DCF Awards $13M To University Of Delaware Alzheimer’s Research Center

University of Delaware researchers will expand Alzheimer’s studies with support from a $13.1 million Delaware Community Foundation grant. (Photo by Edward Jenner)

WILMINGTON – The Delaware Community Foundation (DCF) announced a five-year, $13.1 million investment in the Delaware Center for Cognitive Aging Research (DECCAR) at the University of Delaware (UD) through its Paul H. Boerger Fund.

“This transformational gift will significantly expand Alzheimer’s research throughout the state,” said Director of DECCAR and Associate Professor of Kinesiology and Applied Physiology Christopher Martens.

The planned investment, one of the largest in Delaware’s history for Alzheimer’s research, aims to accelerate studies focused on prevention, diagnosis, and treatment.

“No one has to look very far afield to witness and understand the tragedy of Alzheimer’s, and the research supported by this grant will help UD researchers come ever-closer to uncovering life-improving and life-saving solutions,” said DCF President and CEO Stuart Comstock-Gay. “The grant was provided through the generosity of late Paul H. Boerger, who made a substantial legacy gift to the fund he had established at the DCF in his lifetime, and his foresight will help so many.”

Legacy of Paul H. Boerger

The Paul H. Boerger Fund was created in 2014 and received an estate gift following Boerger’s death in 2017. His wish was that the fund support research to prevent and/or cure Alzheimer’s disease. In 2023, the fund awarded $575,000 to DECCAR to launch the Delaware Longitudinal Study for Alzheimer’s Prevention (DeLSAP), which explores how health, lifestyle, and biology influence dementia risk and helps identify early signs of impairment.

Following the study’s success, DCF invited DECCAR to submit a new proposal, resulting in the $13.1 million commitment.

“This transformational gift will significantly expand Alzheimer’s research throughout the state,” Martens said. “It will also help grow the number of researchers in Delaware focused on Alzheimer’s disease, promoting an interdisciplinary approach.”

University Partnership

Interim UD President Laura Carlson emphasized the impact of the foundation’s support.

“Every one of us has a family member or friend who has been deeply affected by Alzheimer’s. I’m proud that UD is working better to understand this terrible disease and partnering with others throughout the state to work on its prevention, diagnosis and treatment,” Carlson said. “We are grateful to the Delaware Community Foundation for their support which allows us to escalate our research and expand our community outreach.”

Expanding Research Capacity

The investment will allow DeLSAP to grow from 100 to 500 participants over five years. It will also fund development of a blood test to identify biomarkers predicting Alzheimer’s progression and support the purchase of a $3.2 million state-of-the-art MRI machine at UD’s STAR Campus, enhancing access to critical diagnostic tools.