On August 21, 2026, 46 graduate students, faculty, and staff involved in neurodegeneration research a CWRU, CCF, UH and Kent State/NEOMED gathered at the November Meeting Center at Case Western Reserve University's Squire Valleevue Farm for the annual Neurodegeneration Retreat. The event was jointly sponsored by the Neurodegeneration Training Grant and the Research Education Component (REC) of the Cleveland Alzheimer's Disease Research Center (CADRC).

Researchers from Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland Clinic, University Hospitals, Kent State University, and NEOMED came together for a day of scientific exchange, networking, and collaboration focused on advancing the understanding of neurodegenerative diseases. The annual retreat serves as a celebration of neurodegeneration research in Northeast Ohio and provides opportunities for trainees, early-career investigators, and established researchers to share ideas and build new collaborations.

The program began with welcome remarks from Xiongwei Zhu, PhD, Director of the NINDS T32 Training in Neurodegenerative Diseases and Director of the NIH CADRC Research Education Component. Dr. Zhu reviewed the accomplishments of the REC program and highlighted ongoing efforts to support education, training, and career development in neurodegeneration research.

The retreat featured research presentations from five Neurodegeneration T32 trainees and four CADRC REC Scholars, who shared updates on their current projects and received feedback from faculty and peers. The presentations reflected the diverse areas of investigation underway across the neurodegeneration research community, spanning basic, translational, and clinical research

The afternoon featured additional research presentations, including a CADRC Development Project presentation by Ann Nguyen, PhD, MSW, LMSW examining the impact of social isolation and green space on cognitive function.

The retreat concluded with a keynote presentation by Andrew B. West, PhD, Director of the Duke Center for Neurodegeneration and Neurotherapeutics and Professor at Duke University School of Medicine. His presentation, titled"Emerging toxicant challenges in Lewy body disease risk and progression pathways," highlighted recent findings on the potential role of micro- and nanoplastics in neurodegeneration. The seminar generated significant interest and discussion among attendees, reflecting the growing importance of understanding environmental contributors to neurodegenerative disease risk and progression.

As in previous years, the retreat provided a valuable forum for scientific discussion, mentorship, and professional networking while strengthening collaborations across Cleveland's neurodegeneration research community.