Davos Alzheimer’s Collaborative Selects PacBio as Technology Partner for project in North Africa
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The partnership supports a Global Project to Advance Alzheimer’s Disease Research in North Africa, with an international team aiming to develop better understanding of Alzheimer’s disease and dementia in diverse populations
London, UNITED KINGDOM – April 22, 2025 – The Davos Alzheimer’s Collaborative (DAC), a global initiative to prevent Alzheimer’s disease and improve brain health, has announced that PacBio (NASDAQ: PACB), a leader in high-quality, highly-accurate long-read sequencing platforms, will be a technology partner to its North African Dementia Registry (NADR) project. Spearheaded by DAC, this effort brings together The Institute of Global Health and Human Ecology (I-GHHE) at The American University in Cairo (AUC) and UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, University College London (UCL), and aims to develop a high-quality, comprehensive multi-omics dataset to advance the research community’s understanding of the genetics of Alzheimer’s disease and dementias in diverse global populations.
This collaboration represents a significant step toward addressing the underrepresentation of North African populations in dementia research. The NADR is the first dementia-focused registry of its kind in North Africa. The DAC-led effort with AUC and UCL will enable biosamples collection, cognitive assessments and digital phenotyping. By generating a comprehensive multi-omics dataset, researchers will have the opportunity to explore new insights into the genetic and environmental factors contributing to Alzheimer’s disease and dementias. This initiative will leverage PacBio’s advanced sequencing technology to generate genetic insights that can guide future research, prevention, and treatment efforts.
Vaibhav Narayan, Executive Vice President at Davos Alzheimer’s Collaborative, highlighted the global impact of this effort. “This collaboration will bolster our understanding of Alzheimer’s disease in a region characterized by remarkable genetic diversity. Over time, these insights will inform locally relevant prevention and intervention strategies for communities often overlooked in global research efforts.”
“We are proud to partner with DAC, AUC, and UCL on this important project to advance our understanding of the genetics of Alzheimer’s disease, and hopefully help researchers identify new diagnostic tools and therapeutic solutions,” said Neil Ward, Vice President and General Manager of EMEA at PacBio. “Our long-read sequencing technology is uniquely suited to deliver the high-quality genomic data needed to explore the complex genetic landscape of Alzheimer’s disease. This initiative aligns with our commitment to enabling genomic discoveries that improve human health worldwide.”
Dr Mie Rizig, UCL NADR lead and clinical senior research fellow in the Department of Neuromuscular Diseases at UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, emphasized the critical need for robust datasets in dementia research. “Addressing the global challenge of dementia requires diverse, high-quality datasets. With PacBio’s technology and workflows, we can accelerate our understanding of the genetic architecture of populations in North Africa and uncover novel biomarkers and potential therapeutic targets.”
“With a population exceeding 110 million, Egypt serves as a unique bridge between Africa and the Middle East, offering a rich tapestry of genetic and cultural heritage,” said Mohamed Salama, author of AL-SEHA, AUC-NADR lead, and professor at AUC’s I-GHHE. “This collaboration not only promises to benefit the Egyptian population but also aims to advance our collective understanding of dementia in the region and beyond.” Data generated through this collaboration will be made accessible via the Alzheimer’s Disease Data Initiative (ADDI) platform, which provides controlled access to researchers worldwide to support continued innovation in Alzheimer’s disease research. DAC is bringing together a diverse array of partners to foster collaboration and innovation to enhance our capabilities and drive meaningful outcomes that address the challenges and opportunities in brain health. Together, we are committed to building a future that benefits all stakeholders involved.
About the Davos Alzheimer’s Collaborative
The Davos Alzheimer's Collaborative (DAC) is a pioneering worldwide initiative to cure Alzheimer’s disease and improve brain health, seeking to mirror the success of global efforts against infectious diseases such as HIV/AIDS, Covid, and Malaria. DAC is extending global research beyond its current focus on traditional Western European ethnic populations into the highly diversified populations of the Global South, where the vast majority of those with Alzheimer’s live. By introducing lower-cost screening and diagnostic tools as well as new treatment and prevention modalities in primary care and community health settings, DAC is driving implementation of health system solutions that are appropriate for worldwide application. DAC also promotes the vital importance of brain health throughout the lifespan by addressing cardiometabolic and lifestyle factors, especially in early and mid-life. Absent effective action at scale around the world, by 2050, more than 150 million families and half a billion people will be personally impacted by dementia, creating a social, financial, economic, and global security disaster of historic proportions. DAC was launched in Davos in 2021 by the World Economic Forum and the Global CEO Initiative on Alzheimer's Disease.
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