MetLife Foundation Marks 20th Anniversary of Awards for Medical Research in Alzheimer's Disease; Two Decades of Investing in Science and Scientists

This year, Karen Hsiao Ashe, M.D., Ph.D., of the University ofMinnesota Medical School and Minneapolis VA Center received the awardfor her groundbreaking development of animal models for Alzheimer'sdisease. In addition, Frank LaFerla, Ph.D., of the University ofCalifornia, Irvine, and Christian Haass, Ph.D., of Ludwig MaximiliansUniversity of Munich, Germany were recognized as Promising Workwinners for their significant research. Nearly half-million dollarswill be used by the recipients to further their work.

Created in 1986, the Awards recognize scientists who have madesignificant contributions to the understanding of Alzheimer's disease.At the core of the program is recognition of the importance of basicresearch. The unrestricted grants are used solely at the discretion ofthe scientists and provide them the freedom to pursue their ideas.

"We are proud of these awards which have supported the crucialwork of leading scientists in Alzheimer's research," said Robert H.Benmosche, Chairman and CEO of MetLife, Inc. "Alzheimer's is both anissue of national importance and a personal one for many families. Theprofound impact that Alzheimer's is having on families, society, andthe economy makes it essential that research for a cure is supported."

Presently, 4.5 million people have Alzheimer's. This number isexpected to increase as millions in the baby-boom generation approachtheir senior years. The disease strikes an estimated one in 10 peopleaged 65 and older, and 50 percent of those 85 or older. It is theeighth leading cause of death in the U.S. Without a cure, theAlzheimer's Association estimates that between 11 million and 16million Americans will have the disease by 2050.

"The purpose of this program has always been to help spurcreativity among scientists, in the hopes that unrestricted grantswould move us closer to the day when the tragic suffering caused bythis disease is but a memory," said Sibyl Jacobson, president, MetLifeFoundation. "Our 20th anniversary honors scientists for theirimportant work and renews our commitment to helping find a cure."

Dr. Robert Butler, President and CEO, International LongevityCenter, moderated a research briefing attended by many of the previouswinners and the current winners on the state and future of Alzheimer'sresearch. "MetLife Foundation has bet on science and scientists forthese past 20 years," said Dr. Butler. "The awardees reflect very wellthe progress that has been made in the field, from basic genetics tothe means with which to achieve earlier clinical diagnosis."

Attending the ceremony were a number of past winners, including:Thomas Bird, M.D., University of Washington, Seattle, WA; Carl Cotman,Ph.D., University of California, Irvine, CA; Peter Davies, Ph.D.,Albert Einstein School of Medicine, Bronx, NY; Blas Frangione, M.D.,Ph.D., NYU Medical Center, NY; Alison Goate, Ph.D., University ofWashington, St. Louis, MO; John Hardy, Ph.D., National Institute onAging, Bethesda, MD; Michael Hutton, Ph.D., Mayo Clinic, Jacksonville,FL; William Klunk, M.D., Ph.D., University of Pittsburgh, PA; VirginiaM.-Y. Lee, Ph.D., University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA; RobertMahley, M.D., Ph.D., The J. David Gladstone Institutes, San Francisco,CA; Chester Mathis, Ph.D., University of Pittsburgh, PA; MortimerMishkin, Ph.D., National Institute of Mental Health, Bethesda, MD;John Morris, M.D., Washington University, St. Louis, MO; RonaldPetersen, M.D., Ph.D., Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN; Donald LowellPrice, M.D., Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD; Allen Roses,M.D., GlaxoSmithKline, Research Triangle Park, N.C.; Dennis Selkoe,M.D., Brigham & Women's Hospital, Boston, MA; Sangram Sisodia, Ph.D.,University of Chicago, IL; Thomas Sudhof, M.D., University of Texas,Dallas, TX; Rudolph Tanzi, Ph.D., Harvard University, Boston, MA;Robert Terry, M.D., University of California, San Diego, CA; JohnTrojanowski, M.D., Ph.D., University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia,PA; Karl Weisgraber, Ph.D., University of California, San Francisco,CA; Ellen Wijsman, Ph.D., University of Washington, Seattle, WA; BruceYankner, M.D., Ph.D., Harvard University, Boston, MA; and StevenYounkin, M.D., Ph.D., Mayo Clinic, Jacksonville, FL.

"The MetLife award is remarkable for several reasons," said Dr.Donald Price, Director of the Division of Neuropathy at Johns HopkinsUniversity School of Medicine, commenting about the importance ofMetLife Foundation's support. "Over the past 20 years, MetLife hasrecognized an extraordinary group of basic, translational and clinicalinvestigators, the vast majority of whom continue to make importantcontributions to Alzheimer's disease. The award has allowed recipientsto recruit and support young investigators who have created a pipelineof those committed to Alzheimer's research, thus assuring continuedprogress toward a cure."

