The University of Southern California and the University of California, San Diego have announced a joint gift totaling $50 million from Daniel and Phyllis Epstein and the Epstein Family Foundation in support of Alzheimer’s research.

Split evenly between the two institutions, the gift will establish the Epstein Family Alzheimer’s Research Collaboration at USC and UC San Diego and support existing research to help compress the time between study design, patient recruitment, and clinical trials to expedite the discovery of better treatments and, ultimately, a cure for the progressive neurological disorder. The couple has challenged USC and UC San Diego to raise an additional $25 million each to support Alzheimer’s research.

At UC San Diego, the funds will support two primary areas of focus: gene therapy for Alzheimer’s disease and a “powder for pennies” (P4P) program, designed to expedite the testing of existing or repurposed drugs and natural products for its treatment. At USC, the funding will enable the Alzheimer’s Therapeutic Research Institute to work with USC’s Mark and Mary Stevens Neuroimaging and Informatics Institute to pair biological samples and brain images, enriching the research value of both and making those resources available to researchers around the world.

“We experienced first-hand the significant challenges that come with the progression of Alzheimer’s disease,” said Daniel Epstein, whose identical twin brother, David, passed away recently after suffering from Alzheimer’s disease for fifteen years. “The fact is that there are no viable treatments for this condition, so we are very pleased to serve as a catalyst in moving Alzheimer’s research ahead and hopefully achieving something noteworthy in the not-too-distant future.”

“With this extraordinary gift, Dan and Phyllis Epstein are making a dramatic investment in a better future for perhaps millions of Americans coping with Alzheimer’s disease and those at risk of developing the disease in the years to come,” said USC president Carol Folt and UC San Diego chancellor Pradeep K. Khosla in a joint statement. “By establishing this visionary collaboration between USC and UC San Diego, the Epsteins are forging a bond between two Alzheimer’s research powerhouses that has the potential to transform the landscape of treatment for this devastating disease.”

(Photo credit: UCSD/Bob Ross)