THAT CELL TRAUMA CAUSES LOW-MOLECULAR-WEIGHT HYALURONIC ACID TO START THE PATHWAY. PREVENTION OF DEGRADATION OF HIGH-MOLECULAR-WEIGHT HYALURONIC ACID BY POTENT HYALURONIDASE INHIBITOR COULD BE NOVEL THERAPY AND THE FIRST THERAPY DIRECTLY AIMED AT THE CAUSE OF POAG.
NAME OF ORGANIZATION OR GOVERNMENT: VANDERBILT UNIVERSITY MEDICAL CENTER (H) PURPOSE OF GRANT OR ASSISTANCE: NATIONAL GLAUCOMA RESEARCH BY DR. DAVID JOHN CALKINS ENTITLED: (G2011052) MAPPING THE PROTEIN AND LIPID SIGNATURE OF GLAUCOMA. INVESTIGATOR'S SUMMARY: AGING AND ELEVATED EYE PRESSURE BOTH CONTRIBUTE TO VISION LOSS IN GLAUCOMA BY CHANGING THE ACTIVITY OF PROTEINS AND FATS IN THE EYE. DRS. DAVID JOHN CALKINS, KEVIN SCHEY, AND COLLABORATORS HAVE PREVIOUSLY DEVELOPED AN INDUCIBLE GLAUCOMA MOUSE MODEL THAT WAS FUNDED IN PART THROUGH A PREVIOUS AHAF GRANT. IN THIS MODEL, TINY STYROFOAM BEADS ARE INJECTED INTO MOUSE EYES TO BLOCK THE FLOW OF A LIQUID CALLED THE AQUEOUS HUMOR, CAUSING AN INCREASE IN EYE PRESSURE THAT THEN DAMAGES THE OPTIC NERVE AND LEADS TO GLAUCOMA. THE RESEARCHERS WILL USE A SPECIAL KIND OF DETECTION LASER AND CAMERA (CALLED MALDI MASS SPECTROMETRY IMAGING) TO CREATE A "ROAD MAP" OF THE PROTEIN AND FAT CHANGES IN THE RETINA AND BRAIN. BY GIVING THESE MICE GLAUCOMA AT VARIOUS AGES, THIS APPROACH WILL SEPARATE AGE-DEPENDENT FROM EYE-PRESSURE-DEPENDENT CHANGES. THE RESULTS WILL GIVE CLUES FOR FUTURE TREATMENTS FOR GLAUCOMA AND PERHAPS FOR OTHER EYE OR BRAIN DISEASES ASSOCIATED WITH AGING, LIKE ALZHEIMER'S DISEASE OR MACULAR DEGENERATION. HUMAN AQUEOUS HUMOR WILL BE PROVIDED FROM BOTH GLAUCOMATOUS AND NON-GLARCOMATOUS PATIENTS. GEL ELECTROPHORESIS WILL ALSO BE USED TO DETERMINE THE PROFILE OF HYALRUONIC ACID AND ITS RELATIVE SIZES IN AQUEOUS. WE WILL USE WESTERN BLOTS AND ZYMOGRAMS TO DETECT THE PRECENSE OF HYALURONIDASE AND HYALURONIDASE INHIBITORS. NAME OF ORGANIZATION OR GOVERNMENT: WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY (H) PURPOSE OF GRANT OR ASSISTANCE: MACULAR DEGENERATION RESEARCH BY DR. THOMAS A. FERGUSON ENTITLED: (M2011014) THE ROLE OF AUTOPHAGY IN AGE-RELATED EYE DISEASE. INVESTIGATOR'S SUMMARY: RETINAL PIGMENT EPITHELIAL (RPE) CELLS RECYCLE WASTE AND DELIVER NUTRIENTS TO THE LIGHT-DETECTING CELLS IN THE RETINA. EXCESSIVE BUILD-UP OF WASTE PRODUCTS, CALLED DRUSEN, HAPPENS AT THE BEGINNING OF DRY AGE-RELATED MACULAR DEGENERATION (AMD). DR. THOMAS FERGUSON AND COLLEAGUES WILL BE INVESTIGATING WHETHER MICE THAT HAVE BEEN MADE TO