About the conference

Health care professionals and students interested in collaboration and discussion on transformational care, research and therapeutics in Alzheimer’s disease are invited to our annual South Texas Alzheimer’s Conference. The annual conference is presented by the Glenn Biggs Institute for Alzheimer's and Neurodegenerative Diseases in partnership with the Alzheimer's Association. 2020 conference theme:
  • Alzheimer’s in the Hispanic Population
  • Precision Omics, Cognitive and Neuroimaging Approach to the Diagnosis, Prevention and Treatment of Dementia
  • Novel Approaches to the Care and Treatment of Patients and Care Partners Including Home Based Care

Event schedule

Pre-Conference Public Event and Opening Reception

3:00-5:30pm

Pre-Conference Public Event

Members of the community and conference attendees are invited to meet renowned experts in dementia care and hear a panel discussion on new therapies for Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias as part of the South Texas Alzheimer’s Conference Public Event.

Featured Topic: “New Hope for Treating and Preventing Alzheimer’s and Other Dementias: Discoveries from Around the World”

Location

UT Health San Antonio Holly Auditorium, 7703 Floyd Curl Drive, San Antonio, TX 78229

5:30pm

Opening Reception 

Conference attendees are invited to join us for networking, dinner and presentations. 

Location

UT Health San Antonio Academic Learning and Teaching Center, 3rd Floor, 703 Floyd Curl Drive, San Antonio, TX 78229

6:30pm

Dinner Buffet

7:15pm

Welcome Remarks

Sudha Seshadri, M.D.

Presentations

Plenary: “Dementia Research in a Humanitarian Crisis Setting,” Gladys E. Maestre, M.D., Ph.D.

“New Approaches to Care and Treatments for Alzheimer’s Disease,” Mercè Boada Rovira, M.D., Ph.D.

“Novel Therapeutic Approaches to Prevent and Treat Tauopoathies,” Bess Frost, Ph.D.

 

 

Research Conference Day 1 at Briscoe Western Art Museum

7:00 am

Check-In  

Continental Breakfast 

7:45 am

Welcome and Opening Remarks 

Sudha Seshadri, M.D.

Gladys E. Maestre, M.D., Ph.D.  

Munro Cullum, Ph.D., ABPP  

8:00 am

Scientific Session I: Personalized Care and Prevention

Plenary: “Technology to Advance Assessments and Interventions for Dementia” – Jeffrey Kaye, M.D. 

“Implementation of Community-Based Programs to Support Family Caregivers” – Carole White, Ph.D., R.N., and Laura Novak, OTD, OTR, BCG 

“Carino en su Casa, Palliative Care” – Neela K. Patel, M.D., M.P.H., CMD   

Cognitive Function in the Cameron County Hispanic Cohort” – Paul E. Schulz, M.D.  

The Economic Impact of Alzheimer’s on Latinos: An Overview & Call for Brain Health Equity” – Jason Resendez  

Plenary: An Epidemiological Approach to Identify Anti-Hypertensive Drugs Effective in Lowering Dementia Risk” – Lenore J. Launer, Ph.D., M.Sc.   

Risk Factors for Dementia: Implications for Prevention” – Mary Ganguli, M.D., M.P.H.   

“Sleep and Dementia” – Andrée-Ann Baril, Ph.D. 

10:40 am

Poster Viewing and Coffee 

11 am

Scientific Session II: Dementia in Hispanic Populations: Research

Chairs: Nicolas Musi, M.D., and Kyriakos S. Markides, Ph.D.

Plenary: “Alzheimer’s Prevention and Preparedness: Addressing Disparities” – Kristine Yaffe, M.D.   

Dementia Research in a Humanitarian Crisis Setting” – Gladys E. Maestre, M.D., Ph.D. 

Genome Research at Fundació ACE Project: Meta-GWAS with IGAP and UK Biobank Identifies Novel Loci for Alzheimer’s DiseaseAgustín Ruiz Laza, M.D., Ph.D. 

Admixture and Aging: Perspectives from Two Elderly Samples from Sao Paulo, Brazil” – Michel S. Naslavsky, Ph.D. 

“Alzheimer’s Genetics in Argentina: Evidence-Based Actions and Future Directions” – Laura Morelli, Ph.D., M.Sc. 

Studying Cognitive Aging in Mexico: Screening, Testing and Genetic Risk Factors in the Mexican Health and Aging Study”Rafael Samper-Ternent, M.D., Ph.D. 

Healthcare Utilization by Older Mexican Americans with and without a Diagnosis of Alzheimer’s – Brian Downer, Ph.D.   

12:45 pm

Lunch Buffet

1:45 pm

Scientific Session IIIMild Cognitive Impairment and Dementia Care and Research Around the World 

Chairs: Cerise Elliott, Ph.D.   

 

Plenary: “Inter-ethnic differences in prevalence of Cognitive Impairment” – Christopher Chen, BA, BMBCh, MRCP, FAMS, FRCPE 

 

“Cognitive Resilience as the Basic Concept in Alzheimer’s Primary Care in Argentina” – Luis Ignacio Brusco, M.D. 

