2026 Spring Speaker

Thursday, April 9, 6:00 pm - 7:00 pm

OSU Hamilton Hall, 1645 Neil Avenue, Room 120, Columbus 43210 (in-person) and Zoom (link will be distributed to registered participants)

Event is free but registration is required! 

Registration link: https://osu.az1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_3fOzfGgbdQbgB2m

Adam C. Naj, Ph.D.

Associate Professor of Epidemiology

University of Pennsylvania

"Genomic Discovery Strategies for Alzheimer's Disease and Related Dementias in the Multi-Ancestry Era" 

Abstract: While several decades of genome-wide association studies (GWAS) in different populations have provided copious insights into the genetic architecture of  Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and its related dementias (ADRDs), much of their genetic basis remains unexplained, especially in populations outside of European ancestry. This talk highlights how expanding genetic studies to include comparisons of diverse populations; inclusion of understudied variant types; implementing stratified analytical strategies; examining underexplored phenotypes and clinical traits; and integrating functional genomics and multi-omics approaches are helping to reveal new biological insights. Using large GWAS datasets in the Alzheimer’s Disease Genetics Consortium (ADGC) and whole genome sequencing (WGS) studies in the Alzheimer’s Disease Sequencing Project (ADSP), we identify both shared and population-specific genetic risk factors, including novel loci in Hispanics, African Americans, and other understudied groups. We explore fine mapping approaches and show differentiation of associations at known and novel Alzheimer’s loci differ by ancestry and sex. We also examine traits beyond simple disease status, such as age-at-onset, uncovering additional genes that may influence when symptoms appear and highlight heterogeneous subtypes of disease. Together, these directions demonstrate that leveraging a variety of analytic strategies improves discovery and deepens our understanding of the biological mechanisms of ADRD. I will discuss how these approaches are shaping future directions in Alzheimer’s research, including biomarker studies, multi-allelic variant analysis, and efforts to connect genetic signals to functional biology.