HAVE A FAULTY WASTE RECYCLING PROCESS-CALLED AUTOPHAGY-DEVELOP THE EYE DISEASE AMD. EYES THAT CAN'T RECYCLE ARE LIKELY TO SHOW SIGNS OF AGING, SENSITIVITY TO LIGHT AND DEVELOP BLINDNESS AT AN EARLY AGE AS A RESULT OF THE LOSS OF THIS RECYCLING. THESE RESEARCHERS HAVE ALREADY MADE MICE WITH PROBLEMS IN RPE AUTOPHAGY TO ADDRESS THEIR QUESTIONS. THEY WILL TRACK DOWN THE AMOUNT OF RECYCLING NEEDED TO KEEP EYES HEALTHY AND WHAT PROTEIN OR CHEMICAL "CULPRITS" TIP THE BALANCE TO INCREASE THE RISK OF GETTING AMD. IF A SUITABLE TARGET IN THE AUTOPHAGY PROCESS IS FOUND, THEY WILL DEVELOP A NEW THERAPY TO TREAT AMD. WE HAVE IDENTIFIED A UNIFIED SIGNALING PATHWAY BASED ON ACTIVATION OF INNATE IMMUNE SYSTEM WHICH RESULTS IN AN INFLAMMATORY CASCADE RESULTING IN POAG. WE HAVE IDENTIFIED THAT CELL TRAUMA CAUSES LOW-MOLECULAR-WEIGHT HYALURONIC ACID TO START THE PATHWAY. PREVENTION OF DEGRADATION OF HIGH-MOLECULAR-WEIGHT HYALURONIC ACID BY POTENT HYALURONIDASE INHIBITOR COULD BE NOVEL THERAPY AND THE FIRST THERAPY DIRECTLY AIMED AT THE CAUSE OF POAG. NAME OF ORGANIZATION OR GOVERNMENT: UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA (H) PURPOSE OF GRANT OR ASSISTANCE: MACULAR DEGENERATION RESEARCH BY DR. MICHAEL E. BOULTON ENTITLED: (M2011017) PREPROGRAMMED BONE MARROW CELLS AS A SYSTEMIC THERAPY FOR DRY AMD. INVESTIGATOR'S SUMMARY: DRY AGE-RELATED MACULAR DEGENERATION (AMD) REPRESENTS 80 TO 90 PERCENT OF THE POPULATION CURRENTLY DIAGNOSED WITH AMD, YET THERE IS NO EFFECTIVE DISEASE-MODIFYING TREATMENT. RETINAL PIGMENTED EPITHELIAL (RPE) CELLS- IMPORTANT FOR WASTE RECYCLING AND DELIVERY OF NUTRIENTS TO THE LIGHT-DETECTING CELLS-ARE MYSTERIOUSLY KILLED-OFF IN DRY AMD. THEREFORE, THERE IS MUCH PROMISE IN REPLACING THE DAMAGED RPE CELLS WITH HEALTHY ONES. IN PREVIOUS STUDIES, DRS. MICHAEL BOULTON, MARIA GRANT AND COLLEAGUES MADE THE EXCITING DISCOVERY THAT CHANGING THE EXPRESSION OF ONE GENE IN ISOLATED BONE MARROW-DERIVED PLASMA CELLS (BMPCS)-A TYPE OF ADULT STEM CELL- TRANSFORMS THEM INTO RPE-LIKE CELLS. WHEN THESE CELLS ARE INJECTED BACK INTO THE BLOOD OF MICE WITH PHYSICALLY DAMAGED EYES, THEY GO TO THE RETINA, RENEW THE SINGLE-LAYER OF RPE CELLS, AND RE-ESTABLISH NORMAL VISION. DRS. BOULTON AND GRANT PLAN TO TEST THIS RPE-REPLACEMENT TREATMENT IN MICE WITH AMD. IF THIS TREATMENT IS PROVEN TO BE EFFECTIVE IN THESE MICE, IT COULD LEAD TO HUMAN CLINICAL TRIALS AND TREATMENT POSSIBILITIES WITHOUT THE NEED FOR INVASIVE EYE SURGERY OR INJECTIONS.
