In 2014, the Texas Council on Alzheimer’s Disease and Related Disorders launched the inaugural Investigator Grant Program for the Texas Alzheimer’s Research and Care Consortium (TARCC), as part of the state-funded Darrell K Royal Texas Alzheimer’s Initiative. This grant program provided financial support to Texas researchers to promote novel research and discovery towards understanding biological mechanisms, improving diagnosis, and developing therapies for Alzheimer’s disease.

Since 2007 a four (4) member External Advisory Committee comprised of out-of-state distinguished, nationally prominent research scientists and medical doctors, led by Dr. Ron Petersen at Mayo Clinic, have regularly met with Steering Committee and Council representatives to conduct a detailed review of all TARCC scientific activities and grant awards to assure that the investments made by the Texas Legislature are advancing the best science of AD research.

In 2018, with a mature database of 3,670 cases accumulated by TARCC investigators across the state, the Council approved a transition from a cohort surveillance model to a grants-based program. The TARCC Investigator Grants Program aims to support the best science in the state while enhancing TARCC cohort data utilization and scientific productivity.

2023 Postdoctoral Fellowship Grants

Recipient

Grant Title

Salvatore Saieva, PhD

Pathological characterization and seeding activity of Aß aggregates in eyes

Vijay Kumar Marumulla Jagadeshwar Rao, PhD

The role of G4 helicase DHX36 in neuronal and astrocytic senescence

Elizabeth Ochoa, PhD

Investigating the selective vulnerability of the brainstem in ADRD

Sithara Thomas, PhD

Cerebrovascular Dysfunction & Rejuvenation in Alzheimer's Disease Pathogenesis

Jared Benge, PhD, ABPP

Continuation of the Neuropsychology Fellowship Program at UT Dell Medical School

2023 Junior Investigator Research Grants

Recipient

Grant Title

Ayde Mendoza Oliva, PhD

Developing therapeutic inhibitor peptides for Alzheimer and related diseases

Natalia Rocha, PhD, MSc

Biological validation of MBI as part of the ADRD spectrum

Rodney Ritzel, PhD

Cellular senescence as a sex-specific driver of amyloid pathology

Vijayasree V Giridharan, PhD

Role of Innate lymphoid Cells in Alzheimer's Pathology

Huihui Fan, PhD

Harnessing DNA methylation patterns in TARCC cohort to reveal novel biomarkers

Kristin Wilmoth, PhD

Enhancing Healthcare-Embedded Support for Care Partners of Adults with Alzheimer

Murali Vijayan, PhD

VDAC1 and mitophagy regulation in Alzheimer's Disease

Youngran Kim, PhD

Impact of FDA approval of brexpiprazole for agitation in Alzheimer's disease

Christian LoBue, PhD

An Alzheimer’s Clinical Spectrum Proteome Associated with A History of Mild TBI

2023 Investigator Initiated Research Grants

Recipient

Grant Title

Karienn de Souza, PhD

Impact of pro inflammatory cell expansion on behavioral dysfunction during aging

Tatiana Barichello, PhD

Unraveling the Influence of Delirium in Alzheimer's Disease Pathogenesis

Andrey Tsvetkov, PhD

Sex specific function of ACSL4 in aging and Alzheimer’s disease

Laurent Calvier, PhD

New communication axis from the brain to the peripheral immune system during AD

Keran Ma, PhD

Dysfunctional Microglia-Neuron Interactions in Alzheimer's Disease

2023 Collaborative Research Grants

Recipient

Grant Title

Joachim Herz, MD

COVID-19 and elevated plasma Reelin are risk factors for Alzheimer's disease

Jared Benge, PhD, ABPP

Refining iADL Assessments for the Modern ADRD Clinical and Research Environment

2021 Postdoctoral Fellowship Grants

Recipient

Grant Title

Robin C. Hilsabeck, PhD

Continuation of TARCC Neuropsychology Fellowship Program

Laura Lacritz, PhD

TARCC Neuropsychology of Dementia Postdoctoral Fellowship

2021 Junior Investigator Research Grants

Recipient

Grant Title

Elena Daoud, MD, PhD

Digital spatial profiling of hippocampal subregions in tauopathies

Tiffany Kautz, MD, PhD

Spatial proteomic analyses of neuropathologic changes in TARCC participants

Christian Lobue, PhD

Modulating brain circuitry to treat word retrieval deficits in amnestic MCI

Jose Moruno-Manchon, PhD

Cerebrovascular senescence in vascular dementia

Haiyang Yu, PhD

Determine how chaperones regulate TDP-43 liquid-liquid phase separation

2021 Investigator Initiated Research Grants

Recipient

Grant Title

Bhavya Shah, MD

Digital spatial profiling of hippocampal subregions in tauopathies

Xiaoyong Bao, PhD

Biogenesis of tRNA-derived RNA Fragments in Alzheimer's Disease:Novel Biomarkers

Mark Kunik, MD

Precision Recruitment for Precision Medicine

Chun-Li Zhang, PhD

Targeting Microglia for Alzheimer's Disease

Rodrigo Morales, PhD and Tatiana Barichello, PhD

Effect of COVID-19 in AD, PD and associated protein misfolding

Jose del R. Millan, PhD

Closed-Loop Brain Stimulation as a Potential Intervention for Cognitive Decline

2020 Postdoctoral Fellowship Grants

Recipient

Grant Title

Jennifer Johnson, PhD

The role of a lipid metabolism pathway in regulating APP levels and processing

2020 Junior Investigator Research Grants

Recipient

Grant Title

Lu Sun, PhD

Characterization of a New Risk Cell Type in Alzheimer's Disease

Anne Carlew, PhD

Utility of Neuropsychological Methods to Improve Diagnostic Accuracy of Mild Cognitive Impairment

