David Y. Ige

HAWAIʻI LAGGING BEHIND MOST STATES IN VOLUNTEERS FOR GENE MATCH PROGRAM TO ADVANCE ALZHEIMER’S DISEASE RESEARCH

 

More than 65,000 people in U.S. have enrolled in The Alzheimer’s Prevention Initiative and Gene Match Program, to help researchers trying to cure Alzheimer’s disease. Unfortunately, Hawai’i’s participation in this important initiative, begun in 2015, is lagging behind that of most other states.

The Gene Match program aims to identify people of different genetic backgrounds, so those people contribute to research focusing on the disease among people of similar backgrounds.

Taking part is as simple as having your cheek swabbed, and free swab tests are available in Hawai’i at the Clinical Research Center, ​Hawaiʻi Pacific Neuroscience, ​located at ​2230 Liliha Street in Honolulu.

Free memory testing also is offered by the center, which is led by Kore Kai Liow, ​MD, Principal Investigator and Clinical Professor of Neurology (Internal Medicine) at the University of Hawaiʻi John Burns School of Medicine (JABSOM).

 

“On behalf of those in Hawaiʻi affected by Alzheimer’s and their families and caretakers, I encourage everyone who can to help further this important research,” said Dr. Liow. “With our diverse island population, residents of our state could really make a significant impact as we seek to learn who is most at risk for this terrible disease and how we can create more effective treatments tailored to a patients’ genetic background.”

The Hawaiʻi Alzheimer’s Prevention Registry is specifically seeking volunteers who are:
(1) Aged 55 to 75 years old
(2) Who are Hawaiʻi residents
(3) And who have NO current memory loss

 

If you are interested, you may either register on-line at https://www.endalznow.org/for-researchers/genematch-toolkit/hawaii-neuroscience/6191, or call the Hawaiʻi Alzheimer’s Prevention Registry at (808) 564-6141 or (808) 564-6142.

 

For more information about the Alzheimer’s Prevention Initiative and Gene Match Program, go to the NIH/NIA website.