From idea to impact

From the lab to the community, UC Irvine researchers are shaping treatments, technologies and care models that improve lives. Explore how their work is advancing Alzheimer's research, predicting stroke recurrence and uncovering the link between Down syndrome and dementia.

Advancing Alzheimer's Care in the Community

Researchers in the Joe C. Wen School of Population & Public Health are actively changing how Alzheimer's care reaches local communities. Through partnerships connecting scientists, clinicians and families, Wen Public Health is developing programs that promote early diagnosis, expand access to resources and foster inclusive approaches to aging. This collaboration model is improving the quality of life for patients and caregivers alike and redefining what community-based care can achieve.

A Machine Learning Breakthrough in Stroke Recurrence Prediction

Harnessing the power of artificial intelligence, Wen Public Health researchers are pioneering a predictive model that helps physicians identify which stroke patients are at the greatest risk of recurrence. By integrating machine learning with clinical data, the team is advancing precision medicine, empowering doctors to tailor prevention and treatment strategies that save lives and reduce the global burden of strokes. Using the new model, researchers correctly identified 84 out of 100 patients likely to experience another stroke.

Discovery at the Intersection of Down Syndrome & Alzheimer's Disease

Biomedical sciences Ph.D. candidate Elizabeth Andrews and her mentor, pathology professor Elizabeth Head, have discovered that women with Down syndrome may experience faster progression of Alzheimer's disease than men do. The finding could reshape when interventions begin and how researchers interpret results in clinical trials - paving the way for more effective therapies for people with Down syndrome and, ultimately, for the broader population. This critical work depends on funding from the National Institutes of Health.