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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Independent Stave Company and The Boswell Family Donates $250,000 to Fund Alzheimer’s Research at Washington University in St. Louis
COLUMBIA, MO. (July 9, 2020) – Independent Stave Company and The Boswell Family donated $250,000 to the Alzheimer’s Association to fully fund two Alzheimer’s Association Research Grants (AARG) awarded to Celeste Karch and Thomas Brett of Washington University in St. Louis.
The grants hope to achieve an improved understanding of the mechanics of how amyloid plaques are cleared from the brain and more accurate readings of amyloid PET scans to detect early brain changes associated with Alzheimer's.
“Our family, like many others, has been affected by Alzheimer’s. Because it is a cause close to our hearts, we knew we wanted to fund research so that someday there might be a cure” said Brad Boswell, fourth generation cooper and CEO of Independent Stave Company. “Washington University’s Knight Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center is one of 30 centers supported by the National Institute on Aging with the goal of facilitating advanced research on Alzheimer's Disease. It seemed like the perfect fit for our donation by being both a renowned Alzheimer’s research center and close to home – we can support Missouri and be closer for visits for updates of their progress.”
The first study funded by the AARG is entitled, “A role for PLD3 in the autophagy-lysosome pathway and Aß clearance: How can a “waste disposal” protein in the brain affect the development of beta-amyloid plaques in Alzheimer’s disease?” Celeste Karch, Ph.D. is the Principle Investigator.
The second study funded by the AARG is entitled, “Structural and Functional Basis for TREM2/ApoE/Lipid interaction in AD: Do certain proteins associated with Alzheimer’s physically interact in ways that may promote disease progression?” Thomas John Brett, Ph.D. is the Principle Investigator.
The Alzheimer’s Association Research Grant aims to fund investigators who are less than 15 years past their doctoral or post-residency (M.D. or D.O.). The purpose of this program is to provide newly independent investigators with funding that will allow them to develop preliminary or pilot data, to test procedures and to develop hypotheses. The intent is to support early-career development that will lay the groundwork for future research grant applications to federal or other funding entities, like the National Institutes of Health, including future proposals to the Alzheimer's Association.
The Alzheimer’s Association is the world’s largest nonprofit funder of Alzheimer’s research as well as the nonprofit with the highest impact in Alzheimer’s research worldwide. “In our role as the leading research convener, collaborator and coordinator, the Association is committed to accelerating global progress of new treatments, preventions and, ultimately, a cure,” said Jeanne Rattenbury, Director of Donor Communications for the Alzheimer's Association.
Independent Stave Company is a dynamic, family-owned cooperage company reaching customers in more than 40 countries. Founded by the Boswell family, Independent Stave Company still embraces the core values of family, innovation, community, and hard work.
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