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Mission
The mission of the Center for Neurodegenerative Disease Research (CNDR) is to promote and conduct multidisciplinary clinical and basic research to increase the understanding of the causes and mechanisms leading to brain dysfunction and degeneration in neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s disease (AD), Parkinson’s disease (PD), Lewy body dementia (LBD), Frontotemporal degeneration (FTD), Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), Primary lateral sclerosis (PLS), Motor neuron disease (MND), and related disorders that occur increasingly with advancing age. Implicit in the mission of the CNDR are two overarching goals: 1.) Find better ways to cure and treat these disorders, 2. Provide training to the next generation of scientists.
“My vision for CNDR is to create a world with effective interventions to prevent and cure aging-related neurodegenerative diseases.” – Eddie Lee, MD, PhD, Director of CNDR
John Q. Trojanowski, MD, PhD | 1946 - 2022
In loving memory of John Q. Trojanowski, MD, PhD
Latest Research
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Adrenal insufficiency in individuals with Duchenne muscular dystrophy treated with glucocorticoids: Insights from the past, current challenges, and future directions
Tuesday, September 22, 2026
Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) is an X-linked recessive dystrophinopathy characterized by progressive loss of muscle strength, respiratory insufficiency, cardiac dysfunction, and premature death. Despite a rapidly evolving therapeutic landscape that now includes multiple disease modifying treatments including exon skipping medications, microdystrophin gene therapy, and givinostat, high dose glucocorticoids (GCs) initiated at a young age remain central to the standard of care for DMD....
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Deep Learning-derived Bone Mineral Density and Longitudinal White Matter Microstructure and Cognitive Decline: Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis
Tuesday, September 22, 2026
Background White matter (WM) microstructural degeneration and WM hyperintensities (WMH) are imaging markers of brain aging. Low bone mineral density (BMD) and brain aging co-occur, but longitudinal evidence linking skeletal health to WM injury and cognitive decline remains limited. Purpose To determine whether deep learning-derived thoracic vertebral BMD (vBMD) from noncontrast chest CT is associated with longitudinal changes in WM integrity, WMH burden, and cognitive decline. Materials and...
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Cognition endpoints for Parkinson's disease: A roadmap for developing patient-focused assessment tools to accelerate drug development
Monday, September 21, 2026
Cognitive dysfunction is a prevalent and impactful feature of Parkinson's disease (PD), with substantial heterogeneity in onset, severity, and progression, and a high lifetime risk of dementia. Despite its clinical importance, effective treatments and fit-for-purpose outcome measures remain limited. This article reports outcomes from a multi-stakeholder roundtable convened by The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson's Research, outlining priorities to advance patient-focused endpoints and...