Thank You for an Exceptional 2025
As we close out the year, we want to reflect with gratitude and pride on all that the National Alzheimer's Coordinating Center (NACC) has accomplished alongside the Alzheimer's Disease Research Center (ADRC) Program and our national collaborators. The year 2025 has been marked by significant progress and transition for NACC. Thanks to the strength of our teams, the commitment of our partners, and the continuity of our mission, NACC remains fully operational, stable, and stronger than ever at the University of Washington!
A Year of Growth, Modernization, and Impact
NACC delivered one of its most productive years to date. Major accomplishments included:
Launching UDSv4
The ADRC Program's new gold standard for clinical phenotypic data collection went live in January 2025. This achievement represents three years of rigorous collaboration with the Clinical Task Force and the EDCS Workgroup. UDSv4 incorporates modernized content, REDCap-based data capture, expanded error checks, and key new constructs such as mild behavioral impairment and the use of disease-modifying therapies. We are proud to report that 100% of ADRCs have adopted UDSv4 for all prospective data collection for English forms. Thanks to the efforts of the Latino Task Force, NACC will deliver Spanish UDSv4 Initial Visit Packets (IVP) and neuropsychological battery worksheets in December, ensuring accurate and consistent clinical data collection for Spanish-speaking participants.
Expanding Data Access and Research Tools
NACC expanded its cloud-based Data Platform, strengthened interoperability with NIAGADS, NCRAD, SCAN/LONI, CLARiTI, ADKP, and BDSA, and advanced pipelines for imaging, fluid biomarkers, genomics, multi-omics, digital neuropathology, digital biomarkers, and real-world data. We proudly continued our partnership with CLARiTI, which expanded to 33 active sites and 364 enrolled participants this year. NACC launched the technical pipeline that delivers centralized read results to clinicians for return to participants, a key seminal feature of the study. NACC successfully released the CLARiTI payment and enrollment dashboards via the ADRC Portal, providing ADRCs with real-time visibility, tracking, and documentation. Additionally, through our partnership with SCAN, NACC now shares MRI and PET images directly with researchers worldwide!
Through the NACC Data Front Door, researchers gained access to a greater volume and variety of integrated ADRC data. NACC completed an unprecedented 1,819 data requests in 2025, a 40% increase over 2024! We advanced the development of a centralized visual reads pipeline that leverages the SCAN imaging infrastructure to support consistent, high-quality interpretation of MRI and PET scans, enabling centralized reads that return results to ADRC site clinicians in a secure, semi-automated manner for communication with participants. NACC's year of technical advancements, including real-time dashboards, a secure LINKAGE enclave, and the prototype of a multimodal query tool, collectively accelerates scientific discovery and helps us fulfill our mission to modernize data collection, integration, and sharing.
Strengthening ADRC Collaboration and Communication
NACC welcomed two new ADRCs, North Texas and Vanderbilt, bringing the program to 37 Centers nationwide. Our biannual ADRC conferences saw record attendance, reflecting sustained enthusiasm across the network. Engagement on the ADRC Program Community Forum increased exponentially, creating an active, centralized space for real-time collaboration and shared support. This year also marked the launch of the NACC Navigator monthly newsletter, providing timely updates on major initiatives and highlighting the work of ADRCs and researchers across the program. In parallel, NACC advanced its collaboration with Alzheimer’s & Dementia on the forthcoming Special Issue recognizing the 25th anniversary of NACC and showcasing the depth and impact of the ADRC Program. Together, these efforts have strengthened collaboration, improved information flow, and reinforced NACC’s role as the central communication hub for the ADRC Program.
Supporting Early Career Investigators
Through NACC’s partnership with the Alzheimer's Association, the New Investigator Award Program (NIAP) grew to 23 awards in 2025! NIAP also witnessed record participation across all ADRCs and sustained mentorship opportunities through the REC network. NACC received 199 letters of intent, 164 applications to the mentorship program, and 113 new members were added to the scientific review committee, providing early-stage AD/ADRD researchers with targeted funding, structured mentorship, and opportunities to engage with the national ADRC network. Together, these increased opportunities are expanding the next generation of AD/ADRD researchers to advance the scientific progress needed to improve the lives of those affected.
Welcoming Back Leadership
With Dr. Kari Stephens' return to NACC leadership, we are entering a period of renewed alignment and momentum. Throughout this transitional time, NACC operations have continued to advance key priorities while maintaining clear communication with ADRC leadership, the NIA, and our technical partners. Our teams have also expanded staffing with additional scientific leadership with Drs. Christine Mac Donald and Suman Jayadev and key staff additions, strengthened project management frameworks, and introduced new internal coordination tools that support our ongoing culture of collaboration, accountability, and technical excellence.
As we close out this banner year, the University of Washington and NACC leadership remain focused on the future, ensuring NACC’s success and support of the ADRC Program and Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias research community. We look ahead to the opportunities and challenges of the coming year with deep gratitude for the partners, supporters, and participants and their loved ones who make our work possible, as together we advance efforts to cure Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias.