Alzheimer’s disease remains a significant health challenge, affecting about 10 percent of people over age 65 and causing more deaths annually than breast cancer and prostate cancer combined. The disease has long been difficult to predict, diagnose, or treat, but recent advances are beginning to change the landscape.
Martin Kampmann, professor of biochemistry and biophysics at UC San Francisco, commented on the progress: “We’ve had thousands of failed clinical trials and made very little progress against this devastating disease for decades. But just over the last five or so years, we’ve hit an inflection point. We’re starting to get traction.”
Two drugs recently approved by the FDA target amyloid protein deposits in the brain, delaying cognitive impairment by up to seven months. However, these medications do not cure or reverse Alzheimer’s and have notable side effects. Adam Boxer, neurology professor at UC San Francisco, said: “There is concern from some that these medicines are not as effective or as safe as desired for people with symptoms of Azheimer’s. But this is just the first generation.” He likened current treatments to early HIV medications and noted ongoing research combining anti-amyloid drugs with therapies targeting tau protein. “The thought is that a combination of an anti-amyloid and an anti-tau drug could have a much larger effect than either alone,” Boxer said.
Research at UCLA led by Istvan Mody focuses on restoring brain function after damage from Alzheimer’s. Mody explained: “The hope with the anti-amyloid drugs was that with the removal of the plaques, the disease would be cured. Unfortunately, that hasn’t been the case. The removal of these toxic compounds still leaves an altered brain behind.” His team discovered a molecule that increases gamma oscillations—brain signals involved in memory—and found it restored maze navigation abilities in mice with Alzheimer’s-like symptoms. “We’ve shown that this works in mice,” Mody said. “If we can develop a therapy that’s safe and effective for people, we may be able to restore cognitive function. That’s the ultimate hope.”
In May 2025, the FDA approved its first blood test for diagnosing Alzheimer’s disease by detecting tau and amyloid proteins in blood samples. While currently limited to patients already showing dementia symptoms, researchers like Hector M. González at UC San Diego are seeking additional biomarkers for earlier detection. González’s study identified three blood proteins linked to cognitive decline among over 6,000 Latinos in the U.S., including NfL—a marker correlated with memory problems even before other symptoms appear.
Rachel Whitmer at UC Davis highlighted lifestyle factors’ role in dementia risk reduction: “The good news is, we now know that 45 percent of the overall population risk of dementia is accounted for by modifiable factors, like midlife hypertension, low social engagement, untreated hearing loss or hyperlipidemia, or exposure to air pollution.” Her work supports interventions targeting multiple risk factors simultaneously for greater impact on cognitive health.
Advances in gene editing are also expanding understanding of Alzheimer’s biology beyond protein deposits alone. Martin Kampmann’s lab uses CRISPR technology—originally developed at UC Berkeley—to edit genes in cultured brain cells derived from patient samples and observe how changes affect neuronal survival or degeneration. This approach has revealed genetic states influencing microglia (the brain’s immune cells) behavior during dementia progression.
Kampmann stated: “I think in the next five or 10 years we’ll see that it’s a combination of therapies…that can really be effective” against dementia.
The University of California system plays a leading role in Alzheimer’s research through its ten campuses and six academic health centers; eight out of ten California Alzheimer’s Disease Centers are housed within UC institutions.
However, future momentum may be threatened by potential federal funding cuts under consideration by Congress—a development prompting calls from university leaders for renewed investment in scientific research nationwide.
