Center of Alzheimer’s Disease in Beijing, China

Abstract

Innovation Center of Neurological Disorders (ICND) at Xuanwu Hospital, Capital Medical University in Beijing was found in 2015 by Prof. Jianping Jia. The center follows the integrated research paradigm, called “cognitive unit”, which includes memory clinics, laboratories, and research wards. This unit facilitates the comprehensive diagnosis and treatment of cognitive disorders, and helps improve the quality of dementia research. There are 82 researchers, lab technicians and clinicians in the center, plus ∼20 graduate students and over 40 visiting/trainee doctors. We carry out research focusing on mechanisms, drug development and peripheral biomarkers of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and related dementias. Our center leads several large national multicenter cohort studies, including the Chinese familial Alzheimer’s Network (CFAN), the China Cognition and Aging Study (China COAST), the Study on Biomarkers for Early Diagnosis of Alzheimer’s Disease (Bio‐AD), and the Dementia Cohort Project of “China Brain Initiative 2030”. Prof. Jia, the director of the center, is the PI of nearly 30 national and international multicenter clinical trials on drug development, and the 2021 recipient of the Zaven Khachaturian Award.

The Center promotes multidisciplinary research on AD and related dementias. We collect extensive clinical data and biological samples, standardize the inclusion/exclusion criteria, establish large‐sample dataset and biobanks, provide advanced training for AD specialists, generate national guidelines on dementia management, train exchanging students and visiting scholars, and organize national and international dementia and Alzheimer’s conferences. Research findings from the center have impact on national health strategies, and help policymakers to establish public health strategies, and develop individualized and precision interventions. As an example, Prof. Jia established the large national Alzheimer patients cohorts to examine the genetic, biofluid, imaging and domain‐specific cognitive markers, and underling mechanisms. The Center encourages data sharing, exchanging ideas, and discussing possible solutions based on the mutual scientific questions and clinical problems, as well as the existing differences from each country.

International Alzheimer’s Research Centers can collaborate on global initiatives for establishing international AD cohorts, screening tools and techniques to evaluate the diagnostic utility of biomarkers, and to initiate global multicenter clinical trials.