Earlier this month, Texas voters approved Proposition 14, establishing a constitutional amendment to fund the Dementia Prevention and Research Institute of Texas (DPRIT). The initiative is designed to address the needs of more than 460,000 Texans living with Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias.
“Once again, Texas voters have chosen to make a transformative investment in translational and public health research,” said Kevin Morano, PhD, senior vice president of Academic and Faculty Affairs and the Roger J. Bulger, MD, Distinguished Professor at UTHealth Houston. “What CPRIT has done for prominence in cancer research and prevention for Texans and the nation, DPRIT will do for neurodegenerative disease.”
The Texas Legislature created DPRIT through Senate Bill 5 during its 89th session in May. However, funding required voter approval. The bill had bipartisan support and was prioritized by Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick. It was authored by Sen. Joan Huffman, chair of the Senate Finance Committee, and sponsored in the House by Rep. Tom Craddick. Other supporters included Rep. Senfronia Thompson and Rep. Greg Bonnen, MD.
“After hearing countless stories of Texans whose lives were shattered by this silent killer, I felt it was time to create the Dementia Prevention and Research Institute of Texas to bring world-class dementia researchers to our state,” Patrick said. “Texas, with our vast resources, has an opportunity to make a positive difference in the lives of millions. DPRIT is structured like the Cancer Prevention and Research Institute of Texas, which has been a resounding success in bringing the best cancer researchers and doctors to Texas."
With a two-to-one margin at the polls, Proposition 14 enables DPRIT to distribute $3 billion over ten years for dementia-related research, prevention, treatment, and care using existing state funds.
“After many hard-fought sessions, I’m delighted that the legislation has finally passed, and more importantly, that Texans overwhelmingly passed Prop 14 to fund DPRIT,” Rep. Thompson said. “Texas ranks second in the number of Alzheimer’s deaths in the country, and our aging population is growing faster than the national average. DPRIT gives us a coordinated strategy to tackle this dreaded disease head-on. It also ensures Texas attracts and retains the best researchers to unlock the mysteries of Alzheimer’s and dementia. But most of all — it gives those who are impacted with the disease a better quality of life and hope for the future.”
DPRIT is modeled after CPRIT (Cancer Prevention and Research Institute of Texas), which previously increased cancer research prominence within Texas through similar strategies.
"This is an exciting time for researchers that are now obtaining new tools like AI, advanced genomics, and imagining breakthroughs that will allow them, with DPRIT’s investment, to make discoveries to unlock the causes, prevention, and treatments for dementia-related diseases,” Bonnen said. “DPRIT will have the opportunity to invest in research into the root causes of dementia, including MAHA (Make America Healthy Again) issues with the food supply and nutrition, impact of the gut microbiome, the role of inflammation, and cerebral amyloid angiopathy which is an abnormal protein that is present in 80% of Alzheimer’s disease patients."
“These diseases touch nearly every family in our state leaving lasting impacts on loved ones and communities alike,” Craddick said. “Much like Cancer Prevention Research Institute of Texas DPRIT will invest in groundbreaking research unlike any other state in nation.”
Eric Boerwinkle PhD dean at UTHealth Houston School Public Health noted DPRIT's potential: “The creation of DPRIT will undoubtedly accelerate groundbreaking dementia research contributing discovery new interventions expanding understanding disease creating pathways toward future without dementia.”
UTHealth Houston expects significant benefits from this development as it competes for major grants provided by DPRIT.
“With DPRIT funding we will not only expand our current research but also recruit talented team needed pioneer tomorrow’s breakthroughs in dementia prevention treatment,” Louise McCullough MD PhD professor chair Department Neurology Roy M Phyllis Gough Huffington Distinguished Chair McGovern Medical School UTHealth Houston said.“Preventive strategies are vital because early intervention can significantly alter trajectory neurodegenerative diseases reducing long-term disability associated health care costs.”
Several initiatives across UTHealth Houston could benefit from these funds:
- The Brain Research in Alzheimer’s Inflammation Neurodegeneration Stroke (BRAINS) Lab at McGovern Medical School investigates how vascular injury inflammation metabolic disorders contribute Alzheimer’s disease.
- The McWilliams School Biomedical Informatics is developing a national Alzheimer’s data infrastructure project called ReCARDO ("Using Real-World Data Derive Common Data Elements for Alzheimer’s Disease AD-Related Dementias Research Through Ontological Innovation"). This $27 million initiative aims to integrate clinical genomic imaging behavioral data on Alzheimer’s nationwide via centralized data core lab at UTHealth Houston.
“As contact PI $27 million national Alzheimer’s data harmonization initiative ReCARDO I am extremely excited passage Proposition 14 establish DPRIT There fundamental synergistic interplays between DPRIT ReCARDO national Alzheimer’s data harmonization initiative,” GQ Zhang PhD vice president chief data scientist UTHealth Houston professor Distinguished Chair Digital Innovation McGovern Medical School said.“The data science AI resources generated from ReCARDO will be immediately made available for DPRIT-funded projects In return DPRIT-generated data can be included ReCARDO data ecosystem further enriching its scope depth for dementia research.”
Grant principal investigators include Zhang; Hongfang Liu PhD vice president learning health systems professor D Bradley McWilliams Chair; Licong Cui PhD associate professor—all at McWilliams School Biomedical Informatics.
“The passage Proposition 14 fund DPRIT presents bold forward-looking commitment by state Texas accelerate research improve brain health all Texans” Liu said.“As we work build unified national Alzheimer’s data ecosystem through ReCARDO Texas’ investment positions our state critical partner providing advanced infrastructure innovative analytic capabilities real-world evidence drive breakthroughs understanding treating ultimately preventing dementia."
“DPRIT will not only strengthen research capacity across Texas but also amplify contributions national efforts aimed improving outcomes patients families communities through advanced data science informatics AI innovations.”
