SUPPORTING THE NEXT GENERATION OF LEADERS
The Cardinal Family Scholars Fund for Alzheimer’s Disease Research program supports early- and mid-career scientists emerging as the next leaders in the field. Cardinal Family Scholars receive robust two-year support for research, personnel, supplies, scientific communication, and professional development opportunities unique to the program.
Meet the Cardinal Family Scholars
ADVANCING PRECISION MEDICINE APPROACHES
Alzheimer’s disease follows different paths—and understanding the underlying factors behind these differences is essential to ending the disease. The Cardinal Family Precision Medicine Research Fund advances investigations into biological and other factors that drive differences in Alzheimer’s disease risk and progression for subgroups within our community so that we can end this disease for everyone. By supporting studies that examine genetic background, biological sex, ancestry, and lived experiences, the program builds better understanding of Alzheimer’s trajectories—accelerating the development of treatments and prevention strategies that can serve all patients.
This program strengthens the scientific foundation that makes discoveries into the diverse nature of Alzheimer’s disease possible. In 2025, the program supported five brain banks nationwide, preserving access to rigorously characterized human tissue generously donated by patients of historically underrepresented subgroups in Alzheimer’s research. These resources enable scientists to validate biomarkers, study disease processes directly in human samples, and advance findings that cannot be achieved through disease models alone. Sustaining such resource infrastructure is critical to preserve the momentum of high-impact research to continue.
PROTECTING PROGRESS WHEN IT MATTERS MOST
In response to federal funding disruptions, the Cardinal Family Emergency Relief Fund provides strategic bridge funding for meritorious projects across foundational, translational, and clinical Alzheimer’s research. The program helps sustain research that has demonstrated scientific excellence and impact but is experiencing funding uncertainty, ensuring that important work and the researchers behind it remain resilient. CureAlz support concludes once federal funding is secured, ensuring that emergency funds are used to complement—rather than replace—public investment.
A key component of this effort is the Cardinal Family Emergency Trainee Program. Scientific breakthroughs depend on continuity, yet researchers in training are often the first to feel the impact of sudden funding shifts. The Emergency Trainee Program bridges critical gaps allowing graduate students and postdoctoral fellows to finish key experiments, safeguard irreplaceable data, and stay focused on discovery rather than uncertainty.
Meet the Trainees Supported in 2025