 

Dementia in Indigenous Africans: What We Know and What We Need to KnowRufus Akinyemi, Ph.D., M.Sc., MWACP, FMCP 

Understanding Heterogeneous Contributors to Dementia – The Canadian Perspective” – Mario Masellis, M.Sc., M.D., Ph.D., FRCPC 

A Nationwide Australian Perspective on Cognitive Aging and Dementia: An Overview of the Community-Based Healthy Brain Project” – Matthew Pase, Ph.D. 

“Frailty, Nutrition and Cognition in Older Chileans” – Bárbara Angel Badillo, Ph.D.  

4:30 pm

Poster Blitz Reception

5:45 pm

Panel Discussion: Collaborative and Cross Disciplinary Research-Career Opportunities 

Chairs: Bernard Fongang, Ph.D., Mario Gil, Ph.D.,Bernard Fongang, Ph.D. Pavel Rodriguez, M.D., Ph.D., Elizabeth Ochoa Thomas, 

CerisElliott, Ph.D.  

David PaydarfarM.D.  

RebeccMEdelmayer, Ph.D. 

7:00pm

Junior Researchers Dinner and Networking Event at the Hard Rock Cafe

111 W Crockett St, San Antonio, TX 78205

Research Conference Day 2 at Briscoe Western Art Museum

7:00 am

Check-In  

Continental Breakfast 

7:45 am

Welcome

George Perry, Ph.D.  

8:00 am

Scientific Session IV: Traumatic Brain Injury and Neurodegeneration

Chair: Byron Hepburn, M.D.

Plenary: Kristine Yaffe, M.D.

8:30 am

Scientific Session V: Imaging as a Tool to Explore Dementia Heterogeneity

Chairs: Carole Dufouil, Ph.D., and Mohamad Habes, Ph.D.

Plenary: “Brain Aging as a Useful Research Tool in the General Population,” Hans J. Grabe, M.D.

“Emerging New Techniques in Brain Imaging,” Peter T. Fox, M.D.

“Brain Structure in Neurodegeneration: A Precision Epidemiology Approach” Hieab Adams, M.D., Ph.D.

Novel Biomarkers of Vascular and Degenerative Pathologies in the Aging Brain,” Saima Hilal, M.D., Ph.D.

PET Imaging to Address Dementia Heterogeneity,” Joseph C. Masdeu, M.D., Ph.D.

“Data-Driven Subtyping of Brain Aging and Early Alzheimer’s Atrophy Patterns,” Mohamad Habes, Ph.D.

“Shades of White,” Pauline Maillard, Ph.D.

11:00 am

Poster Viewing and Coffee 

11:30 am

Scientific Session VI: Genetic and Omics Approaches to Understanding Dementias

Chair: Myriam Fornage, Ph.D., and Jenny Hsieh, Ph.D.

Plenary: “Genetics of Alzheimer’s Disease,” Jean-Charles Lambert, Ph.D.

“Non-coding RNAs and Cholinergic Pathways in the Healthy and Diseased Brain,” Hermona Soreq, Ph.D.

“Genetic Modulators of Disease Progression in Pre-Dementia Stages,” Alfredo Ramirez, M.D., Ph.D.

“Integration of Genomic and Transcriptomic Data Delivers Novel Candidate Genes for Alzheimer’s,”Maria Victoria Fernández Hernandez, Ph.D., M.Sc.

“Diagnostic Tools for Alzheimer’s using High Throughput Data,” Laura Ibanez, Ph.D.

“Functional Genomics in Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s Disease,” Bruno A. Benitez, M.D.

1:30 pm

Lunch Buffet and Group Picture

2:20 pm

Scientific Session VII: Cognitive Phenotyping for Early Diagnosis and Differential Diagnosis

Chair: A. Campbell Sullivan, Psy.D., ABPP-CN

“Regression-Based Normative Approaches,” S. Marc Testa, Ph.D., ABPP

“Global Neuropsychological Assessment in Research and Practice,” David J. Schretlen, Ph.D., ABPP

“Early Detection of Cognitive Decline,” Robin Hilsabeck, Ph.D., ABPP

3:30 pm

Coffee Break

3:50 pm

Scientific Session VIII: Novel Approaches to Detection and Treatment of Dementias

Chairs: Mitzi Gonzales, Ph.D., ABPP-CN, and Robert Clark, M.D., MACP

Plenary: “An Overview of Promising New Approaches to Preventing and Treating Dementias,” Sudha

Seshadri, M.D.

“Use of Unsupervised Online Cognitive Tests in Studies of Aging: Progress and Pitfalls,” Scott

Mackin, Ph.D.

“Gemfibrozil’s Effect on MicroRNA in Prodromal Alzheimer’s Disease,” Gregory A. Jicha, M.D., Ph.D.

“Applying the Geroscience Hypothesis to the Treatment of Alzheimer’s Disease,” Miranda Orr, Ph.D.

“Using Machine Learning to Identify Novel Drug Combinations for Alzheimer’s Treatment,” Thomas J. Anastasio, Ph.D.

“Altering Tau Splicing to Identify and Treat Tauopathies,” Kathleen M. Schoch, Ph.D.

5:45 pm

Presentation of Best Poster and Travel Awards

Andrea Giuffrida, Ph.D.

Mrs. Ann Biggs

Closing Remarks

End of Conference

Accelerating Sponsor

Alzheimer Association Logo

Sponsors

UT RGV Logo
UTSA Logo