Help us raise $25,000 to purchase a state-of-the-art retinal scanner, a key piece of equipment for our clinical study in Alzheimer’s disease.
Tonight’s event was just one moment in a much larger journey — one that continues with every DNA strand we sequence, every regulatory mechanism we unravel, and every family we help on the path to answers.
You can be part of that progress.
Tonight, we have an urgent and exciting goal: to raise $25,000 or more toward the purchase of a state-of-the-art retinal scanner. This powerful tool will enable our researchers to detect early changes in the eyes that reflect what’s happening in the brain—potentially catching signs of Alzheimer’s disease before symptoms even begin.
With your generosity, we can put this groundbreaking technology directly into the hands of the scientists leading the HOPE-AD pilot project, accelerating discoveries and improving outcomes for individuals at risk of Alzheimer’s disease. Every dollar gets us closer to transforming how we understand, diagnose, and fight this devastating disease.
Your gift tonight isn’t just a donation—it’s hope in action. Let’s make this possible, together.
Illuminating Discoveries in Brain Health
At HudsonAlpha Institute for Biotechnology, we’re using the power of genomics to better understand the brain—our most complex and defining organ. From early development to aging, brain health shapes who we are, and when things go wrong, the effects can be life-altering.
Our researchers are uncovering the genetic causes of conditions like autism, ADHD, and cerebral palsy, as well as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease. By identifying root causes, improving diagnostics, and developing new treatments, we’re bringing hope to millions.
When you support HudsonAlpha, you’re fueling research that improves lives today and shapes healthier futures for generations to come. Keep reading to learn more about the groundbreaking brain research you heard about tonight.
Illuminating Discoveries in Genetic Diagnosis
Dr. Greg Cooper’s lab uses genome sequencing and data-driven discovery to identify mutations that may cause rare neurological diseases. For many families, this work ends years of unanswered questions, connects them to others with similar conditions, and provides a foundation for treatment strategies.
Reagan’s Clinic
Special thanks to Kristi Kreuger for sharing her family and Reagan’s story. Reagan’s Clinic is a pediatric clinic offering primary care medical services to children with special needs and their siblings. Located in Madison, Alabama, Reagan’s Clinic is a valuable new resource for the North Alabama community.
Illuminating Discoveries in Gene Regulation
Not all diseases are caused by inherited gene changes. Many arise from when and how certain genes are turned on or off — a process called gene expression. Dr. Rick Myers and Dr. Nick Cochran are leading studies into transcription factors and gene regulation in neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, ALS, and Huntington’s disease.
Their labs are exploring the molecular switches that control disease-related genes like MAPT (tau), APP (amyloid), and SNCA (alpha-synuclein). Identifying these switch points allows researchers to think strategically about targeted therapies — treatments that could dial back harmful protein production or stabilize vulnerable brain cells.
HOPE-AD pilot project
At this year’s Spring Benefit, you witnessed the public launch of a really exciting pilot project called HOPE-AD (Healthy Outcomes through Phenomic Explorations for Alzheimer’s Disease). To learn more about the project, whether you qualify to participate, and how you can help if you don’t, click the button below.
