WILMINGTON, DE — The Delaware Community Foundation (DCF) has announced a five-year, $13.1 million investment in the Delaware Center for Cognitive Aging Research (DECCAR) at the University of Delaware, marking one of the largest commitments in state history to Alzheimer’s research. The funding will come from the Paul H. Boerger Fund, established in 2014 to support efforts to prevent and cure the disease.
“No one has to look very far afield to witness and understand the tragedy of Alzheimer’s, and the research supported by this grant will help UD researchers come ever closer to uncovering life-improving and life-saving solutions,” said Stuart Comstock-Gay, DCF president and CEO.
The Boerger Fund, seeded during Paul Boerger’s lifetime and bolstered through a major estate gift after his death in 2017, previously provided $575,000 to support the Delaware Longitudinal Study for Alzheimer’s Prevention (DeLSAP). That study tracks how health, lifestyle, and biology influence dementia risk over time, while helping identify early markers of cognitive decline.
The new funding will allow DECCAR to expand DeLSAP from 100 to 500 participants, accelerate development of a blood test to identify biomarkers that predict disease progression, and purchase a $3.2 million MRI machine for UD’s STAR Campus to expand diagnostic access and research capacity.
“This transformational gift will significantly expand Alzheimer’s research throughout the state,” said Christopher Martens, DECCAR director and associate professor of kinesiology and applied physiology. “It will also help grow the number of researchers in Delaware focused on Alzheimer’s disease, promoting an interdisciplinary approach.”
Interim UD President Laura Carlson emphasized the personal impact of the investment. “Every one of us has a family member or friend who has been deeply affected by Alzheimer’s. I’m proud that UD is working better to understand this terrible disease and partnering with others throughout the state to work on its prevention, diagnosis, and treatment.”
With the grant, UD and DECCAR aim to accelerate breakthroughs in prevention and diagnosis while expanding statewide research infrastructure and outreach.
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