The Epstein Family and ATRI Continue to Lead USC’s Fight Against Alzheimer’s

Under the leadership of founding director and Epstein Alzheimer’s Disease Director’s Chair Paul S. Aisen, MD, the USC Epstein Family Alzheimer’s Therapeutic Research institute has pursued key advances that they believe will make Alzheimer’s a preventable disease in the next decade. Since its founding ten years ago, ATRI has contributed to advances such as the validation of blood tests that measure Alzheimer’s changes in the brain, as well as the development of treatments that slow its progression.

“We now have effective disease-slowing interventions and a clear path toward prevention of Alzheimer’s disease — progress only possible with the inspired support of people like Dan Epstein and his family,” Aisen said.  “Our work at ATRI thrives in partnership with Dan’s visionary leadership and brings us closer to the day we defeat this terrible disease.”

The Epsteins’ motivation is very personal. Dan’s late brother and identical twin, David, lived with Alzheimer’s for 15 years before passing away in late 2021. The experience of watching his illness progress — and seeing the impact it had on every member of their family — inspired him to take action.

The family first invested in this important work with their gift to found the Epstein Family Alzheimer’s Research Collaboration between USC and UC San Diego in 2022. Their contributions catalyzed next-generation clinical trials, data sharing and ATRI’s research into blood biomarkers as signposts that can pick up on abnormalities in the brain — even before a traditional scan.

The vision is bold, simple — and was unimaginable just a few years ago. Epstein ATRI researchers imagine a day when a routine blood test, administered annually at a doctor’s visit, detects Alzheimer’s disease decades before symptoms appear. Then, a daily pill, also to be built on USC research, stops the disease from ever developing. Together, these future treatments will be the world’s first preventive therapy for Alzheimer’s.

“The work of the USC Epstein Family ATRI is urgent,” said Carolyn Meltzer, dean of the Keck School of Medicine of USC. “The sooner we can achieve accurate, early detection and effective prevention, the more memories we can protect and the more lives we can save.”

Dan and Phyllis’ support for this critical work is a gift twice over: First, for the researchers whose work is made possible by their investments, and then for the families around the world who can have new hope and confidence in a future without this devastating disease.

“The Epsteins’ leadership makes it possible,” Meltzer said, “for Dr. Aisen and the ATRI team to lead in the global fight against Alzheimer’s disease.”