NAME OF ORGANIZATION OR GOVERNMENT: UNIVERSITY OF IOWA (H) PURPOSE OF GRANT OR ASSISTANCE: MACULAR DEGENERATION RESEARCH BY DR. VINIT B. MAHAJAN ENTITLED: (M2011021) CYTOKINE SIGNALING IN THE FOVEAL CHOROID IN AMD. INVESTIGATOR'S SUMMARY: IN NEOVASCULAR STAGES OF AGE-RELATED MACULAR DEGENERATION (WET AMD), LEAKY BLOOD VESSELS GROW INTO THE RETINA AND DAMAGE VISION. THESE BLOOD VESSELS ARE COAXED INTO THE RETINA BY A COMMUNICATION "CROSS-TALK" THAT MAY EXIST BETWEEN HUNDREDS OF PROTEINS AND CHEMICALS. DRS. VINIT MAHAJAN, JESSICA SKEIE AND COLLABORATORS WILL USE SPECIAL METHODS TO IDENTIFY THESE PROTEINS AND CHEMICALS FROM RETINA BLOOD VESSELS THAT WERE SURGICALLY REMOVED FROM THE EYES OF HUMAN DONORS WHO WERE EITHER HEALTHY OR WHO HAD BEEN DIAGNOSED WITH AMD. COMPARISON OF THE PROFILE BETWEEN HEALTHY AND DISEASED EYES SHOULD PRESENT A NUMBER OF CROSS-TALK CANDIDATES. THE IDENTITIES OF THESE CANDIDATES MAY THEN INSPIRE THE DESIGN OF COMBINATION DRUGS TO TREAT AMD BEFORE THE INVASION OF LEAKY BLOOD VESSELS PROMOTES RAPID LOSS OF VISION. THE METHODS WE WILL EMPLOY FOCUS ON ISOLATING A TARGET FOR POTENTIAL TREATMENT OF THE DISEASE POSSIBLY LINKED TO HYALURONIDASE INHIBITORS. THIS WOULD BE THE FIRST TIME THE UNDERLYING CAUSES OF POAG WOULD BE DIRECTLY TREAT AN UNDERLYING MECHANISM/CAUSE RATHER THAN MANAGING THE SYMPTOMS OF THE DISEASE. NAME OF ORGANIZATION OR GOVERNMENT: VANDERBILT UNIVERSITY MEDICAL CENTER (H) PURPOSE OF GRANT OR ASSISTANCE: MACULAR DEGENERATION RESEARCH BY DR. JONATHAN L. HAINES ENTITLED: (M2011046) THE GENETICS OF AMD IN AFRICAN-AMERICANS. INVESTIGATOR'S SUMMARY: MANY OF THE RISK GENES FOR AGE-RELATED MACULAR DEGENERATION (AMD) WERE DISCOVERED BY LOOKING AT DNA SAMPLES FROM CAUCASIAN (WHITE WITH EUROPEAN ANCESTRY) SUBJECTS. DRS. JONATHAN HAINES, ANITA AGARWAL, AND COLLABORATORS WILL LOOK FOR NEW RISK GENES BY COMPARING THE "SPELLING" OF THE DNA OF AFRICAN-AMERICANS WITH AMD TO THE DNA FROM UNRELATED AFRICAN-AMERICANS WITHOUT AMD. IF THIS GROUP DISCOVERS NEW RISK GENES, THEN IT MAY IMPLY THAT AMD STARTS AND/OR PROGRESSES IN AFRICAN-AMERICANS IN A DIFFERENT WAY THAN IT DOES FOR OTHER ETHNICITIES. HOWEVER, THE IDENTITY OF THE GENES FROM THIS STUDY MAY GIVE IDEAS FOR NEW TYPES OF PREVENTIONS AND TREATMENTS FOR EVERYONE DIAGNOSED WITH AMD. NAME OF ORGANIZATION OR GOVERNMENT: UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA (H) PURPOSE OF GRANT OR ASSISTANCE: MACULAR DEGENERATION RESEARCH BY DR. WENCHAO SONG ENTITLED: (M2011051) COMPLEMENT ACTIVATION IN RPE FUNCTION AND AMD PATHOGENESIS. INVESTIGATOR'S SUMMARY: THERE IS NO EFFECTIVE TREATMENT AVAILABLE FOR THE EARLY OR DRY TYPE OF AGE-RELATED MACULAR DEGENERATION (AMD). ONE IDEA FOR FUTURE TREATMENTS SPRUNG FROM THE DISCOVERY THAT A GROUP OF BLOOD PROTEINS THAT HELPS THE BODY TO ATTACK "FOREIGN INVADERS", CALLED THE COMPLEMENT SYSTEM, MAY INITIATE DRY AMD. DRS. WENCHAO SONG, IMRAN MOHAMMED, AND COLLABORATORS WILL CREATE MICE THAT HAVE HAD THE GENETIC "BRAKE" REMOVED FROM THE COMPLEMENT SYSTEM. THEY SUSPECT THAT THIS WILL CAUSE SEVERE INFLAMMATION AND DAMAGE THE RETINA IN A WAY THAT WILL RESEMBLE DRY AMD. IF THIS IS THE CASE, THEN THESE MICE COULD THEN BE USED AS A MODEL FOR TESTING NEW PREVENTIONS AND TREATMENTS FOR DRY AMD.
