Alzheimer’s Disease Resource Center

The RGV Alzheimer’s Disease Resource Center for Minority Aging Research (AD-RCMAR) is committed to enhancing the diversity of the workforce and reducing health disparities among Hispanics in South Texas through advanced research in dementia, and minority aging. By working together, we are building an infrastructure and data collections system to attract and support expert researchers from multiple disciplines and at different scientific career stages, encouraging them to conduct research aimed at reducing the impacts of Alzheimer’s disease.

About

The RGV AD-RCMAR was established in 2018 with funding from the National Institute on Aging (NIH, P30 AG059305). Because of its unique geographical location on the South Texas/Mexico border with a large Hispanic population, the focus of the AD-RCMAR is to reduce the impacts of Alzheimer’s disease and related brain disorders among Hispanics and other minority groups.

Our AD-RCMAR leads initiative efforts across UTRGV colleges and administrative departments to work together with patient advocacy groups, community-based organizations, private and public health care providers, state and federal agencies and other academic institutions to enhance the diversity of the workforce in minority aging research.

With a growing group of diverse research investigators studying the disproportionate health and economic burdens of Alzheimer’s disease in Hispanics, we hope to accelerate cutting-edge research programs, interventions, and health care services for Alzheimer’s prevention, along with the care and treatment of dementia tailored to Hispanics and health care providers in the RGV.

Mission

To improve the quality of health of our communities and reduce health care disparities through innovation and excellence in family medicine education, research, clinical practice, and community service.

Building a Community of Researchers

• We identify, engage, mentor, and provide high-quality training and individualized career development support to outstanding faculty, especially from underrepresented groups.
• We support innovative, high-impact multidisciplinary pilot projects.
• We provide expertise and resources for culturally sensitive measurement and analysis of cognitive risk factors in older Hispanics, including behavioral, neuropsychological, neuroimaging, and cardiovascular and genetic traits.
• We create the necessary expertise and resources to establish longitudinal cohort studies of older Hispanics and their families.