Who We Are

The UC San Diego, Shiley-Marcos Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center (ADRC) was established in 1984, one of the original five of the Alzheimer’s Disease Centers supported by the National Institute on Aging, a branch of the National Institutes of Health. Under the

directorship of Dr. Robert Katzman, M.D. Professor of Neurosciences, a number of scientists and scholars renowned for their work in Alzheimer’s disease and aging were assembled at the University of California, San Diego (UCSD) to conduct investigations into the etiology and effects of this devastating disease. In 1994, Leon J. Thal, M.D., Professor and Chairman of Neurosciences and Principal Investigator of the Alzheimer’s Disease Cooperative Study became the Director of the ADRC.

Our clinicians and basic researchers have been instrumental in making a number of discoveries which have helped the scientific community understand the clinical presentation and the basic biology of the disease, as well as basic research into potential targets for therapeutic intervention.

We are located in La Jolla, California, adjacent to the main campus of UCSD. We have a second site in Chula Vista, CA where we have a Hispanic satellite clinic. Here our participants who speak Spanish can be interviewed and examined by our bilingual/bicultural team. (See Información en Español)

What we offer

This program enrolls both people with Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias and also normal control subjects. Since its inception, more than 1,500 volunteers have participated in our research studies. More than 200 participants have been seen in our satellite clinic.

Annual Evaluation
Clinical Drug Trials
Hispanic Outreach (See also Información en Español)
Community Outreach and Education