Neuropathology Core

Overview

The Neuropathology Core leads the Center’s neuropathological analyses of brains donated by research registry participants. The Core works with the Clinical Core to carry out the Center’s Brain Tissue Donation Program, which provides brain tissue for analyses that will help to understand the underlying pathology of AD so that effective treatments can ultimately be developed. The Core also works closely with the Data Core to maintain a comprehensive computerized database of information resulting from neuropathological analyses. The Boston University Brain Bank of the Neuropathology Core not only documents neuropathological findings of Center research registry participants, but also of brain donors from important related BUSM studies such as the Framingham Heart Study and the Centenarian Study.

Activities

• Conducting intensive neuropathological analyses using brains from deceased research participants in the ADC research registry and related studies
• Assisting with analyses to determine how well clinicians’ diagnoses of AD and related dementias correlate with neuropathological diagnoses on autopsy
• Providing brain tissue to other investigators for use in neuropathological research on AD
• Assisting with outreach efforts to increase brain donation from African American research participants
• Leading clinical-pathological case conferences to educate neurology fellows and Center faculty/staff
• Providing autopsy reports to families of deceased Brain Donation Program participants

Brain Tissue Data Requests

If you are interested in obtaining data from the BU ADC Neuropathology Core, please see the Information for Investigators page.

Key Personnel

• Ann McKee, MD, Director
• Carol Kubilus, Chief Histotechnologist
• Kerry Cormier, Histotechnologist
• Hyo Soon, MD, HIstotechnologist
• Victor Alvarez, MD, Neuropathologist Assistant
• Sydney Wojtowicz, Research Assistant
• Prince Williams, Research Assistant