The Alzheimer's Disease Neuroimaging Initiative and the role and contributions of the Private Partners Scientific Board (PPSB)

The COVID pandemic has shown that when the research community comes together, we can conquer the most complex biomedical challenges. Collaboration and teamwork among federal agencies, private organizations, and researchers have been crucial in the development of vaccines and therapeutics against COVID.Possibly the first example of such cross‐functional collaboration is the Alzheimer's Disease Neuroimaging Initiative (ADNI), the largest and longest continually monitored Alzheimer's study. ADNI was designed and operated as a public‐private partnership, managed by the Foundation for the National Institutes of Health.This article shows how recent successes in the Alzheimer's field are directly a result of ADNI's open and transparent sharing of knowledge, expertise, and resources, which have allowed researchers to advance their understanding of Alzheimer's and tackle challenges in a relatively short period of time. ADNI's approach to open‐source innovation also served as a model for addressing other complex diseases and led to numerous collaborative research initiatives.Highlights The Alzheimer's Disease Neuroimaging Initiative (ADNI) was designed, structured, and operated as a public‐private partnership, managed by the Foundation for the National Institutes of Health. The recent successes in the Alzheimer's field are directly a result of ADNI's efforts. Open and transparent sharing of knowledge, expertise, and resources allowed researchers to advance their understanding of Alzheimer's and tackle challenges in a relatively short period of time.

Data sharing as the foundation of discovery: ADNI and breakthroughs in Alzheimer's disease

Travaglia,

Hoffmann

2024

The role of the Alzheimer's Association in the genesis of Alzheimer's Disease Neuroimaging Initiative

Carrillo,

Mahinrad,

Snyder

et al. 2024

Here we highlight the Alzheimer's Association's role since its inception, as a strategic collaborator with National Institutes of Health–National Institute on Aging in the development of the modern era of the Alzheimer's Movement and in making Alzheimer's disease (AD) a national priority in the United States by developing several initiatives to advance knowledge about the cause, diagnosis, and treatment of dementia. Among these collaborative undertakings, the Alzheimer's Disease Neuroimaging Initiative (ADNI) is an exemplary case, launched with groundwork by the Neuroimaging Working Group sponsored by the Association's Ronald and Nancy Reagan Research Institute on AD. The unique contribution of the Association to the development of ADNI includes participation as a member of ADNI's Private Partner Scientific Board and involvement in developing an AD biomarker standardization and validation subproject, which has led to a conceptual shift in the field to define AD based on its underlying biology. Furthermore, the creation of Worldwide ADNI (WW‐ADNI) is highlighted, underscoring the global impact of these efforts.Highlights The Alzheimer's Disease Neuroimaging Initiative (ADNI) is a keystone undertaking in the evolving landscape of Alzheimer's disease (AD) research, and is now in its fourth iteration. The Alzheimer's Association has partnered with ADNI since its inception. ADNI 4 and the Association continue to collaborate, ensuring representation within the study population.

ADNI Biomarker Core: A review of progress since 2004 and future challenges

Shaw,

Korecka,

Lee

et al. 2024

BACKGROUNDWe describe the Alzheimer's Disease Neuroimaging Initiative (ADNI) Biomarker Core major activities from October 2004 to March 2024, including biobanking ADNI cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), plasma, and serum biofluid samples, biofluid analyses for Alzheimer's disease (AD) biomarkers in the Biomarker Core and various non‐ADNI laboratories, and continuous assessments of pre‐analytics.RESULTSValidated immunoassay and mass spectrometry‐based assays were performed in CSF with a shift to plasma, a more accessible biofluid, as qualified assays became available. Performance comparisons across different CSF and plasma AD biomarker measurement platforms have enriched substantially the ADNI participant database enabling method performance determinations for AD pathology detection and longitudinal assessments of disease progression.DISCUSSIONClose collaboration with academic and industrial partners in the validation and implementation of AD biomarkers for early detection of disease pathology in treatment trials and ultimately in clinical practice is a key factor for the success of the work done in the Biomarker Core.Highlights Describe ADNI Biomarker Core biobanking and sample distribution from 2007 to 2024. Discuss validated mass spectrometry and immunoassay methods for ADNI biofluid analyses. Review collaborations with academic and industrial partners to detect AD and progression. Discuss major challenges, and progress to date, for co‐pathology detection. Implementation in the ATN scheme: co‐pathology and modeling disease progression.