Roskamp Institute

The [http://www.rfdn.org/ Roskamp Institute] , founded by the Robert Roskamp Foundation in Sarasota, Florida in 2003, is a non-profit biomedical research center with an emphasis on Alzheimer's disease.cite news |url= http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/medicalnews.php?newsid=61664 |title= Sarasota's Roskamp Institute Discovers New Class Of Drugs That Can Impact Alzheimer's Disease |author= |format= html |work= Medical News Today |date= 26 January 2007 ] It also operates a memory clinic and clinical research offices in Tampa, Florida.cite web |url= http://www.centerwatch.com/patient/studies/stu93779.html |title= Trial Information Summary: A Phase IV Alzheimer's Disease Trial studying the effectiveness and safety of donepezil hydrochloride (Aricept) in the Hispanic population |format= html |work= CenterWatch.com |date= 1 September 2006 ] The institute is focused on finding the causes and treatments for neuropsychiatric and neurodegenerative diseases, particularly the Alzheimer's disease.

The Institute's lead researchers, Dr. Michael Mullan and Dr. Fiona Crawfordcite web |url= http://www.roskampinstitute.com/about_who.html |title= Who We Are: Executive Leadership |format= html |work= roskampinstitute.com ] were members of a team of scientists who discovered in the early 1990s that the onset of Alzheimer’s disease was directly related to the accumulation of the β-amyloid protein.cite web |url= http://www.nature.com/nature/journal/v353/n6347/abs/353844a0.html |title= Early-onset Alzheimer's disease caused by mutations at codon 717 of the β-amyloid precursor protein gene |author= Chartier-Harlin "et al." |format= html |work= Nature |date= 31 October 1991 ]

The Roskamp Institute tied up with the [http://www.tcd.ie/Neuroscience/ Institute of Neuroscience] of Trinity College, Dublin to launch a clinical trial study in September 2006 to determine if the drug Nilvadipine might be useful in the cure of Alzheimer's disease.cite web |url= http://www.rfdn.org/news_release_090806.html |title= Renowned US Neuroscience Institute Announces Partnership with Trinity College |format= html |work= Roskamp Institute |date= ] The study has been funded by the Roskamp Institute. The aim of the study is to determine if Nilvadipine can alter β-amyloid protein. Nilvadipine is currently used to cure high blood pressure and is available in Ireland on prescription.

The institute is currently housed in a 41,000 sq ft scientific research facility (formerly used by Bausch & Lomb) in Sarasota, Florida. The institute facility contains proteomics, genomics, mass spectrometry, and chemistry labs. Lead by Drs. Michael Mullan and Fiona Crawford, the organization employs more than 50 scientists, technicians, and other research staff.

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