Lifetime Achievement Awards Presented to Three Leading Researchers at Alzheimer’s Association International Conference® 2017

LONDON, July 16, 2017 — The Alzheimer’s Association recognizes three leading scientists with Lifetime Achievement Awards for their contributions to advancing Alzheimer’s disease and dementia research. The awards were presented during the opening session at the Alzheimer’s Association International Conference® 2017 (AAIC® 2017) in London.

“These three scientists have made notable and valuable contributions in advancing the field of Alzheimer’s disease and dementia research,” said Maria C. Carrillo, Ph.D., chief science officer for the Alzheimer’s Association. “Their commitment to improving the lives of people living with Alzheimer’s and other dementias is inspiring. Their work is helping lead the way to a world without Alzheimer’s. We honor them for their passion, leadership and dedication.”

Khalid Iqbal, Ph.D., Bengt Winblad, M.D., Ph.D., and Henry Wisniewski, M.D., Ph.D., founded the Alzheimer’s research conference in 1988. The AAIC Lifetime Achievement Awards are named in their honor. The Awards honor individuals who have made significant fundamental contributions to Alzheimer’s research, either through a single scientific discovery or a body of work. These contributions, whether in research, leadership or mentorship, must have a lasting impact on the field and demonstrate a lifetime commitment towards progress against Alzheimer’s and dementia. The 2017 honorees are:

Khalid Iqbal, Ph.D., Lifetime Achievement Award in Alzheimer’s Disease Research

• Edward H. Koo, M.D., Professor of Medicine and Physiology at the National University of Singapore Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine and the Department of Neurosciences at the University of California, San Diego School of Medicine. Dr. Koo is recognized for his contributions in furthering understanding of the molecular and cellular pathophysiology of Alzheimer’s disease. Dr. Koo is recognized for his studies on characterizing the pathways of production of the amyloid beta-protein from the amyloid precursor protein (APP) as well as the physiological and pathological functions of APP. His work has also contributed to Alzheimer’s therapeutics. More recently, he has focused his attention on how synapses are damaged in Alzheimer’s disease.



Bengt Winblad Lifetime Achievement Award in Alzheimer's Disease Research

• Claudia Kawas, M.D., Al and Trish Nichols Chair in Clinical Neuroscience and Professor of Neurology and Neurobiology & Behavior at the University of California, Irvine. Dr. Kawas is recognized for her numerous contributions to clinical and epidemiological research in Alzheimer’s disease, aging and dementia. Over the past 30 years, Dr. Kawas has conducted clinical trials, clinical pathological correlations and investigations of risk and protective factors for dementia in numerous longitudinal studies, including the Bronx Aging Study, the Baltimore Longitudinal Study of Aging (National Institute on Aging), and most recently, The 90+ Study, a population based sample of more than
  1,800 people aged 90 years and older. As co-principal investigator of the 90+ Study, Dr. Kawas has examined what allows people to live to age 90 and beyond, and the factors associated with dementia and cognitive resilience at this age. A major finding from the study is that about a quarter of the people with dementia over age 90 do not have sufficient Alzheimer’s disease or other neuropathologic changes in their brain to explain their cognitive loss, while 40% of individuals without dementia have high levels of Alzheimer’s disease pathology and appear resilient to its deleterious effects.




Henry Wisniewski Lifetime Achievement Award in Alzheimer's Disease Research

• Hugh C. Hendrie, MB, ChB, DSc – Professor Emeritus, Department of Psychiatry, Indiana University School of Medicine; Distinguished Scientist, Regenstrief Institute, Inc.; Center Scientist, Indiana University Center for Aging Research. Dr. Hendrie is recognized for his many contributions in furthering understanding of dementia and its risk factors, particularly as they apply to diverse populations. He served as a principle investigator for the largest and longest National Institute on Aging (NIA)-funded study of its kind – the Indianapolis-Ibadan Dementia Project. This study was one of the first to identify the link between cardiovascular risk factors and dementia as well as demonstrating differences in incidence rates and genetic risk factors between the populations. Dr. Hendrie was a member of an early initiative by NIA and the World Health Organization to encourage international studies in dementia. He continues to collaborate on international studies of dementia and clinical intervention trials for the treatment of dementia.

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. Since 1982 the Alzheimer's Association has invested over $385 million in more than 2,500 scientific investigations. As the largest nonprofit funder of Alzheimer’s research, our International Research Grant Program is currently investing more than $100 million across 370 best-of-field active projects in 18 countries.

About AAIC
The Alzheimer’s Association International Conference® 2017 (AAIC®) is the largest international meeting dedicated to advancing dementia science. Each year, AAIC unites the world’s leading researchers, next generation investigators, clinicians and the care research community to share discoveries in basic and translational research that will lead to methods of prevention and treatment, and improvements in diagnosis for Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias.
AAIC 2017 home page: aaic.alz.org/
AAIC 2017 newsroom: aaic.alz.org/pressroom.asp

Media Contacts: 
Alzheimer's Association AAIC newsroom, +44 (0) 20-7069-6000, media@alz.org
Mike Campea, Alzheimer’s Association, 312-978-4372, mcampea@alz.org