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Key people at Cure Alzheimer's Fund.
Cure Alzheimer's Fund is a Wellesley Hills, Massachusetts-based nonprofit organization that utilizes a venture philanthropy model to finance early-stage scientific research aimed at preventing, slowing, or reversing Alzheimer's disease. Operating as a public charity, the entity directs all general donations directly to its research programs and has deployed over $229 million in total funding, including $30 million distributed in 2024. The organization has awarded $213 million through 889 grants to support more than 300 academic scientists across 18 countries, yielding over 1,340 peer-reviewed publications that have generated 115,410 citations. The fund operates in strategic partnership with the Rick Sharp Alzheimer's Foundation and features a board of directors that includes individuals like Robert Greenhill, Richard Birnbaum, and Tim Armour. Cure Alzheimer's Fund was founded in September 2004 by Jeff Morby, Jacqui Morby, Henry McCance, and Phyllis Rappaport.
Key people at Cure Alzheimer's Fund.
Cure Alzheimer's Fund (CureAlz) is a non-profit organization, not a for-profit company, dedicated to funding research with the highest probability of preventing, slowing, or reversing Alzheimer's disease.[1][2][3] Founded on a venture philanthropy model, it directs 100% of general donations to research grants—covering overhead through board and trustee contributions—enabling bold, early-stage funding for leading scientists worldwide.[1][2][4] Since 2004, it has awarded over $175 million in grants, driving discoveries on amyloid clumps, microglia function, lifestyle factors, and menopause's role in the disease.[2][3][4]
This approach accelerates fundamental research, fosters global collaboration among grantees, and challenges conventional wisdom, positioning CureAlz as a key player in Alzheimer's research funding.[2][3]
Cure Alzheimer's Fund was established in September 2004 as the Alzheimer's Disease Research Foundation (ADRF) by founders Jeff Morby, Jackie Morby, Henry McCance, and Phyllis Rappaport, who brought expertise from venture capital and financial services.[2][5] Motivated by frustration with the slow pace of Alzheimer's research and personal stakes—such as family experiences with the disease—they created a streamlined organization to channel private donations into high-impact projects.[1][2][5]
Early milestones included adopting a rolling grant application process, requiring grantee collaboration, and holding the first Research Symposium in 2011 to share findings openly.[2][5] By 2019, it had awarded $100 million in grants, evolving into a leading funder with Tim Armour as a key early leader and Barbara as a longtime director focused on drug discovery.[5]
Cure Alzheimer's Fund rides the wave of precision medicine and neuroscience advancements, where AI-driven data analysis, genomics, and immunotherapy are converging to target Alzheimer's root causes amid an aging global population—over 50 million diagnosed, plus 150 million undiagnosed.[4] Its timing aligns with market forces like rising healthcare costs (billions annually) and stalled federal progress, filling gaps with agile, private funding that federal programs often overlook.[2][4]
By influencing the ecosystem through collaborative networks and paradigm-shifting discoveries, CureAlz amplifies industry-wide efforts, partnering with top scientists to disrupt traditional research silos and pave paths to cures.[2][3]
CureAlz is poised to scale impact as Alzheimer's research hits inflection points, with ongoing grants fueling trials in microglia modulation, amyloid clearance, and preventive therapies amid booming biotech investment in neurodegeneration.[3][4] Trends like AI for brain mapping and personalized interventions will shape its trajectory, potentially unlocking breakthroughs as donor support grows.
Its venture-style efficiency positions it to evolve from funder to catalyst, driving the field toward eradication and honoring founders' vision of preserving human memories.[1][2]
