A snapshot of the Alzheimer's Disease Neuroimaging Initiative. (August 2012) - Weiner, Michael W
Laura McGuinness, Commissioning Editor, speaks to Michael Weiner Dr Michael W Weiner is the Director of the San Francisco VA Medical Center's Center for Imaging of Neurodegenerative Diseases (CA, USA) and is also the Principle Investigator of the Alzheimer's Disease Neuroimaging Initiative (ADNI), a worldwide project aimed at collecting and sharing information to improve our understanding of the progression of cognitive decline. Having worked in the field of neuroimaging for over 25 years, Weiner decided to set up the ADNI over a decade ago, since then his brainchild has gone on to produce findings that have been published in over 300 separate papers. In 2010, Weiner was named a 'Rock Star of Science' in the Geoffrey Beene Foundation's Rock Stars of Science campaign, dedicated to highlighting the significance of scientific research to the general public. In 2011, the ADNI was awarded the Alzheimer's Association Ronald and Nancy Reagan Research Award for "its collaborative and innovative approaches to furthering Alzheimer treatment, prevention and care, " and Weiner's "extraordinary leadership" in setting up and developing the project was recognized when the award was given.