NAME OF ORGANIZATION OR GOVERNMENT: UNIVERSITY OF NOTRE DAME (H) PURPOSE OF GRANT OR ASSISTANCE: MACULAR DEGENERATION RESEARCH BY DR. DAVID RUSSELL HYDE ENTITLED: (M2011053) GENERATING A ZEBRAFISH MODEL TO STUDY AMD. INVESTIGATOR'S SUMMARY: IN AGE-RELATED MACULAR DEGENERATION (AMD), THE RETINAL PIGMENT EPITHELIUM (RPE) CELLS, WHICH ARE LOCATED BEHIND THE RETINA AND ARE ESSENTIAL TO KEEP THE LIGHT-DETECTING ROD AND CONE PHOTORECEPTOR CELLS ALIVE, ARE DAMAGED AND DIE. HOWEVER, IT IS UNCLEAR IF THE RPE CELL DEATH IS THE PRIMARY CAUSE OF AMD OR A SECONDARY EFFECT. TO ADDRESS THIS QUESTION, DR. DAVID HYDE AND COLLABORATORS WILL GENERATE A ZEBRAFISH MODEL OF AMD, WHERE A NUMBER OF THE RETINAL RPE CELLS DIE. THEY WILL THEN TEST WHETHER THE DEATH OF RPE CELLS IS SUFFICIENT TO CAUSE TWO HALLMARKS OF ADVANCED AMD-THE DEATH OF THE ADJACENT PHOTORECEPTOR CELLS AND THE APPEARANCE OF TEARS IN THE BLOOD-RETINA BARRIER (CALLED BRUCH'S MEMBRANE). SINCE ZEBRAFISH HAVE A NATURAL ABILITY TO REGENERATE A NUMBER OF BODY PARTS, INCLUDING RETINAL NEURONS, THESE RESEARCHERS WILL ALSO DETERMINE IF THE RPE CELL LAYER CAN SPONTANEOUSLY REPAIR ITSELF AND, IF SO, DETERMINE THE ORIGIN OF THESE NEW RPE CELLS. STUDYING HOW THE ZEBRAFISH EYE CAN REPAIR ITS RPE AND RETINA WILL GIVE CLUES FOR FUTURE RPE CELL REPLACEMENT THERAPIES FOR PEOPLE WITH AMD. NAME OF ORGANIZATION OR GOVERNMENT: UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA (H) PURPOSE OF GRANT OR ASSISTANCE: MACULAR DEGENERATION RESEARCH BY DR. MONTE JOEL RADEKE ENTITLED: (M2011064) THE EPIGENETICS OF RPE AGING. INVESTIGATOR'S SUMMARY: CHANGES IN RETINAL PIGMENT EPITHELIUM (RPE) CELLS DUE TO AGE AND ENVIRONMENTAL STRESS MAY BE ASSOCIATED WITH THE ONSET AND PROGRESSION OF AGE-RELATED MACULAR DEGENERATION (AMD). THESE PRESSURES CAN CAUSE CHANGES IN GENE ACTIVITY AND CELL HEALTH THROUGH A PROCESS CALLED EPIGENETICS. THIS