Mission & Vision | Dongming Cai, MD, PhD, Lab

Our Mission:

Under the leadership of Dr. Cai, the mission of the lab is to conduct cutting-edge clinical and translational research that improves understanding of the molecular nuances of Alzheimer's that affect patient's disease progression as a means of discovering more effective treatment and prevention options based on nuanced differences at the molecular level.

Our Vision:

Research

For research, we plan to develop our translational and clinical research programs to build one of the nation’s leading Alzheimer’s Disease Research Centers. For example, we’re currently creating a biorepository of tissue samples from those with neurodegenerative disorders, which allows for personalized drug testing and the prediction of individual responses to various treatments.

Our research focuses on diversifying dementia drug development portfolios. While the Alzheimer’s Disease field mainly focuses on clearing amyloid and tau, our research has expanded beyond therapeutic strategies to clear these pathological features. One example is our drug discovery project targeting microglial cells, which act as the brain’s cleanup crew. We have developed a novel drug that may help microglia stay healthy and work at their garbage-disposing best.

Clinical care

Clinical care and research go hand in hand. Expanding the clinical program is a crucial priority for the Grossman Center and will be necessary for our continued success. In addition to establishing a biorepository, we are building a clinical registry that provides more opportunities to engage in clinical trials. This registry would help caregivers and patients better navigate the complex research and care system. We have also been collaborating with our neurology and primary care colleagues to create a clinical pipeline, allowing the delivery of a recently FDA-approved therapy for AD.

Another priority of the clinical care we are focusing on at the Grossman Center is to target early prevention of dementia. Speaking of prevention, we must promote education about the importance of healthy aging and improving cognitive reserve to prevent dementia development. Lifestyle modifications such as maintaining good sleep habits, handling stress, interacting with friends, exercising, learning new things, and diet control are all paramount to preventing cognitive decline.

In alignment with this effort of early prevention, one of the initiatives Dr. Cai has been working on since joining UMN is to bring together a world-class team of investigators with complementary expertise focusing on developing novel diagnostic tools, methodologies, and therapeutic strategies targeted at sleep and brain health. The ultimate goals of this initiative are early prevention of the development and progression of Alzheimer’s Disease and related dementias.

Education

Education is equally important, as we are responsible for training the next generation of healthcare providers better equipped to care for those with memory disorders. Establishing a fellowship program to train future behavioral neurologists will better prepare the next generation of healthcare providers to care for patients with memory disorders. I also want to deepen the multidisciplinary collaborative effort at the UMN that impressed me in the first place, with health training programs within colleges and departments on campus.

Without the support of our community, including those like you, none of this could happen. The Grossman Center will continue to build and cultivate a community of Alzheimer’s disease and related dementia advocates through events like this one. We will continue collaborating with more community organizations to connect us with people who could benefit from our expertise.

What truly makes our mission strong is the integration of different aspects of our pillars into a unified goal: to provide the best care possible to patients and families. I want to elude that we are in an exciting new era of dementia research and care. The decade ahead will be genuinely transformational for Alzheimer’s disease and related dementia. We will better understand the disease mechanisms. This understanding, in combination with biomarkers, will guide the development of individualized therapeutics.

Looking into the future, I see better therapies—and, ultimately, a cure. This future is not too far away—it is within our reach. I want my patients and their families to leave their appointments and share in my hopes.