MetLife Foundation Honors Three Scientists for Their Research on Alzheimer's Disease |
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Written by U.S. Insurance News
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Monday, 10 March 2008 |
Through the awards that its foundation annually gives, MetLife shows that it's concerned with more than just the financial well-being of its clients in their retirement years.
Recently, MetLife Foundation announced the winners of its annual Awards for Medical Research in Alzheimer's Disease. The recipients are three scientists who have made significant contributions to the understanding of the disease by shedding light on the activities of enzymes in the brain that play an important role in Alzheimer's.
The winners are:
- Bart De Strooper, M.D., Ph.D. of Belgium's K.U.Leuven and VIB-Institute for his work on the cell biology of the amyloid precursor protein and gamma-secretase.
- Robert J. Vassar, Ph.D. of Northwestern University for his research on the beta-secretase enzyme and molecular mechanisms of Alzheimer's disease.
- Philip C. Wong, Ph.D. of the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine for his work on molecular mechanisms and experimental therapies for Alzheimer's disease.
Each of the winners will receive a $25,000 personal award, and $175,000 will be awarded to each of their institutions to further their research.
"These awards are an investment in the future," said Sibyl Jacobson, president, MetLife Foundation, noting that scientists represent the "best hope" to pinpointing the cause of the disease. "We thank the awardees for their important contributions to the understanding of Alzheimer's and commend their continued dedication to scientific research."
In addition to finding a cause and cure for Alzheimer's, MetLife is concerned about the economic impact of the disease. The annual costs of caring for those with Alzheimer's and other dementias, including Medicare and Medicaid costs and the indirect cost to businesses of employees who are caregivers of persons with Alzheimer's, amount to more than $148 billion annually, according to estimates used by the Alzheimer's Association.
"The aging of the population means, unfortunately, that the impact of Alzheimer's will increase in the coming years," said C. Robert Henrikson, chairman, president, and CEO of MetLife, Inc. "The impact of Alzheimer's on families, society, and the economy is why MetLife Foundation has been committed for over 20 years to the search for a cure."
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