"The first MetLife Foundation award in 1986 was around the timethat the world started being worried about Alzheimer's disease," saidDr. Dennis J. Selkoe, a past winner who is Professor of NeurologicDiseases in the Department of Neurology at Boston's Brigham andWomen's Hospital. "They had the foresight to recognize thatAlzheimer's was going to be the disease of not one decade, but manydecades, and it was going to be an enormous public health problem."

"The MetLife Foundation award is important because the fundingprovided by the award affords a unique opportunity to pursue morespeculative research that would be difficult to fund throughtraditional grant mechanisms. As such, MetLife Foundation fosterscreative approaches to medical research," said Dr. Bruce Yankner, pastwinner and Professor of Neurology and Neuroscience at Harvard MedicalSchool.

About the new MetLife Foundation Award for Medical ResearchWinners

Winner of the Award for Medical Research in Alzheimer's disease

Dr. Ashe has distinguished herself over the past 20 years with hergroundbreaking development of mouse models that produce human forms ofproteins associated with neurological disorders. Her work indicatesthat it may be possible to restore the function of brain cells thathave been damaged but have not yet degenerated beyond repair. If thisis true, it shifts today's best case scenario for people withAlzheimer's from stopping further decline to actually recovering lostground. Dr. Ashe and her team have also generously distributed themice used in the research to other academic researchers, and theanimals have been used in hundreds of studies. In addition to her workat the University of Minnesota, Dr. Ashe is a Research Scientist atthe Geriatric Research, Education and clinical Center of theMinneapolis VA Hospital. She received her PhD from MIT and her M.D.from Harvard Medical School. She holds the Edmund Wallace and AnneMarie Tulloch Chairs in Neurology and Neuroscience at the Universityof Minnesota and has received numerous awards and honors, includingthe Culpeper Foundation Scholarship in Medical Sciences and theAlzheimer's Association Faculty Scholar Award.

Promising Work winners

Dr. Haass is a Professor in the Department of MetabolicBiochemistry at Ludwig Maximilians University of Munich. He was apostdoctoral fellow at the Center for Neurologic Diseases at HarvardMedical School, and as an assistant professor for neurology atHarvard, made major discoveries that provided an understanding of howamyloid beta-peptide, the key component of amyloid plaques in thebrains of patients with Alzheimer's disease, is generated at themolecular and cellular level. Upon his return to Germany as a fullprofessor at the University of Munich, and over succeeding years, Dr.Haass has broadened his scientific approach by investigating thestructure, function and amyloidogenesis of Alzheimer's disease-causingpresenilin-dependent intramembrane protease complexes. His move toMunich was also accompanied by the establishment of a Parkinson'sdisease research group that initially focused on the first PD gene,a-synuclein. Dr. Haass is recipient of the Award of the HeidelbergAcademy of Sciences, Award of the German Brain League, InternationalAlois Alzheimer Award, Ernst Jung Prize for Medicine, GottfriedWilhelm Leibniz Award, and the Potamkin Award of the American Academyof Neurology.

Dr. LaFerla, Professor, Neurobiology & Behavior, University ofCalifornia, Irvine (UCI), is also Co-Director of the Institute forBrain Aging and Dementia and a Fellow at the Center for theNeurobiology of Learning and Memory. The major focus of Dr. LaFerla'sresearch is understanding in clear terms the molecular development ofAlzheimer's disease. Prior to joining the University of California,Dr. LaFerla was a postdoctoral fellow in the Department of Virology atthe American Red Cross in Rockville, Maryland. He is the recipient ofnumerous awards, including the UCI Innovation Award, the Zenith FellowAward from the Alzheimer's Association, the Chancellor's Fellow, UCI,Distinguished Mid-career Faculty Award for Research (UCI), the RuthSalta Junior Investigator Achievement Award in Alzheimer's DiseaseResearch, and the Ratiometric Calcium Imaging Award (IntracellularImaging, Inc.).

About MetLife Foundation

MetLife Foundation was established in 1976 by MetLife to carry onits long-standing tradition of corporate contributions and communityinvolvement. MetLife and MetLife Foundation have invested more than$15 million for Alzheimer's research and public information programs,including $10 million through the Awards for Medical Research program.MetLife Foundation also sponsored the Emmy-award winning PBSdocumentary, The Forgetting: A Portrait of Alzheimer's. Working withthe Alzheimer's Association, the Foundation has supported caregivingvideos, resources for the Hispanic community and the Safe Returnidentification program, which addresses the problem of seniorwandering. The Foundation has expanded its focus on aging issues,including helping people remain physically and mentally fit andremaining engaged in the community. It also supports programsaddressing issues of caregiving, intergenerational activities andvolunteer opportunities. Grants support health, education, and civicand cultural programs. More information about MetLife Foundation isavailable at www.metlife.org.