Bharti Manwani, PhD

Sexual Dimorphism in Cerebral Amyloid Angiopathy and Vascular Dementia: Investigating the Role of Fibrinolytic System

Hua Liu, PhD

Investigation of Retinal Vascular Changes in Tauopathy

Fang Yu, MD

A Novel MRI Biomarker for Brain Tau Deposition

2020 Investigator Initiated Research Grants

Recipient

Grant Title

John Hart, Jr, MD

Longitudinal Continuation of TARCC Hispanic Cohort (Neurological, Neuropsychological, Cerebrospinal, MRI Morphometrics, and Resting-state fMRI Measures)

Charles L. White, III, MD

Texas Statewide Brain Bank Initiative

Shannon Juengst, PhD

Problem solving training (PST) for English- and Spanish-speaking care partners of adults with Alzheimer's and Alzheimer's-related dementia

Claudia Satizabal, PhD

Characterization of Microbial Composition in Alzheimer's Disease

Joann Jankowsky, PhD

Gene therapy for Alzheimer's disease using virally delivered A-beta variants

Chun-Li Zhang, PhD

Therapeutic Targets for Alzheimer's Disease in Aging-relevant Human Neurons

Antonio Lucio Teixeira, Jr, MD, PhD

Home-based tDCS for apathy in Alzheimer's Disease

Satwik Rajaram, PhD

Characterization of White Matter Pathology In Tauopathies Using Machine Learning

Mohammad Shahnawaz, PhD

Detection of Misfolded Tau Oligometers in Biological Fluid for the Diagnosis of Alzheimer's Disease and Disease Monitoring

Nicole Phillips, PhD

Longitudinal Mitochondrial DNA and microRNA Profiling of Neuron-enriched Exosomes Associated with Cognitive Decline in Mexican Americans

2019 Fellowship Grants

Recipient

Grant Title

Kelly Dineley, PhD

Training Fellowship in Aging and AD Research and Care

Robin Hilsabeck, PhD

Neuropsychology Fellowship Program

Laura Lacritz, PhD

Neuropsychology of Dementia Fellowship

2018 Investigator Initiated Grants

Recipient

Grant Title

John Hart, Jr, MD

Longitudinal Continuation of TARCC Hispanic Cohort (Collaborative Multi-Site Award)

Marcia Ory, PhD

Assessing the utility and effectiveness of monitoring technology for reducing caregiver burden for Alzheimer’s Disease (Collaborative Multi-Site Award)

Robert Barber, PhD

Epigenetic risk factors for age at onset of Alzheimer’s & MCI and metabolic dysfunction among non-Caribbean Hispanics and non-Hispanic whites

Hugo Bellen, DVM, PhD

Probing the role of glial endocytic genes and ROS on AB42-induced neurotoxicity

Dwight German, PhD

Blood biomarker for Alzheimer’s Disease & disease progression: Phospholipids

Rakez Kayed, PhD

Multi target combinatory therapy for Alzheimer’s Disease

Alicia Parker, MD

Diastolic dysfunction and the development of dementia

2018 Junior Investigator Grants

Recipient

Grant Title

Mitzi Gonzales, PhD

Establishing novel blood-based biomarkers for Alzheimer’s Disease in the Texas Alzheimer’s Research and Care Consortium

Ryan Huebinger, PhD

Immune profile investigations of Alzheimer’s Disease

Ines Moreno-Gonzalez, PhD

Stem cell-derived anti-inflammatory treatment for Alzheimer’s disease

Trung Nguyen, MD, PhD

Tau seeding and strain identification across the spectrum of Alzheimer’s Disease and Lewy Body pathology

Sandra Pritzkow, PhD

Development of a blood test for Alzheimer’s disease diagnosis

Sangram Raut, PhD

Brain targeted RNAi therapy for Alzheimer’s Disease

2014 Pilot Grants

Recipient

Grant Title

Ren-Qi Huang, PhD

Neuroprotection of nonfeminizing estrogens against cognitive deficits of Alzheimer’s Disease.

Steven Patrie, PhD

Computational tools for molecular proteotyping: A unique approach to Alzheimer’s disease biomarker discovery.

Anson Pierce, PhD

Does HSF1 over-expression enhance the proteostasis of TDP-43?

Paul C. Trippier, PhD

Identification of Aß-ABAD Interaction Inhibitors for Evaluation as Small Molecule.

Akihiko Urayama, PhD

Effect of Youthful Systemic Milieu on Alzheimer’s Disease Patholog

2014 Established Investigator Grants

Recipient

Grant Title

Xiangrong Shi, PhD

Intermittent Hypoxia – novel intervention for treatment of mild cognitive impairment.

Huda Zoghbi, MD

A cross-species genetic screen to identify targets that regulate the steady state levels of tau.