The New York Academy of Sciences and One Mind for Research Unveil Partnership to Accelerate Translational Science in Alzheimer's Disease and Dementia

NEW YORK, Nov. 16, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- The New York Academy of Sciences (NYAS) and One Mind for Research announced the creation of a new partnership initiative to improve the productivity of biomedical research and development for Alzheimer's disease and dementia, diseases that represent a significant and growing burden on healthcare systems and families. The partnership is a major initiative for One Mind for Research, a program that brings together public and private partners with the shared goals to advance basic neuroscience research and accelerate the development of improved diagnostics, preventative measures, and disease-modifying therapeutics. It is also a flagship effort of the New York Academy of Science's Translational Science Initiative, which addresses the urgent need to impart multidisciplinary collaboration into scientific research in principal and practice. Translational medicine seeks to advance scientific findings quickly and efficiently into medical practice and lead to meaningful health outcomes sooner.

The One Mind for Research/NYAS partnership brings together a Leadership Council of renowned academic researchers, industry scientists, and government and citizen representatives who will work together to define measureable objectives that eliminate barriers between innovation in life sciences, research and development and patient diagnosis in the search for treatment of Alzheimer's disease and dementia. This Council seeks to build on the achievements of The National Alzheimer's Project Act and other efforts in the fight to eliminate this debilitating disease. The Council held an inaugural meeting yesterday to outline key priorities and timetables. Representatives from different sectors worked cooperatively to encourage cross-fertilization of ideas and integrative thinking and will now begin developing implementable action plans to overcome the bottlenecks and barriers identified.

Participating organizations include: Johnson & Johnson Pharmaceutical Research and Development, LLC, which, along with Janssen Pharmaceutical Companies of Johnson & Johnson, is One Mind for Research's first major corporate sponsor through the Healthy Minds initiative, the Alzheimer's Association, Alzheimer's Drug Discovery Foundation, AstraZeneca, Brigham & Women's Hospital, Columbia University Medical Center, The Critical Path Institute, GE Healthcare, Genentech, Harvard Medical School, IBM, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Merck Research Laboratories, Mount Sinai Medical Center, the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, OI Pharma Partners, Pfizer, Takeda, The Norwegian Institute of Public Health, The Rockefeller University, Sanofi, University of California San Francisco, University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Washington University School of Medicine, and Weill Cornell Medical College.  

Together, the Council will explore methods for removing bottlenecks to understanding the biology of Alzheimer's disease and dementia. Council members will work together to create stronger infrastructure, including precompetitive consortia, to support the development of new therapeutics. They will also develop a common agenda to advance development of preventive approaches and treatments among the public, financial, biotech and pharmaceutical sectors.

"Public-private partnerships facilitate the development of innovative models that enhance translational science and provide opportunity to break down the barriers among research organizations that can impede progress in complex areas of research," said Ellis Rubinstein, President and Chief Executive Officer, New York Academy of Sciences. "We share One Mind for Research's dedication to improving the understanding and treatment of disorders of the brain. Together we can speed translation of basic scientific knowledge into new methods for diagnosing, treating and preventing neurological diseases."

"The annual cost of care in the U.S. for Alzheimer's Disease alone is over $180 billion and the impact of both Alzheimer's disease and dementia on the lives of families is devastating ... and growing. Now is the time for us to convert scientific advances into real medical breakthroughs," said Garen Staglin, co-founder of One Mind for Research and the International Mental Health Research Organization. "We are thankful for the Academy's vision and leadership as we bring together key partners in this concerted bench to bedside initiative that can enhance the lives of the millions of people affected by Alzheimer's disease and dementia and help reduce the burden of these diseases. This is an important milestone in the 10-year campaign of One Mind for Research to significantly reduce the cost and impact of brain disease."

About the New York Academy of Sciences

The New York Academy of Sciences is an independent, not-for-profit organization committed to advancing science, technology, and society worldwide since 1817. With 25,000 members in 140 countries, the Academy is creating a global community of science for the benefit of humanity. The Academy's core mission is to advance scientific knowledge, positively impact the major global challenges of society with science-based solutions, and increase the number of scientifically informed individuals in society at large. Please see www.nyas.org.

About One Mind for Research

One Mind for Research is the first organization that brings together the science, technology, financial resources and knowledge required to create an unprecedented understanding of brain disease. The organization galvanizes the entire healthcare community to accelerate the translation of basic science into breakthrough treatments and cures. To learn more, visit www.1mind4research.org.

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SOURCE New York Academy of Sciences; One Mind for Research