PROCESS, WHERE GENES ARE EITHER ACTIVATED OR INACTIVATED BY THE ADDITION OF SPECIALIZED CHEMICAL GROUPS TO THE DNA, OCCURS NATURALLY DURING DEVELOPMENT AND PLAYS A KEY ROLE IN THE DETERMINATION OF CELLULAR FUNCTION. DR. MONTE RADEKE AND COLLABORATORS WILL DETERMINE IF CHANGES TO THE ORIGINAL EPIGENETIC PROGRAMMING OF RPE CAN HELP EXPLAIN THE DAMAGE OBSERVED IN AMD. THEY WILL USE A STATE-OF-THE-ART GLOBAL ANALYTICAL METHOD TO IDENTIFY GENES IN BOTH CULTURED RPE CELLS AND HUMAN DONOR RPE WHOSE EPIGENETIC PROGRAMMING BECOMES ALTERED WITH INCREASING AGE. IF AGING DOES CAUSE EPIGENETIC CHANGES TO GENES IN RPE CELLS, THIS RESEARCH COULD LEAD TO NEW TREATMENTS FOR AMD. NAME OF ORGANIZATION OR GOVERNMENT: THE SCHEPENS EYE RESEARCH INSTITUTE (H) PURPOSE OF GRANT OR ASSISTANCE: MACULAR DEGENERATION RESEARCH BY DR. BRUCE RICHARD KSANDER ENTITLED: (M2011069) NALP3 ACTIVATION TRIGGERS DEVELOPMENT OF AMD. INVESTIGATOR'S SUMMARY: RETINAL PIGMENT EPITHELIAL (RPE) CELLS SUPPORT THE LIGHT-DETECTING PHOTORECEPTOR CELLS BY RECYCLING AND REMOVING WASTE PRODUCTS. IF RPE CELLS ARE UNHEALTHY, THEN THIS WASTE CAN BUILD-UP AND DAMAGE THE RETINA. INFLAMMATION IS AN IMPORTANT PART OF THE AMD DISEASE PROCESS, AND RPE CELLS HAVE THEIR OWN SPECIAL TYPE OF PROTEINS-CALLED THE "INFLAMMASOME"-TO MONITOR AND DETERMINE IF THE RPE ARE WORKING PROPERLY. IN FACT, IF THIS RPE WASTE RECYCLING AND REMOVAL PROCESS ISN'T FUNCTIONING PROPERLY, THE INFLAMMASOME SENDS OUT SIGNALS FOR THE IMMUNE SYSTEM TO SWOOP IN AND KILL THE MALFUNCTIONING RPE CELLS. DR. KSANDER AND COLLABORATORS HAVE DISCOVERED A NEW RISK GENE-CALLED NALP3-THAT IS EXPRESSED IN RETINAL CELLS AND IS SUSPECTED TO BE IMPORTANT IN TRIGGERING AMD VIA THE INFLAMMASOME. THESE RESEARCHERS WILL DETERMINE WHETHER THIS GENE IS INVOLVED IN THE DEATH OF RPE CELLS AND, IF SO, WHETHER IT WILL BE A NEW TARGET FOR TREATMENT OF AMD.
