CAMPUS BIO-MEDICO AND FONDAZIONE ROMA JOIN THE FIGHT AGAINST ALZHEIMER'S DISEASE

The Integrated Center for Research and Treatment on Alzheimer's Disease of theUniversità Campus Bio-Medico di Roma and the Fondazione Policlinico Universitario Campus Bio-Medico, supported by the Fondazione Roma, combines research, diagnosis and care with the aim of accelerating the transition from the laboratory to the patient and opening up new therapeutic perspectives.

Rome, 21 September 2026 200 patients followed by 2025, with the time needed to reach a diagnosis reduced from one year to just three months. Nine more months to try to develop a treatment plan and access emerging therapies, plan care, and engage patients in the early stages of the disease. These are some of the key results that distinguish the activities of the "Integrated Center for Research and Treatment on Alzheimer's Disease – Fondazione Roma" at the Campus Bio-Medico, promoted by the Biomedical University Foundation.

The project integrates translational research, clinical activity and social assistance support and has allowed the installation of a 3 Tesla magnetic resonance and a clinical neurophysiology laboratory at the Fondazione Policlinico Universitario Campus Bio-Medico, as well as the creation of laboratories and facilities for preclinical research and validation at theUniversità Campus Bio-Medico di RomaThe center aims to be a hub where advanced research, treatment, and clinical innovation converge to transform scientific discoveries into applicable solutions, promote early detection of the disease, and improve the lives of people with Alzheimer's and their families. A person-centered model that combines scientific excellence, therapeutic innovation, and continuity of care.

The activities and results of the centre were discussed in depth today, on the occasion of World Alzheimer's Day, during a meeting at theUniversità Campus Bio-Medico di Roma The event brought together representatives from the world of research and institutions, healthcare professionals, and third sector organizations, with particular attention to the role of day centers in the care and assistance of people with Alzheimer's disease.

“Alzheimer's disease does not only affect those who receive the diagnosis, but also profoundly affects the lives of families,” commented the President of the University and the Policlinico Foundation Carlo Tosti, who then added: "This requires an approach that unites research and treatment and recognizes, at every stage of the disease, the dignity and identity of the individual. The Center translates into practice the vision that has guided the Campus Bio-Medico for over thirty years: placing scientific and clinical expertise at the service of patients, with genuine attention to their needs and those of their families. The support of the Fondazione Roma and the collaboration between the involved organizations allow us to bring together diverse professional skills and experiences, an essential prerequisite for addressing the complexity of the disease."

The President of the Rome Foundation, Franco Parasassi, recalled that today in Italy "over 1,4 million people live with dementia, of which approximately 600.000 suffer from Alzheimer's disease, a number destined to grow rapidly also due to the demographic aging that is affecting our country". Faced with a challenge of this magnitude – explained Parasassi – "Fondazione Roma has long chosen to commit itself concretely. In our residential village, for years we have guaranteed a free and cutting-edge care model, unique in Italy, for people with mild and moderate Alzheimer's", commented the President of Fondazione Roma, who then continued: "The Integrated Research and Treatment Centre, promoted and created in close collaboration with theUniversità Campus Bio-Medico di Roma and the Fondazione Policlinico Universitario Campus Bio-Medico, represents a true hub of excellence where advanced research meets healthcare to unravel the mechanisms of disease and develop increasingly precise and timely diagnostic models. For Fondazione Roma, research and care merge into a single, overarching goal: to transform scientific innovation into real solutions capable of positively impacting the lives of patients and their families, restoring their hope for a dignified and peaceful future.

“Our research work focuses on the pathogenic mechanisms of the disease and aims at an ever better definition of the evolution of Alzheimer's disease”, stated Professor Marcello D'Amelio, full professor of Human Physiology and Head of the Molecular Neuroscience Unit of theUniversità Campus Bio-Medico di RomaThis is possible thanks to an integrated approach in which neurology, neuropsychology, experimental neurophysiology, laboratory medicine, genetics, and diagnostic imaging can work in coordination, with a direct transfer of knowledge from the laboratory to the patient. Furthermore, the Center's advanced technologies allow for more detailed insights more quickly. For patients and families, this means access to a more streamlined and timely diagnostic process. For research, it means having a context in which every clinical observation can generate new knowledge and every experimental discovery can be verified and valued in healthcare practice.  

“In recent years, research on Alzheimer's has made available tools that are profoundly changing the way we can diagnose the disease and intervene on the mechanisms underlying it,” explained the Director of the Complex Operating Unit of Neurology at the Fondazione Policlinico Universitario Campus Bio-Medico and full professor Vincenzo Di Lazzaro, who continued: "The Center's innovation lies not only in the availability of biomarkers and advanced diagnostic technologies, but also in the ability to integrate them into a treatment plan tailored to each individual patient's characteristics. From neurological and neuropsychological assessments to biological and imaging tests, each element contributes to more precisely delineating the disease profile, understanding its potential progression, and guiding clinical decisions."

“This center represents a source of particular pride for us: it is the concrete result of the ability to connect skills, resources and visions, which is at the heart of the mission of the Biomedical University Foundation,” observed the president of the Biomedical University Foundation Alessandro Pernigo"Thanks to the support of the Fondazione Roma and the scientific excellence of the University and the Campus Bio-Medico University Hospital, an innovation project has now become a reality for research and care at the service of individuals and their families." The initiative was also attended by the President of the Advisory Board of the Biomedical University Foundation Paolo Arullani and the director of the International Relations Office of the Italian Medicines Agency (AIFA) Armando MagrelliDuring the morning, a roundtable discussion was held on the role of day care centers, organized by the Alberto Sordi Foundation, the organization within the Campus Bio-Medico System that specializes in supporting the elderly, frail, and non-self-sufficient individuals. This in-depth session featured a physician from the Campus Bio-Medico Polyclinic's Neurology Unit. Fioravante Capone, the head of the Alzheimer's Day Center of the Health and Research Foundation Alessia Fiandra, the head of the Day Center for the Frail Elderly and Home Care Service of the Alberto Sordi Foundation Francesca Lospoto and the coordinator of the multidisciplinary team of the Villaggio Fondazione Roma Michael This.