Three Stanford researchers, led by neuroscientist Tony Wyss-Coray, PhD, will be wheeling their way through California this weekend. Their goal? To increase awareness of Alzheimer's disease and raise support for the federal Alzheimer's Breakthrough Act, which would authorize $2 billion in research funding for the disease. The trek is part of a larger, relay-style bike ride starting in San Francisco tomorrow and concluding in Washington, D.C., on Sept. 21.
Wyss-Coray, who does aging research and made headlines a few years ago by developing a blood test to predict a person's risk of Alzheimer's, told me the average person probably doesn't think a lot about Alzheimer's or realize that the disease is underfunded (especially when compared to cancer and other ailments). He not only has a professional interest in changing that, but also a personal one: A close family member was recently diagnosed with the disease and "we can see how we're losing him," he said. "It’s really devastating."
Wyss-Coray and colleagues will ride the 250 miles from San Francisco to San Luis Obispo in three stages between Saturday and Monday.
Photo by One-Fat-Man