NAME OF ORGANIZATION OR GOVERNMENT: JOHNS HOPKINS UNIVERSITY (H) PURPOSE OF GRANT OR ASSISTANCE: MACULAR DEGENERATION RESEARCH BY DR. DONALD J. ZACK ENTITLED: (M2011077) HIGH CONTENT SCREEN FOR RPE CELL PROTECTIVE COMPOUNDS. INVESTIGATOR'S SUMMARY: RETINAL PIGMENT EPITHELIAL (RPE) CELLS ARE ESSENTIAL FOR NORMAL RETINAL FUNCTION, BEING RESPONSIBLE FOR MAINTAINING THE DELICATE BALANCE BETWEEN WASTE REMOVAL AND NUTRIENT DELIVERY THAT IS NECESSARY TO SUSTAIN THE HEALTH AND FUNCTION OF PHOTORECEPTORS. DYSFUNCTION AND DEATH OF RPE CELLS PLAYS AN IMPORTANT ROLE IN THE ETIOLOGY OF AGE-RELATED MACULAR DEGENERATION (AMD). THERE ARE NO KNOWN DRUGS THAT EFFECTIVELY PREVENT THIS AMD-ASSOCIATED RPE DYSFUNCTION AND CELL DEATH. DRS. DONALD ZACK, CINDY BERLINICKE, AND COLLEAGUES PROPOSE TO IDENTIFY SMALL MOLECULES, POTENTIAL DRUGS THAT CAN PROMOTE THE HEALTH AND SURVIVAL OF RPE CELLS. THESE RESEARCHERS WILL LOOK FOR THESE PROTECTIVE SMALL MOLECULE DRUGS BY SCREENING THOUSANDS OF CANDIDATES WITH AN AUTOMATED, ROBOTIC MICROSCOPE SYSTEM. THE IDENTITY OF EFFECTIVE CANDIDATES COULD GIVE CLUES TO UNDERSTANDING WHAT CAUSES AMD AND ALSO COULD PROVIDE CANDIDATE MOLECULES THAT COULD BE DEVELOPED INTO NOVEL DRUG TREATMENTS FOR AMD. NAME OF ORGANIZATION OR GOVERNMENT: UNIVERSITY OF MIAMI MILLER SCHOOL OF MEDICINE (H) PURPOSE OF GRANT OR ASSISTANCE: MACULAR DEGENERATION RESEARCH BY DR. MARGARET A PERICAK-VANCE ENTITLED: (M2011078) WHOLE EXOME SEQUENCING IN AGE-RELATED MACULAR DEGENERATION. INVESTIGATOR'S SUMMARY: THERE ARE MANY GENES THAT ARE LINKED TO THE RISK OF DEVELOPING AGE-RELATED MACULAR DEGENERATION (AMD), BUT THERE IS STILL ROOM TO DISCOVER MORE. IN THIS PROPOSED PROJECT, DRS. MARGARET PERICAK-VANCE, WILLIAM SCOTT, AND COLLEAGUES WILL STUDY THE DNA OF TWO GROUPS OF PEOPLE THAT SHOULD INCREASE THEIR CHANCES OF FINDING NEW RISK GENES. ONE GROUP HAS ADVANCED AMD DESPITE NOT HAVING ANY OF THE KNOWN RISK VARIANTS IN THE GENES ASSOCIATED WITH AMD RISK (INCLUDING CFH AND ARMS2) AND THE OTHER GROUP DOESN'T HAVE AMD DESPITE HAVING KNOWN RISK VARIANTS IN THESE GENES. THESE RESEARCHERS WILL USE NEW GENE READING TECHNIQUES TO LOOK AT THE "WHOLE EXOME" OR THE DNA SPELLING OF THE MOST-USED BOOKS IN A PERSON'S GENETIC LIBRARY. CATALOGUING THE GENE CHANGES IN BOTH SETS OF PEOPLE WITH AMD WILL LEAD TO BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF HOW THIS DISEASE STARTS AND GIVE CLUES TO FUTURE PREVENTIONS AND TREATMENTS.

Schedule R IRS990ScheduleR

Form990 Schedule R Part I Form990ScheduleRPartI (2 entries)

Address Line1AddressUS/AddressLine1CityAddressUS/CityStateAddressUS/StateZIP CodeAddressUS/ZIPCodeEINEINPrimary ActivitiesPrimaryActivitiesLegal Domicile StateLegalDomicileStateTotal IncomeTotalIncomeEOY AssetsEOYAssetsDirect Controlling Entity NADirectControllingEntityNA
NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT LLC
22512 GATEWAY CENTER DRIVECLARKSBURGMD20871237337229PROPERTY RENTAL AND MANAGMENTMD5615535766778N/A
AMERICAN HEALTH ASSISTANCE LLC
22512 GATEWAY CENTER DRIVECLARKSBURGMD20871237337229OWNER OF AHAF HEADQUARTERSMD4742285N/A