NIH Researcher Honored for Publication of “Most Impactful Study in Last Two Years” at Alzheimer’s Association International Conference 2018

CHICAGO, July 25, 2018 — The Alzheimer’s Association presented its Inge Grundke-Iqbal Award for Alzheimer’s Research to Robert Tycko, Ph.D., senior investigator in the Laboratory of Chemical Physics, a basic research department in the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases at the National Institutes of Health. The Award was presented at the Alzheimer’s Association International Conference 2018 (AAIC 2018) in Chicago.

The Inge Grundke-Iqbal Award for Alzheimer’s Research is presented to the senior author of the most impactful study published in Alzheimer’s research during the two calendar years preceding AAIC.

Dr. Tycko received the award for research on the molecular structures of amyloid-beta (Aβ) fibrils that develop in human brain tissue. His lab analyzes the possible associations between the variations in these Aβ structures and how they might contribute to Alzheimer’s disease. Dr. Tycko’s laboratory uses solid state nuclear magnetic resonance (ssNMR) methods to examine brain tissue. That imaging provides a higher-resolution, more detailed view of the amyloid structures that are linked to Alzheimer’s, which may help scientists better understand the disease.

Their findings were detailed in a paper, “Structural variation in amyloid-β fibrils from Alzheimer’s disease clinical subtypes,” published in Nature, in January 2017.

“This research is important to help us better understand the variations in subtypes of Alzheimer’s disease, which may lead to the development of new treatments,” said Maria C. Carrillo, Ph.D., chief science officer, Alzheimer’s Association.

Dr. Tycko received his A.B. degree from Princeton University in 1980 and his Ph.D. in chemistry from the University of California, Berkeley in 1984. After postdoctoral research at the University of Pennsylvania, he joined A T & T Bell Laboratories in 1986 where he worked on the development of ssNMR methods in materials science and condensed matter physics. In 1994, Dr. Tycko moved to the NIH to establish a research program in biomolecular ssNMR. He is currently president of the International Society of Magnetic Resonance.

The Alzheimer’s Association created the Grunde-Iqbal award to honor Inge Grundke-Iqbal, Ph.D., who served as professor and head of Neuroimmunology at the New York State Institute for Basic Research in Development Disabilities from 1977 until her passing in September 2012. A world-renowned scientist and Alzheimer’s disease researcher, Dr. Grundke-Iqbal made several seminal findings in the biology of Alzheimer’s disease and related conditions.

The Alzheimer’s Association is committed to accelerating the global effort to eliminate Alzheimer’s disease and to recognizing the efforts of researchers who further our understanding about this devastating disease. As the worldwide nonprofit leader in funding Alzheimer’s research, we continue to directly fund cutting-edge research with approximately $160 million accelerating advances in 21 countries around the world.

The Alzheimer’s Association International Conference^® (AAIC^®)
The Alzheimer’s Association International Conference (AAIC) is the world’s largest gathering of researchers from around the world focused on Alzheimer’s and other dementias. As a part of the Alzheimer’s Association’s research program, AAIC serves as a catalyst for generating new knowledge about dementia and fostering a vital, collegial research community.
AAIC 2018 home page: aaic.alz.org/
AAIC 2018 newsroom: aaic.alz.org/press.asp

About the Alzheimer's Association^®
The Alzheimer’s Association is the leading voluntary health organization in Alzheimer's care, support and research. Our mission is to eliminate Alzheimer’s disease through the advancement of research, to provide and enhance care and support for all affected, and to reduce the risk of dementia through the promotion of brain health. Our vision is a world without Alzheimer’s. Visit alz.org or call 800.272.3900.

Media Contacts: 
Alzheimer’s Association AAIC Press Office, 312-949-8710, aaicmedia@alz.org
Jann Ingmire, Alzheimer's Association, 312-335-5704, jlingmire@alz.org